Trump administration says lower prices for 15 Medicare drugs will save taxpayers billions
Read full article: Trump administration says lower prices for 15 Medicare drugs will save taxpayers billionsThe Trump administration says pharmaceutical companies have agreed to slash the Medicare prices for 15 prescription drugs after months of negotiations and that it's expected to produce billions in savings for older adults.
Centerwell, UnitedHealthcare reach deal for The Villages Health Medicare plans
Read full article: Centerwell, UnitedHealthcare reach deal for The Villages Health Medicare plansThousands of residents of The Villages are breathing a sigh of relief after learning of a deal between UnitedHealthcare and the new owners of The Villages Health System.
Benefits expert explains why UnitedHealthcare, The Villages Health contract talks drag on
Read full article: Benefits expert explains why UnitedHealthcare, The Villages Health contract talks drag onAs negotiations between UnitedHealthcare and The Villages Health continue, patients are wondering whether their UHC plans will be accepted at TVH in 2026. One expert we talked to said these longer negotiations are becoming more common.
Medicare deal uncertainty leaves The Villages Health patients feeling ‘duped’
Read full article: Medicare deal uncertainty leaves The Villages Health patients feeling ‘duped’Patients at The Villages Health were told the company's sale earlier this year would not affect their care. But negotiations between UnitedHealthcare and the new owners could mean thousands will have to find new Medicare plans, change doctors, or pay more money.
Patients go without needed treatment after the government shutdown disrupts a telehealth program
Read full article: Patients go without needed treatment after the government shutdown disrupts a telehealth programBill Swick, who has a rare degenerative brain disease, has lost access to virtual speech therapy due to the federal government shutdown.
Dollars & Sense: Navigating 2026 Open Enrollment for health insurance
Read full article: Dollars & Sense: Navigating 2026 Open Enrollment for health insuranceEach fall, millions of Americans face an important decision: what kind of health coverage will protect them and their families next year? It’s open enrollment season, the annual window to review, renew, or adjust your health insurance benefits.
Trump tax law could cause Medicare cuts if Congress doesn’t act, CBO says
Read full article: Trump tax law could cause Medicare cuts if Congress doesn’t act, CBO saysThe federal budget deficits caused by President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law could trigger automatic cuts to Medicare if Congress does not act, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Villages Health company, under fire for Medicare overpayments, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Read full article: Villages Health company, under fire for Medicare overpayments, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcyA major health care group that caters to The Villages retirement community has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it tries to sell to a major health group and deals with hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicare overpayments.
Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates pushed up due to rising health care costs, new SSA law
Read full article: Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates pushed up due to rising health care costs, new SSA lawThe go-broke dates for Medicare and Social Security’s trust funds have moved up as rising health care costs and new legislation affecting Social Security benefits have contributed to closer projected depletion dates.
Americans want Medicaid and food stamps funding maintained or increased, AP-NORC poll shows
Read full article: Americans want Medicaid and food stamps funding maintained or increased, AP-NORC poll showsA new poll shows most U.S. adults don’t think the government is overspending on the programs Republicans in Congress have focused on cutting, like Medicaid and food stamps.
Dementia patient discharged from hospice over Medicare requirement. Here’s why it happened
Read full article: Dementia patient discharged from hospice over Medicare requirement. Here’s why it happenedA Volusia County woman is trying to figure out the next steps after her grandmother is dropped from hospice care.
Trump signs executive order setting 30-day deadline for drugmakers to lower prescription drug costs
Read full article: Trump signs executive order setting 30-day deadline for drugmakers to lower prescription drug costsPresident Donald Trump has signed an executive order setting a 30-day deadline for drugmakers to electively lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. or face new limits down the road over what the government will pay.
CVS Health rides improving Medicare business to better-than-expected first quarter
Read full article: CVS Health rides improving Medicare business to better-than-expected first quarterCVS Health hiked its 2025 forecast above Wall Street’s expectations after improving Medicare benefits contributed to a better-than-expected first quarter.
Trump administration nixes plan to cover anti-obesity drugs through Medicare
Read full article: Trump administration nixes plan to cover anti-obesity drugs through MedicarePresident Donald Trump’s administration has decided not to cover expensive, high-demand obesity treatments under the government-funded Medicare program.
Top US health agency makes $25,000 buyout offer to most of its employees
Read full article: Top US health agency makes $25,000 buyout offer to most of its employeesMost of the 80,000 federal workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid under the auspices of the Health and Human Services Department were emailed an offer to leave their job for as much as a $25,000 payment.
Elon Musk's DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems: AP sources
Read full article: Elon Musk's DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems: AP sourcesThe Department of Government Efficiency, run by President Donald Trump’s billionaire adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has gained access to sensitive Treasury data including Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems.
Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs are among 15 selected for Medicare's price negotiations
Read full article: Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs are among 15 selected for Medicare's price negotiationsThe Biden administration says popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been added to Medicare’s list of medications that will be negotiated directly between the government and drug manufacturers.
