UnitedHealth says it is cooperating with DOJ investigation into Medicare billing practices

Title: UnitedHealth says it is cooperating with DOJ investigation into Medicare billing practices

Article Snip: "...UnitedHealth Group revealed it is facing a Justice Department criminal and civil investigation over its Medicare billing practices, adding to a string of setbacks for a company that owns America’s largest and most powerful private insurer. ...DOJ interviewed several doctors about UnitedHealth’s practices and whether they felt pressured to submit claims for certain conditions that bolstered payments from the Medicare Advantage program to the company. ..."

Reference: www.cnbc.com
Justice Department criminal and civil investigation (UnitedHealth Group),UnitedHealth,Medicare, Medicare billing Practices,

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Nationwide finds Medicare myth on long-term care could cost Americans dearly

Title: Nationwide finds Medicare myth on long-term care could cost Americans dearly

Article Snip: "...Based on its 2025 Nationwide Retirement Institute Long-Term Care survey, the insurance giant found 58% of adults believe Medicare will cover long-term care costs, despite the program offering only limited, short-term assistance. ...At-home care is a preferred option for many: 77% of respondents said they would rather age in place. But that may be easier said than done. More than four in 10 believe their current home is unsafe or inaccessible for older age, and nearly half say making the necessary retrofits to their residence would be unaffordable."

Reference: www.investmentnews.com

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How You Can Lose Your Medicare Benefits

Title: How You Can Lose Your Medicare Benefits

Article Snip: "...Your Medicare coverage can be disrupted or lost through your own actions or for reasons outside of your control. Don't let that happen to you. ...If you lose your Medicare coverage, you can reapply. Depending on circumstances, you may be able to apply outside of the Medicare open enrollment period, which runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. You can reapply outside of that window if you've experienced what is considered to be a qualifying life event. In order to do this, you would typically qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). Here's a look at the ways you can lose your Medicare benefits. ..."

Reference: www.kiplinger.com
Medicare

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Medicare fraud possibly tied to 2024 data breach

Title: Medicare fraud possibly tied to 2024 data breach

Article Snip: "...Nebraska SHIP says she has received more than half a dozen recent calls about claims showing up on reports for durable medical equipment that was never purchased or received.

Long tells KNEB News she believes the fraudulent activity is a potential off-shoot of last year’s data breach at Change Healthcare. “It’s the big entity that holds all Medicare numbers, they had a data breach last February. So everybody on Medicare got warned about this breach, and now we’re seeing some possible effects of that,” said Long. ..."

Reference: ruralradio.com
Medicare,Fraud,2024 data breach, Change Healthcare Data Breach,

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13 Things Medicare Gives You for Free

Title: 13 Things Medicare Gives You for Free

Article Snip: "Medicare beneficiaries often pay monthly premiums, copays, annual deductibles and prescription drug costs. But what you may not know is that some services don’t cost anything at all. ...Medicare includes different parts, which provide different types of coverage — hospital insurance (Part A), medical insurance (Part B), Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), and prescription drug coverage (Part D).

While some services come at a cost, Medicare also offers many services with no out-of-pocket costs at all. That said, some of these freebies may not be available with Medicare Advantage, and there may be limitations on how often you can take advantage of a free service. Still, it’s worth knowing about these 13 things Medicare gives you for free. ..."

Reference: www.kiplinger.com
Medicare, Free Stuff,

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SSA.gov | How do I sign up for Medicare?

Title: How do I sign up for Medicare?

Article Snip: "...If you already get Social Security benefits, you do not need to sign up for Medicare. We will automatically enroll you in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) when you become eligible. We will mail you the information a few months before you become eligible.

Because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you can turn it down. However, if you decide to sign up for Part B later, your coverage can be delayed and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B coverage. Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries will NOT automatically receive Part B. They must elect this benefit.

If you don’t get Social Security benefits and are not ready to apply for them yet, you should sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. The easiest way to apply for Medicare is by using our online application or you can make an appointment by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information read our Medicare publication.

..."

Reference: ssa.gov
How do I sign up for Medicare?

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Get Started With Medicare | Your Medicare Card

Title: Get Started With Medicare | Your Medicare Card

Article Snip: "... Your card has a Medicare Number that’s unique to you — it’s not your Social Security Number. This helps protect your identity.

The card shows:

You have Medicare Part A (listed as HOSPITAL), Part B (listed as MEDICAL), or both.

The date your coverage begins.

