By Alex Moore In November, former President Biden proposed expanding anti-obesity drugs, like Wegovy, for people with Medicare and Medicaid coverage. These drugs are currently only covered for people who use them to treat other conditions, like diabetes and heart disease. However, the change faces a threat from the incoming administration. The new administration’s pick to lead ...

By Edward Cates, Chairman, TSCL It’s already February, which means that this year’s tax deadline of April 15 is just a few short weeks away. For many Social Security recipients, especially people who have just started claiming their benefits, it adds yet another layer of complexity to figuring out how much you owe the government—or ...

Although the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will increase benefits by 5.9% in 2022 — the highest inflation adjustment in 40 years — the Medicare Part B premium increase is still rapidly outpacing the COLA percentagewise, by jumping 14.5%.  That’s one of the biggest Part B premium increases on record and the highest since 2016 when ...

A newly approved drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease is drawing criticism for it’s $56,000 price tag, especially given its lack of proven effectiveness.  Aduhelm stirred controversy when the Food and Drug Administration’s own expert advisory panel was nearly unanimous in opposing the drug’s approval due to mixed results in studies of effectiveness. Now ...

A new Medicare cost-saving rule that was launched late in 2020 will cut payments to hospitals for some surgical procedures and could potentially raise costs for Medicare recipients.  According to an article by Susan Jaffe, of Kaiser Health News, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has for years classified 1,740 surgeries and other ...

Q:  I’m turning 65 later this year.  I currently receive my healthcare insurance through my wife’s employer.  How does Medicare work with this insurance?  May I delay enrolling in Medicare? A:  This is a great question to ask, because working under the wrong assumptions about Medicare and your current group health insurance could wind up costing ...

Does Medicare Cover Eyeglasses? Q: Does Medicare provide coverage for eye care services or eyeglasses?    A: Medicare pays for a wide range of services including many preventive benefits, but routine eye care is not one of them.  Medicare-eligible adults with diabetes can, however, get a dilated eye exam to check for diabetic eye disease.  The patient’s primary ...

By Mary Johnson, editor The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that the standard Medicare Part B premium will be $148.50 in 2021, an increase of $3.90 per month from $144.60 in 2020.  That increase, which I earlier feared would be considerably more, was restricted by legislation enacted last fall.  But even with legislation ...

The annual Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) is just 1.3% this year, making it one of the lowest ever paid.  But the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium increased by a modest $3.90, from $144.60 to $148.50, much less than TSCL initially feared it would be.  TSCL’s efforts to inform Congress and the ...

With Medicare outlays spiraling due to outlays for COVID-19, Congress recently passed legislation to head off an expected Part B premium spike, by restricting the increase for 2021.  TSCL has been warning about the potential of a low cost of living adjustment (COLA) and spiking Medicare premiums since July of this year. The bill caps the ...