...providing retirement news snippets from various sources for federal employees, postal employees, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who receive Social Security . Your resource for retirement living, investment, employment, health care, and retirement leisure. - Stay Informed!
Title: Does Medicare Part B Cover the Seasonal Flu Shot?
Article Snip: "...Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers the seasonal flu shot (or vaccine) once per flu season. ..."
Reference: www.medicare.govTitle: Flu season is coming, so when should you get a shot?
Article Snip: "...When is the best time to get vaccinated?
Influenza typically peaks in February in the U.S. The best months to get a flu shot are September, October and November. According to Cleveland Clinic, getting vaccinated during any of those months will allow your body to build up protective antibodies as flu season starts.
Will the flu shot be available around the country?
Yes, pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy have already begun offering flu shots for this year, along with grocers like Walmart and Kroger who offer them at their clinics.
Flu shots are covered by most health insurance plans. Some clinics across the country may offer the shot to people regardless of if they are insured or not.
You can also use the CDC’s flu vaccine finder to find a location near you to get your flu shot. ...Flu shots are covered by most health insurance plans. Some clinics across the country may offer the shot to people regardless of if they are insured or not.
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Title: Cracker Barrel stock turns higher as Trump weighs in on logo furor
Article Snip: "...To distance the company from its rustic identity and appeal to a wider demographic, Cracker Barrel (NASDAQ:CBRL) embarked on a rebranding campaign, eliminating “old country store” and redesigning its logo to a more streamlined aesthetic that was roundly criticized by loyal customers...The idea was to celebrate the diversity of all our guests with a logo that represented our continued passion for pleasing people of all races, colors, and genders ..."
Reference: seekingalpha.comMore Reading: Uncle Herschel is back — but Cracker Barrel still has bigger problems to fix
Title: Mediterranean Diet Cuts Dementia-Linked Metabolites By 35% in APOE4 Carriers
Article Snip: "...Patients with 2 copies of the APOE4 gene—a major risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD)—who ate a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of dementia by 35%, according to study findings published in Nature Medicine...."
Reference: www.pharmacytimes.comArticle Snip: "...This gap highlights a harsh truth: many Americans are falling short of the savings needed to support a comfortable retirement. While Northwestern Mutual research suggests the average person believes they'll need around $1.26 million to retire comfortably, Fidelity reports the average 401(k) balance among those 70 and up is just $250,000. And according to Federal Reserve data, only 3.2% of all retirees have $1 million or more saved.
This is simply not enough for many seniors..."
Title: How to Plan for Aging in Place: Five Key Factors
Article Snip: "...Almost no one wants to live in a nursing home. But staying in your home as you grow older is more complicated than you may think. We ask the experts for advice. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comTitle: FBI warns seniors about billion-dollar scam draining retirement funds, expert says AI driving it
Article Snip: "FBI warns three-phase scheme uses tech support, bank and government impostors to target elderly victims...In the first phase, a tech support impostor will contact victims through text, phone call or email, then direct them to download a program allowing the scammer remote access to their computer. ..."
Reference: www.foxnews.comTitle: Eating This Vegetable Could Lower Your Dementia Risk, According to Dietitians
Article Snip: "...While no single food can protect your brain on its own, dietitians agree that leafy greens like spinach deserve a spot on your plate.
Here’s why dietitians say spinach is the standout vegetable to help reduce your risk of dementia. ..."
Title: We Asked A BBQ Pitmaster How To Actually Grill The Perfect Chicken Breast
Article Snip: "...Shoults, owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse and Marshall Mercantile, told us the key to perfect chicken is prep. "Never skip marinating your chicken; the longer it soaks, the juicier and more tender the chicken will be -- it will be dripping with flavor," he explained. Of course, even after marinating, there's more to grilling chicken to perfection. "Try to..."
Reference: www.aol.comTitle: The Emotional Side of Retiring: Six Steps to Help You Move On
Article Snip: "...Getting mentally ready for retirement can be tough. The loss of your work identity, daily connections, and sense of purpose can make the transition difficult. Here are six steps to help you adjust. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comTitle: Turmoil In Medicare Advantage Plans Continues
Article Snip: "... major sponsors of Advantage plans reported that their costs were higher than expected because of higher use of medical services and increased claims by plan members. CVS Health, Aetna and UnitedHealth Group announced disappointing earnings and saw their stock prices decline.