Once you’re signed up for Medicare, we’ll mail you your Medicare card in your welcome packet. You can also log into (or create) your secure Medicare account to print your official Medicare card. ..."

Reference: www.medicare.gov

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Medicare coverage will change in 2025. Some boomers are already struggling to keep up with their medical bills.

Title: Medicare coverage will change in 2025. Some boomers are already struggling to keep up with their medical bills.

Article Snip: "...Many insurers are making significant changes in 2025. Deductibles and prescription drug costs will become more expensive for some Medicare recipients — and it could impact whether older Americans can afford healthcare. ..."

Reference: www.businessinsider.com
Medicare, 2025,

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Health Watch | Drugmaker Novo Nordisk Ozempic and Wegovy Maker Courts Black Leaders to get Medicare's Federal Funding Favor

Title:

Article Snip: "...Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has turned to influential Black Americans in pursuit of what would be a lucrative victory: having Medicare cover a new class of weight loss drugs, including the company's highly sought Wegovy, which can cost patients more than $1,000 a month. During a conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation last fall — a jampacked gathering featuring prominent Black lawmakers and President Joe Biden — Novo Nordisk sponsored a..."

Reference: www.npr.org
Novo Nordisk is trying to reverse a 20-year-old ban on coverage of drugs used for weight loss under Medicare, Dangerous Drugs, How Many Drugs Does Your Drug-Pusher Doctor Have You On Now, Duping Americans for Profit, Congressional Black Caucus (Primarily Democrat lawmakers on Capitol Hill),

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There’s a catch in USPS insurance program for Medicare-eligible retirees

Title: There’s a catch in USPS insurance program for Medicare-eligible retirees

Article Snip: "As preparations ramp up to launch a new health insurance program for the Postal Service, the Office of Personnel Management is anticipating the possibility that some USPS annuitants will opt out of Medicare prescription drug coverage without realizing the full consequences. For USPS employees and annuitants, Open Season will look somewhat different this fall. In tandem with the standard open enrollment period for participants in the existing Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, all USPS employees, annuitants and their family members will have to switch into the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program. ...USPS annuitants who opt out of Medicare Part D will lose underlying prescription drug coverage, according to OPM's regulations. ..."

Reference: federalnewsnetwork.com
Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB),Medicare,Medicare Part D, Drug Coverage, Retirees (Postal),

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Biden’s Medicare Advantage Cuts May Come Back To Haunt Him

Title: Biden’s Medicare Advantage Cuts May Come Back To Haunt Him

Article Snip: "President Joe Biden’s move in April to cut Medicare Advantage benefits for seniors may come back to haunt him. ...The Biden administration in April finalized plans to cut MA benefits, which experts said could lead to an additional $33 a month for out-of-pocket costs, or $396 a year, for enrollees. Critics of the cuts said they would be especially devastating to seniors living on fixed incomes who are already coping with ongoing inflation issues. ..."

Reference: dallasexpress.com
Biden Destroys Retirees, Medicare,

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No. 1 Best Seller | 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

Title: 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

Article Snip: "UPDATED WITH 2024 MEDICARE INFORMATION...New to Medicare - This book will help anyone approaching Medicare eligibility at age 65 who needs to learn the basics and is afraid of making a mistake that will result in penalties or inadequate healthcare coverage

✓ Retiring after 65 - Perhaps you have worked past age 65 and maintained employer coverage but now you are retiring and want to successfully transition from group health insurance coverage to Medicare as your primary coverage. This book will show you the exact steps to take while also sidestepping unexpected (and often undeserved) late enrollment penalties.

✓ Beneficiaries Facing Indecision - Get this book if It's time for you to make a choice between a Medigap plan (Medicare supplement) and Medicare Advantage but you find yourself torn and aren't sure which route would be a better fit for you.

✓ Confused by Election Periods - Are all the various Medicare election periods making your head spin? This book carefully explains what changes and plan selections you can make during the various election periods and more importantly, what those election periods WON'T give you that you probably expect.

✓ Adult Children and Caregivers - If you find yourself in a situation where you need to help your parents make Medicare coverage decisions but have no idea how Medicare works, this book will be immensely helpful to you.

Every year thousands of seniors make big mistakes during their Medicare enrollment that can result in expensive penalties and untold hours of hassle and headaches. While some of these mistakes are fixable, others can affect you for the rest of your life.

In 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes, Medicare expert Danielle K. Roberts exposes the most common pitfalls that new to Medicare beneficiaries unwittingly make and shares how to expertly avoid them. ..."