Cheap Ozempic? How millions of Americans with obesity may get access to costly weight-loss drugs
Read full article: Cheap Ozempic? How millions of Americans with obesity may get access to costly weight-loss drugsMillions of obese Americans would get access to popular weekly injectables that would help them shed pounds quickly if a $35 billion proposal from the Biden administration is blessed by President-elect Donald Trump.
Walz unveils Harris' plan for rural voters as campaign looks to cut into Trump's edge
Read full article: Walz unveils Harris' plan for rural voters as campaign looks to cut into Trump's edgeDemocratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz unveiled his ticket’s plans to improve the lives of rural voters as Vice President Kamala Harris looks to cut into former President Donald Trump’s support.
Medicare Advantage shopping season arrives with a dose of confusion and some political implications
Read full article: Medicare Advantage shopping season arrives with a dose of confusion and some political implicationsThinner benefits and coverage changes await many older Americans shopping for health insurance this fall.
An appeals court has revived a challenge to President Biden's Medicare drug price reduction program
Read full article: An appeals court has revived a challenge to President Biden's Medicare drug price reduction programA constitutional challenge to the Biden administration program enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs has been revived by a federal appeals court.
Lost chances to treat overdose survivors are documented in new Medicare study
Read full article: Lost chances to treat overdose survivors are documented in new Medicare studyPeople on Medicare who survived a drug overdose were much more likely to later receive opioid painkillers than any medication to treat addiction — and some went on to die of an overdose.
Can Medicare money protect doctors from abortion crimes? It worked before, desegregating hospitals
Read full article: Can Medicare money protect doctors from abortion crimes? It worked before, desegregating hospitalsThe Supreme Court's decision regarding Idaho's abortion ban may hinge on whether federal spending power can protect doctors against a state's criminal code.
Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates are pushed back in a 'measure of good news'
Read full article: Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates are pushed back in a 'measure of good news'The go-broke dates for benefit programs Medicare and Social Security have been pushed back as an improving economy has contributed to changed projected depletion dates, according to the annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report.
CVS Health chops 2024 forecast as cost struggles with Medicare Advantage persist
Read full article: CVS Health chops 2024 forecast as cost struggles with Medicare Advantage persistCVS Health missed first-quarter expectations and chopped its 2024 outlook more than a dollar below Wall Street’s forecast.
About 1 in 4 US adults 50 and older who aren't yet retired expect to never retire, AARP study finds
Read full article: About 1 in 4 US adults 50 and older who aren't yet retired expect to never retire, AARP study findsAbout one-quarter of U.S. adults age 50 and older who aren't yet retired say they expect to never retire and 70% are concerned about prices rising faster than their income.
Biden sees a $35 price cap for insulin as a pivotal campaign issue. It’s not that clear-cut
Read full article: Biden sees a $35 price cap for insulin as a pivotal campaign issue. It’s not that clear-cutPresident Joe Biden frequently cites insulin prices as he promotes a $35 price cap for Americans with diabetes who are on Medicare.
The federal debt tops $34T and some in Congress want a commission to find ways to tackle it
Read full article: The federal debt tops $34T and some in Congress want a commission to find ways to tackle itA bill to create a bipartisan commission that would tackle the nation’s soaring debt and make policy recommendations to Congress has won approval from a House committee.
Demand for Medicare plans continues as Dec. 7 deadline draws near
Read full article: Demand for Medicare plans continues as Dec. 7 deadline draws nearThe Senior Resource Alliance, Central Florida’s Area Agency on Aging, reported a 132% increase in callers seeking Medicare health care enrollment help.
Merck sues federal government, calling plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices ‘extortion’
Read full article: Merck sues federal government, calling plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices ‘extortion’Merck is suing the federal government over a plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices, calling the program a sham equivalent to extortion.
Debt limit deal is in place, but budget deficit is still a multi-decade challenge for US government
Read full article: Debt limit deal is in place, but budget deficit is still a multi-decade challenge for US governmentEven with new spending restraints included in the congressional debt limit deal, the U.S. government’s deficits are still on course to keep climbing to record levels over the next few decades.
Biden says he's expanding some migrants' health care access
Read full article: Biden says he's expanding some migrants' health care accessPresident Joe Biden says his administration is expanding eligibility for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
Most oppose Social Security, Medicare cuts: AP-NORC poll
Read full article: Most oppose Social Security, Medicare cuts: AP-NORC pollAmericans are deeply opposed to cutting into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and most support raising taxes on the nation’s highest earners to keep Medicare running as is.
Medicare, Social Security could fall short over next decade
Read full article: Medicare, Social Security could fall short over next decadeAn annual report on Social Security and Medicare says the financial safety nets millions of older Americans rely on and millions of young people are counting on will run short on funds to pay full benefits within the next decade.
Poll: Cut federal spending — but not big-ticket programs
Read full article: Poll: Cut federal spending — but not big-ticket programsIn the federal budget standoff, the majority of U.S. adults are asking lawmakers to pull off the impossible: Cut the overall size of government, but also devote more money to the most popular and expensive programs.
Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger people
Read full article: Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger peopleRepublican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is proposing changes to entitlement programs for younger generations, opening the door to potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare if elected.
Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOP
Read full article: Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOPRepublican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended a plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats repeatedly seized on it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.
Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cuts
Read full article: Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cutsWhen President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security it brought howls of protests from the GOP side of the aisle during the State of the Union address.
Millions to lose Medicaid coverage under Congress’ plan
Read full article: Millions to lose Medicaid coverage under Congress’ planMillions of people who enrolled in Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic could start to lose their insurance plans by April 1 if Congress passes the $1.7 trillion spending package leaders unveiled Tuesday.
Medicare enrollees warned about deceptive marketing schemes
Read full article: Medicare enrollees warned about deceptive marketing schemesWith Medicare’s open enrollment underway, health experts are warning older adults about an uptick in misleading marketing tactics that might lead some to sign up for Medicare Advantage plans that don’t cover their doctors or prescriptions and drive up their out-of-pocket costs.
Nurse practitioner pleads guilty in $4.4M health care fraud scheme
Read full article: Nurse practitioner pleads guilty in $4.4M health care fraud schemeA nurse practitioner has pleaded guilty to fraudulently billing commercial health insurers and Medicare nearly $4.4 million for services that he never provided to patients as he had claimed.
❓Need help navigating Medicare? Your questions answered
Read full article: ❓Need help navigating Medicare? Your questions answeredWe asked our News 6 Insiders to submit any questions they had about the program and took them straight to Justin Jacobs, president and CEO of Health Plan Markets, to get the answers.
Millions of Americans will save on Medicare fees next year
Read full article: Millions of Americans will save on Medicare fees next yearFor the first time in a decade, Americans will pay less next year on monthly premiums for Medicare’s Part B plan, which covers routine doctors’ visits and other outpatient care.
Pharmacies can’t discriminate on reproductive health scripts, Biden admin says
Read full article: Pharmacies can’t discriminate on reproductive health scripts, Biden admin saysThe Biden administration is warning pharmacies not to discriminate against women who may seek reproductive health prescriptions, including some that might be involved in ending a pregnancy.
Florida man accused of fraud caught fleeing to Cuba on Jet Ski, officials say
Read full article: Florida man accused of fraud caught fleeing to Cuba on Jet Ski, officials sayA Cuban man charged in a $4.2 million Medicare fraud scheme is being held as a flight risk after officials said he tried to flee the U.S. on a Jet Ski.
Go-broke dates pushed back for Social Security, Medicare
Read full article: Go-broke dates pushed back for Social Security, MedicareA stronger-than-expected economic recovery from the pandemic has pushed back the go-broke dates for Social Security and Medicare, but officials warn that the current economic turbulence is putting additional pressures on the bedrock retirement programs.
Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drug
Read full article: Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drugMedicare says it’s considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer’s drug projected to drive up program costs.
$56K Alzheimer’s drug avoiding Biden’s cost curbs, for now
Read full article: $56K Alzheimer’s drug avoiding Biden’s cost curbs, for nowA new $56,000-a-year Alzheimer’s medication that’s leading to one of the biggest increases ever in Medicare premiums is highlighting the limitations of President Joe Biden’s strategy for curbing prescription drug costs.
Sanders to Biden: Cut back looming Medicare premium hike
Read full article: Sanders to Biden: Cut back looming Medicare premium hikeSen. Bernie Sanders is asking the White House to cut back a big Medicare premium hike set to take effect in weeks and tied to a pricey Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned.
Cap on drug price hikes for privately insured sparks battle
Read full article: Cap on drug price hikes for privately insured sparks battleWorkers and families with private health insurance would reap savings on prescription drugs from a little-noticed provision in President Joe Biden's social agenda bill.
Real Medicare drug savings in Dems' bill — but not overnight
Read full article: Real Medicare drug savings in Dems' bill — but not overnightMedicare enrollees who take expensive medicines could save thousands of dollars a year under the Democrats’ sweeping social agenda bill, but those dividends won’t come overnight.
Democrats reach drug price deal, Biden upbeat on Manchin
Read full article: Democrats reach drug price deal, Biden upbeat on ManchinDemocrats say they have sealed a deal to lower pharmaceutical drug costs for most older Americans as part of President Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.75 trillion domestic proposal.
Paid leave, immigration, tax changes added to Biden bill
Read full article: Paid leave, immigration, tax changes added to Biden billHouse Democrats have added paid family and medical leave, immigration law changes and a state-and-local tax break to President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion social services and environmental bill.
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Dems see progress in adding drug cost curbs to budget bill
Read full article: Dems see progress in adding drug cost curbs to budget billTwo congressional aides say Democrats have made significant progress on adding compromise provisions curbing prescription drug prices to their massive social and environment package.
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Medicaid issues, not Medicare's, get fixes in Biden budget
Read full article: Medicaid issues, not Medicare's, get fixes in Biden budgetMedicaid issues are turning up as winners in President Joe Biden’s social budget framework even as divisions force Democrats to hit pause on far-reaching improvements to Medicare.