(With the start of the 2017 Congress, no related bills have been introduced yet)

• The “Medicare Tax” That Never Made It To The Medicare Trust Fund By Mary Johnson, editor The last time the Medicare Part A Trust Fund (hospital insurance) was forecast to become insolvent was in 2009. At the time, the Part A Trust Fund was forecast to become insolvent by 2017. Lucky for us that never happened — in 2017 at least. Congress enacted the 2010 Affordable Care Act ...
• How Much Will Medicare Beneficiaries Spend On Healthcare Costs This Year? According to TSCL’s 2021 study of typical retiree costs, the average Medicare recipient can expect to spend more than $1,000 per month on healthcare costs this year.  Considering that the average retiree benefit is just $1,550 per month, that doesn’t leave much wiggle room for everything else in a year of spiraling inflation.  Paying for ...
• Medicare Advantage Plans Overbill Medicare A Humana Medicare Advantage plan in Florida improperly collected nearly $200 million in payments in 2015 by overstating how sick some of its enrollees were.  A new audit by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is seeking to get the money back.  If successful, the audit penalty would ...
• Legislation Ending “Surprise” Medical Bills Passes the House This month Congress took the first step to deal with the exploitative practice of “surprise” medical bills.”  Legislation is advancing in the House that would protect patients from surprise medical bills and set up the process by which health plans and providers would settle disputed billing amounts. Both Democrats and Republicans are in agreement about one ...
• Benefit Bulletin: December 2019 President Trump Signs Executive Order to Expand Private Medicare Plans By Rick Delaney, Chairman of the Board President Trump recently signed an executive order intended to change Medicare by expanding the role of Medicare Advantage — the private insurance alternative to Medicare.  Medicare Advantage plans have been growing in popularity in recent years enrolling about one third ...
• H.R. 576, Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act If adopted, H.R. 576 would expand Medicare coverage to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental care. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) introduced H.R. 576 on January 15, 2019. It has since been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and to the Committee on Ways and Means. For more information or to view a list of cosponsors, ...
• S. 22, Medicare Dental Benefit Act If adopted, S. 22 would provide for coverage of dental services under the Medicare program. Under current law, the Medicare program is prohibited from covering most routine dental services like root canals, extractions, fillings, or even cleanings. Senator Ben Cardin (MD) introduced S. 22 on January 3, 2019. It has since been referred to the Committee on Finance. For ...

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