Reference: Amazon

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Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program FAQs

Title: Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program FAQs

Article Snip: "The Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program is a new, separate program within the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which will provide health insurance to eligible Postal Service employees, Postal Service annuitants, and their eligible family members starting in 2025. The PSHB Program coverage will replace Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program coverage for these groups. "

Reference: www.opm.gov
Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB),Medicare,

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Surprise! If You're a Medicare Enrollee, You May Have to Pay for These Expenses on Your Own.

Title: Surprise! If You're a Medicare Enrollee, You May Have to Pay for These Expenses on Your Own.

Article Snip: "...Medicare provides health coverage to millions of seniors today. But even with that coverage, retirees commonly have to reach into their wallets to cover expenses that Medicare won't pay for. Here are a few items that fall into that category. ..."

Reference: www.fool.com
Medicare, Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage,

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CMS.GOV | 2024 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles

Title: 2024 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles

Article Snip: "...On October 12, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2024 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B programs, and the 2024 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts. ...Each year, the Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and coinsurance rates are determined according to provisions of the Social Security Act. The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $174.70 for 2024, an increase of $9.80 from $164.90 in 2023. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $240 in 2024, an increase of $14 from the annual deductible of $226 in 2023. "

Reference: www.cms.gov
2024,Medicare,Reading,Education,

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FDA fully approves 'novel' Alzheimer’s disease drug Leqembi, will be covered by Medicare

Title: FDA fully approves 'novel' Alzheimer’s disease drug Leqembi, will be covered by Medicare

Article Snip: "Leqembi has shown clinical benefit in fighting Alzheimer's disease. ...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fully approved a "novel" drug used to treat adult patients with Alzheimer’s, the agency announced. Leqembi, which is produced by Japanese drugmaker Eisai and American-based drugmaker Biogen..."

Reference: www.foxnews.com
Leqembi,Medicare,Alzheimer's, Health,Alzheimer’s Drugs,Food and Drug Administration (FDA),amyloid beta-directed antibody, Biogen, Eisai, Lecanemab,

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Medicare will continue to restrict coverage of a new class of Alzheimer’s drugs, even when fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Title: Medicare won’t change coverage policy for pricey Alzheimer’s drugs

Article Snip: "Currently, Medicare coverage is even stricter, as the agency will only pay for the drugs if a patient receives them through a clinical trial. The treatments in question are monoclonal antibody infusions that target brain plaque known as amyloid that’s a signature characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The drugs are intended for early stage Alzheimer’s patients and are meant to slow the progression of memory loss, but are not a cure. They are costly, and there are only two: Eisai’s Leqembi and Biogen’s Aduhelm. Both were granted accelerated approval by FDA..."

Reference: www.yahoo.com
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

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FEHB and Medicare Webinar to be held March 9

Title: FEHB and Medicare Webinar to be held March 9

Article Snip: "...Representatives from GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, will conduct the webinar and explain how Medicare works with FEHB plans, including information on Medicare parts A, B, C and D. Participants must register before the event on the webinar website. After signing up, directions for accessing the webinar will be emailed to each registrant. Following the session, registrants will receive an email with a link to an archived recording, along with the slides shown. Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees may only participate off the clock or during authorized breaks...."

Reference: usps.com
FEHB and Medicare Webinar

Beware Federal Employees: Mandatory Medicare First Step to Eliminating FEHB Coverage for Retirees?

Title: Beware Federal Employees: Mandatory Medicare First Step to Eliminating FEHB Coverage for Retirees?

Article Snip: "As is often the case in Congressional bills, the bill’s title does not reveal the real impact of the proposal. In this case, “Postal reform” legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The title is accurate but the real impact may be the potential to increase health care premiums for federal employees and retirees enrolled in Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plans. The legislation could also turn out to be the first step in removing federal retirees from the FEHB. ...Creating the Postal Service Health Benefit Plan (PSHB) The bill would create separate health plans for Postal employees and retirees. These plans would be separate from the current Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) plans. For example, there would be a Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard plan for Feds and a separate one for Postal employees and retirees."

Reference: www.fedsmith.com
Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHB),Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB),Medicare,

Social Security, Medicare and Retirement Plan Changes for 2021

Title: Social Security, Medicare and Retirement Plan Changes for 2021

Article Snip: "...From the pandemic to politics and the economy, it’s been a wild year, especially for those near or in retirement. While some uncertainty remains in the outlook for 2021, here’s what you need to know about Social Security, Medicare premiums and retirement plan contributions..."

Reference: www.thestreet.com
social security,Medicare, Retirement, 2021,