Medicare beneficiaries know that having access to affordable medications is critical for maintaining their health and well-being. Medicare Part D does not always make it easy to understand which medications are covered and which are not. One issue is coverage limitations for certain medications. Fortunately, there are ways to request exceptions to these limitations and […]
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Medicare premiums and deductibles for Part A and Part B will decrease modestly in 2023, according to CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.) Standard monthly premiums for Part B will decrease $5.20, to $164.90 in 2023, down from $170.10 in 2022. Annual Part B deductible will also decrease from $233.00 in 2022 to $226, […]
What Does the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment mean? Is this a good time to review your Medicare health plan options? From January 1 to March 31 you have the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. During this time period you may make a onetime change from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another. Or, you may dis-enroll […]
Do you ever get that feeling that your 401(k), 403(b) or IRA is not well, has a fever and maybe sick? Is your retirement plan performance anemic or even going south? There is currently $28 Trillion in 401(k) funds in the U.S. That’s great news for retirees, but unfortunately, retirement money does not come with […]
Did you know that about 1 million Americans go to the hospital with pneumonia every year? Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by pneumococcal disease, which can also cause blood infections and meningitis. The bacteria that causes pneumococcal disease spreads by direct person-to-person contact. A pneumonia vaccine can help prevent pneumonia, but only 67% of […]
If you’re nearing the big 6-0, don’t fret too much about getting old. After all, 60 is the new 40, right? Minor stuff aside, there are also some real financial benefits to reaching age 59½. Here are four things to do when you turn 59½ that will help you explore new opportunities and build a […]
June’s Section Having finally reached the age of 65, a client recently received her Medicare card. She noticed the card say it should be carried when away from home. So naturally, she placed it in her wallet. And then she realized that, displayed on the front was her Social Security Number! That made sense. It’s […]
Usual, Customary and Reasonable Charge (UCR) is the amount paid for a medical service based on what providers in a geographic area usually charge. Those are sometimes used to determine the “allowed amount” for payment of claims on health insurance plans from your employer, individual and family plans as well as Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans […]
Combating Waste and Fraud in Medicare: President Trump’s choice for Secretary of the Department of Labor, is Alexander Acosta. There is consensus among both Democrats and Republicans that this is a good choice. He has been described as “just a mild-mannered law school faculty member.” Allison Bell, in an article for LifeHealthPro. In reality, from […]