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Business Journals
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Journals
Medicare Advantage offers better access, superior outcomes at a lower cost
More than half of people who are eligible for Medicare now choose Medicare Advantage plans because of the stable, affordable benefits and the quality, coordinated care these plans enable. [1] What's more, satisfaction among Medicare Advantage enrollees is exceptionally high, with 95% of MA beneficiaries satisfied with their health care coverage. [2] This successful program delivers real value to people while driving improvements in health quality and patient outcomes. Ultimately, the move from fee-for-service to value-based care, championed by Medicare Advantage, is a paradigm shift for a health system that historically pays for volume, not value. It has ushered in a new way of thinking about early detection and disease prevention. This shift directly challenges the status quo, which has relied on treating a constant influx of sick patients and is burdened with misaligned financial incentives. But UnitedHealthcare sees a different way forward — one that cares for patients before they are too sick for viable treatment and provides higher-quality care at a lower cost. Medicare Advantage drives affordability for plan members and helps reduce costs for the broader health system, with supporting data including: People enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans have saved 45% on premiums and out-of-pocket costs each year, which translates to an average savings of $2,200 annually compared to those in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. [3] In 2024, 75% of Medicare Advantage plans with Part D coverage, including those in UnitedHealthcare plans, paid no monthly premium. [4] Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are hospitalized less frequently, with a 43% lower rate of avoidable hospitalizations for any condition. [2] People with three or more chronic conditions who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage saved over $2,500 annually. [5] [2] About Medicare Advantage, Better Medicare Alliance Disclaimer Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan's contract renewal with Medicare.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Some Medicare Advantage's diagnosing tactics made insurers like UnitedHealthGroup $33 billion richer
Ever since the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year, health insurers have faced heavy scrutiny and heightened resentment from the public. Now a new study might fan those flames. That's because it found that differential coding patterns between Medicare Advantage (MA) and Traditional Medicare (TM) plans led to MA plans receiving an estimated $33 billion in extra revenue—with $13.9 billion, or 42% of the total, going into the coffers of UnitedHealth Group. Those findings, from the year 2021, add specific context to past research that found evidence of Medicare Advantage plans having a higher diagnostic 'coding intensity' than traditional Medicare, meaning they record more health condition diagnoses than traditional Medicare for comparable beneficiaries. Because of that, Congress's Medicare Payment Advisory Commission had estimated, Medicare spends 13% more for MA enrollees than it would if they were enrolled in traditional Medicare—with that difference accounting for $50 billion in MA overpayments in 2024. Medicare Advantage plans, according to the new findings, are paid more for sicker members and less for healthier members, which provides an incentive for MA plans to report as many diagnoses as legitimately possible. But no research until now, say the authors, has estimated the amount of extra revenue each insurer receives. "The most important takeaway is that some Medicare Advantage insurers code much more aggressively than other insurers, and receive many billions of dollars in additional payment as a result," the study author, Richard Kronick, professor of family medicine at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, University of California San Diego. "As a result, much of what determines which insurers are successful in Medicare Advantage is not whether the insurer is providing high quality care and doing so efficiently, but simply how aggressive it is in coding." He points to the additional $13.9 billion raised by UnitedHealth Group, which breaks down to $1,863 per beneficiary, compared to $0.5 billion, or $278 per beneficiary, for Kaiser. A spokesperson for the UnitedHealth Group declined to comment to Fortune on the findings, instead referring our publication to the nonprofit Better Medicare Alliance, which counts Wyatt Decker, a United Health Group chief physician, as a board member. 'This is a flawed apples-to-oranges analysis," Kaitlyn Saal-Ridpath, Vice President of Policy and Research at Better Medicare Alliance, tells Fortune. "It overlooks known under-coding in Fee-For-Service Medicare and does not adjust for clinical or demographic differences between Medicare Advantage and Fee-for-Service Medicare beneficiaries, an essential step for fair comparison. Meanwhile, the underlying data is outdated and does not reflect recent risk-adjustment changes. We welcome serious analyses to help drive policy conversations around Medicare Advantage, but this study misses the mark.' But, Kronick says, "No analysis is perfect, but we have done a careful job of measuring the differences in coding patterns between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare, and, even more importantly, the very large differences between insurers in coding patterns… We have, I think, conclusively shown that some insurers code much more aggressively than others, and receive many billions of dollars in additional revenue as a result." More than half (54%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Advantage in 2024, according to KFF, accounting for $462 billion of total federal Medicare spending. Further, the enrollment in MA is highly concentrated among a handful of firms, with UnitedHealthcare and Humana accounting for nearly half (47%) of all MA enrollees nationwide. Lately, there has been a shift towards MA. While usually, after age 65, you have two Medicare options—traditional Medicare (Parts A, B, and D, and often a Medigap plan) or a private health insurer's Medicare Advantage plan, also called Part C, people with retiree health benefits from their former employers are often not given a choice. Instead, they are being told they must enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, with its limited network of doctors and hospitals, or lose their retiree health benefits altogether. At the same time, recent research shows that MA enrollees are distinctly healthier—likely because people who need more health care are less willing to accept the restrictions (such as prior authorization and limited networks) that MA plans impose. For the study, the researchers analyzed risk scores—numbers which represent the predicted cost of treating a specific patient or group of patients compared to the average Medicare patient, based on certain health conditions. They also analyzed the effects of 'persistence' and 'new incidence' on risk scores over 24 months, with persistence defined as the percentage of members coded with a diagnosis in year one that persisted in year two, and new incidence referring to the percentage of members with a new diagnosis in year two. What they found was that the average MA risk score (1.26) was 18.5% higher than the average TM risk score (1.07). Persistence and new incidence rates varied across insurers, the researchers found, with UnitedHealth Group's average 2021 risk score .28 higher—substantially larger than the MA industry average of .19—than it would have been if persistence and new incidence had been at TM levels. The findings spell trouble, says Dr. J. Michael McWilliams of the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, who responded to the study in an accompanying editorial, also published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. 