Beneficiarios de Medicare gastarán menos en medicamentos en 2025

KFF Health News Original

El período de inscripción anual para que los beneficiarios de Medicare renueven o cambien su cobertura de medicamentos, o elijan un plan Medicare Advantage, comenzó el 15 de octubre y se extiende hasta el 7 de diciembre.

Biden Plan To Save Medicare Patients Money on Drugs Risks Empty Shelves, Pharmacists Say

KFF Health News Original

President Joe Biden is campaigning for reelection on his efforts to cut costs for Medicare patients at the pharmacy counter. But independent pharmacists say one strategy makes it unaffordable for them to keep some brand-name medicines in stock.

Your Doctor or Your Insurer? Little-Known Rules May Ease the Choice in Medicare Advantage

KFF Health News Original

Disputes between hospitals and Medicare Advantage plans are leading to entire hospital systems suddenly leaving insurance networks. Patients are left stuck in the middle, choosing between their doctors and their insurance plan. There’s a way out.

Adultos mayores, detectives contra avisos engañosos de Medicare Advantage

KFF Health News Original

Funcionarios de los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid le han pedido a las personas mayores y a otros miembros de la comunidad que sean detectives contra el fraude, denunciando tácticas de venta engañosas al 800-MEDICARE.

Feds Rein In Use of Predictive Software That Limits Care for Medicare Advantage Patients

KFF Health News Original

Software sifts through millions of medical records to match patients with similar diagnoses and characteristics and then predicts what kind of care an individual will need and for how long. New federal rules will ensure human experts are part of the process.

A Covid Test Medicare Scam May Be a Trial Run for Further Fraud

KFF Health News Original

Before the covid-19 public health emergency ended, Medicare advocates around the country noticed a rise in complaints from beneficiaries who received at-home covid tests they never requested. Bad actors may have used seniors’ Medicare information to improperly bill the federal government — and could do it again, say federal investigators.

Estafas a Medicare con pruebas para covid pueden generar otros fraudes

KFF Health News Original

La cobertura de Medicare para las pruebas caseras de covid-19 finalizó hace pocos días, pero las estafas generadas por este beneficio temporal podrían tener consecuencias persistentes para las personas mayores.

Medicare Plan Finder Likely Won’t Note New $35 Cap on Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs

KFF Health News Original

In August, Congress approved a $35 cap on what seniors will pay for insulin, but that change came too late to add to the online tool that helps Medicare beneficiaries compare dozens of drug and medical plans. Federal officials say beneficiaries who use insulin will have the opportunity to switch plans after open enrollment ends Dec. 7.

After Congress Fails to Add Dental Coverage, Medicare Weighs Limited Benefit Expansion

KFF Health News Original

Medicare can pay for some dental care if it is medically necessary to safely treat another covered medical condition, and federal officials have asked for suggestions on whether that list of conditions should be expanded.

Nursing Home Surprise: Advantage Plans May Shorten Stays to Less Time Than Medicare Covers

KFF Health News Original

Private Medicare Advantage health plans are increasingly ending coverage for skilled nursing or rehab services before medical providers think patients are healthy enough to go home, doctors and patient advocates say.

Medicaid Weighs Attaching Strings to Nursing Home Payments to Improve Patient Care

KFF Health News Original

The Biden administration is considering whether Medicaid, which pays the bills for 62% of nursing home residents, should require that most of that funding be used to provide care, rather than for maintenance, capital improvements, or profits.

Seeking to Shift Costs to Medicare, More Employers Move Retirees to Advantage Plans

KFF Health News Original

Private and public employers are increasingly using the government’s Medicare Advantage program as an alternative to their existing retiree health plan and traditional Medicare coverage. As a result, the federal government is paying the “overwhelming majority” of medical costs, according to an industry analyst.

La inscripción de Medicare es temporada abierta para estafadores

KFF Health News Original

Funcionarios federales dicen que están aumentando las quejas de personas mayores engañadas para que compren pólizas sin su consentimiento, o atraídas por información cuestionable, que pueden no cubrir sus medicamentos ni incluir a sus médicos.

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Is Open Season for Scammers

KFF Health News Original

Medicare officials say complaints are rising from seniors lured into private plans with misleading information or enrolled without their consent. In response, officials have threatened to penalize the private companies selling Medicare Advantage and drug plans if they or agents working on their behalf mislead consumers.