CMS also made tweaks to the regulations that resulted in lower payments or no payments to Advantage plan sponsors for some medical services.
Those factors did cause significant changes in Advantage plans for 2025. There were 6.6% fewer Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage available in 2025 than in 2024. UnitedHealth Group offered 5.4% fewer plans while Humana reduced its offerings by 2.5%. ..."
Title: Cracker Barrel lovers can check out new menu, logo
Article Snip: "The southern "country" style restaurant-store chain is introducing a new logo, and launching a new menu...The moves come amid Cracker Barrel's larger rebranding project, including remodeled restaurants. ...an aim to attract younger crowds ..."A swing and a miss. We eat here for a reason. I get what you tried. I don't want bright and open. I want grandma's house back."
More sarcstically, one user wrote: "Ok, I see what y'all did. Nice work. Now, undo it all and put it back like it was.""
Title: CVS Caremark ordered to pay $290M after Medicare fraud scheme exposed by former Aetna whistleblower
Article Snip: "...Philadelphia court triples damages after finding pharmacy benefit manager overcharged Medicare by $95M...A federal judge has ordered CVS Health’s pharmacy benefit manager, Caremark, to pay nearly $290 million after a whistleblower accused the business of overcharging Medicare on prescription drugs more than a decade ago.
Sarah Behnke, a former Aetna actuary, alleged Caremark defrauded Medicare Part D by causing false drug cost reports to be submitted in 2013 and 2014."
Title: Living on a Cruise Ship in Retirement: A Brilliant Hack or a Costly Mistake?
Article Snip: "...Forget images of Florida condos and Arizona golf courses—some retirees are trading traditional retirement for a permanent life at sea. But before you start packing your bags for shuffleboard, endless buffets, and permanent ocean views, you'll need to assess the financial reality of a cruise ship retirement. ..."
Reference: www.investopedia.comTitle: How Much the Average Upper-Class Retiree Spends Monthly at Age 70
Article Snip: "...Here’s a look at how much this demographic tends to spend in retirement, using data from the BLS, Fidelity, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Corebridge Financial. ..."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comTitle: I Asked ChatGPT If Retirees Can Live on Social Security Alone — Here’s What It Said
Article Snip: "...Social Security was never intended to cover the entire cost of living in retirement, but in some situations, there are those who can make it work. Here’s what ChatGPT had to say about what Social Security covers, if it’s enough, and who is living on this income alone. ..."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comTitle: Social Security COLA 2026: How Much Will Payments Increase Next Year?
Article Snip: "A key gauge for inflation — the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (known as the CPI-W) — rose by 2.5 percent in July, compared with one year ago, according to Aug. 12 data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). ...A CPI-W of 2.5 percent for July suggests that Social Security recipients may see a modest bump in their Social Security payments starting in January 2026. “We’re likely to see a relatively historically normal COLA, maybe in the range of..."
Reference: www.aarp.orgTitle: What’s the average Social Security payment for August 2025? Plus: Changes for 2026
Article Snip: "...As of August 2025, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit is $1,953.96, or about $23,450 per year, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). But your actual payout can be higher or lower depending on when you claim and how much you earned.
Here’s a breakdown of average Social Security benefits by age and gender..."
Title: How Much Is Joe Biden’s Monthly Social Security Check?
Article Snip: "... Joe Biden has released his annual tax returns since 1998. His 2024 return is not released yet, but his 2023 joint federal tax return, with his wife Dr. Jill Biden, states that he received $42,842 in Social Security income. That works out to approximately $3,570 per month.
His wife received $21,412 in Social Security for the year of 2023. That works out to about $1,784 per month. The fact that this amount is almost exactly half of Joe Biden’s suggests that she is likely drawing spousal benefits since those are capped at 50%, according to the Social Security Administration. ..."
Title: Four Tax Changes Those Over 65 and Retirees Should Watch in 2025
Article Snip: "...This year brings key tax changes that could affect your retirement taxes and income. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comTitle: Your Medicare Costs Are Set to Soar: What to Expect Over the Next Decade Article Snip: " Medicare beneficiaries will face hi...