Posted on 29 March 2011. Tags: Health Care Reform, Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicare, study
By Mary Agnes Carey Raising Medicare’s eligibility age by two years would save the federal government $7.6 billion but those costs —and more — would shift to others, according to a report out March 29. The analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation says that increases in total costs for people 65- and 66-year-olds, employers and […]
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Posted in Features
Posted on 28 March 2011. Tags: CLASS Act, Families USA, Health Care Reform, Long term care insurance, Pollack
Long-term care is expensive, and Medicare does not cover the costs. And there are other reasons to plan ahead, to learn about your options for care before you need help. That way, if you need care suddenly, you and your family won’t have to scramble. Equally important, you won’t end up in a nursing home […]
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Posted in Features
Posted on 24 February 2011. Tags: AARP, Banda, Deborah, Health Care Reform, Prescription Advantage
By Deborah E. Banda At the end of January, we were gearing up for a major battle on Beacon Hill. Gov. Patrick was readying the release of his 2012 state budget proposal. With a projected $1.8 billion shortfall, we worried how services for vulnerable seniors would be impacted, especially since they are already operating at […]
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Posted in Features
Posted on 09 November 2010. Tags: benefits, Families USA, Health Care Reform, Medicare, Patient Protection
The new law does not cut Medicare’s guaranteed benefits; it improves them. Before the law was passed, those with Medicare prescription drug coverage faced a growing gap (the “doughnut hole”) that left them vulnerable to thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket drug costs. This year, people in the doughnut hole received a $250 rebate toward the […]
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Posted in Opinion
Posted on 09 November 2010. Tags: Democrat, election, Health Care Reform, midterm elections, Obama, older, pol, Republican, seniors
For seniors, a group that takes voting seriously, Obama’s health care overhaul legislation was a driving issue. Fifty-three percent said the measure should be repealed — and almost all of this group backed Republican House candidates on Election Day. Among all voters who are younger, 46 percent want the law revoked.
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Posted in Features
Posted on 29 September 2010. Tags: coverage gap, Doughnut hole, drugs, Health Care Reform, Medicare, prescriptions
At least two plans covering some brand-name drugs in the gap will be available in every region of the country. Overall, one-third of plans will offer gap coverage, up from one-fifth this year. Some only provide generics.
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Posted in Features