'The manipulability of the risk adjustment system in Medicare Advantage (MA) is a massive problem,' he writes. 'It is well documented that the system's reliance on diagnosis codes that insurers can influence for gain is responsible for tens of billions of dollars in payments to MA plans above what would be spent in traditional Medicare (TM), adding to Medicare's fiscal challenges,' he continues. 'But the problem runs deeper, as the incentives to code diagnoses more intensely also distort competition and resource allocation within MA.' Among the many issues the researchers have uncovered, McWilliams continues, is that, because the better-coding insurers tend to be larger, 'local markets could become even more highly concentrated, further limiting the pressure insurers feel to share their subsidies and savings with enrollees as better coverage.' But fixing the problem, he notes, would have a catch. 'The catch is that the resulting payment cuts would mean higher premiums or less generous benefits for enrollees,' McWilliams writes. Because while Medicare Advantage insurers keep a substantial portion of their subsidies and savings as profits, they do pass along a sizable share to enrollees. 'As subsidies have grown more generous, MA has served as a backdoor financing mechanism to address coverage gaps that have long limited the value of TM (for example, its lack of an out-of-pocket maximum),' he explains, adding that enrollees in MA benefit from substantially lower out-of-pocket costs. So as payment subsidies are reversed by risk adjustment reform and other proposed measures, he points out, 'the lost benefits for enrollees could be significant. To the extent it is socially desirable to provide seniors with better coverage than the traditional benefit, policymakers must grapple with this tradeoff.' More on Medicare: Traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage? Some retirees aren't allowed to choose If you're not happy with your Medicare Advantage plan, experts offer these tips to find better benefits Original Medicare doesn't cover most dental work, but there are 4 other ways to get coverage This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Politico
20-02-2025
- Business
- Politico
Medicare group hits K Street for cover
Presented by With Dana Nickel, Caitlin Oprysko, Daniel Lippman ALL EYES ON MEDICARE: Medicare Advantage is continuing to bulk up its lobbying efforts, with the Better Medicare Alliance finding itself among 10 new clients signed by Squire Patton Boggs. — The addition of Better Medicare Alliance builds on the increased lobbying push behind Medicare Advantage — the privately run alternative to Medicaid — as privatizing Medicare sees increased support from the Trump administration. — Better Medicare Alliance sent a letter today from more than 100 groups urging acting CMS Administrator and chief of staff Stephanie Carlton to protect and strengthen Medicare Advantage for seniors. — On Wednesday, President Donald Trump endorsed a House budget plan that would gut Medicaid and hinted at the possibility of changing certain elements of Medicare. Elon Musk and his DOGE team have also been eyeing Medicare payments as a route for potential budget cuts. — Other recent registrations to SPB include Heineken USA; Leidos; American Roads; Association for Accessible Medicines; Autos Drive America; Becton, Dickinson & Company; IPC International and Vertiv Group Corporation. — 'The policy changes introduced by President Trump and his administration are unparalleled and present opportunities and challenges for clients across various industries, both domestically and internationally,' Ed Newberry, global managing partner for public policy and regulatory solutions for SPB, said. 'In this historically dynamic period, we are seeing a wide range of organizations recognizing that it is imperative to assess how decisions in Washington D.C. influence their operations and to formulate appropriate responses. These new registrations are a reflection of our team's strong connections and our legal and industry specific expertise.' MOVING FORWARD: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan's for-profit charity, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, announced to employees it's ending all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including initiatives on immigration reform and racial equity. What this means for the pro-immigration advocacy group founded by Zuckerberg, is unclear. — Zuckerberg has a somewhat complicated relationship with the Trump administration. criticized Trump on his immigration views during his campaign in 2016, then pivoting to donate $5,000 to his presidential transition. Now, Zuckerberg seems to be leaning right, embracing Trump and Musk's 'free speech' agenda through ending Meta's third-party fact checking program and halting DEI efforts at Facebook's parent company. — The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative pledged $100 million to in 2021, moving its immigration portfolio over to the group to assist in immigration reform over a three-year period. — and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative did not respond to requests for comment. Happy Thursday and welcome to PI. I'm excited to be helming the newsletter for the next few days while Caitlin is out. For coffee recs, gossip and tips, reach out: klong@ And be sure to follow all of us on X: @katherinealong and @caitlinoprysko. COMING TODAY: Trump's unprecedented effort to reshape the federal government is consuming Washington. POLITICO is going to be your guide to all the key decisions and characters with a fresh version of one of our signature newsletters — West Wing Playbook: Remaking Government. Sign up here to get it straight in your inbox. FLORIDIANS ARRIVES EN MASSE: The most coveted credential on K Street these days is a tie to the Sunshine State. As the administration fills a number of top-tier positions with Floridians, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, lobbying firms are prioritizing the hiring of well-connected lobbyists in Florida, our Kimberly Leonard writes. — As PI readers will know well, Continental Strategy and Ballard Partners are two of the Florida-linked shops who have seen the biggest boon since Trump's victory in November — with each bringing in dozens of new clients and staffing their firms with Trump-aligned figures. Others on the ascent include Rubin, Turnbull & Associates and The Southern Group. — 'Everybody's getting an offer from a lobbying firm up here that's trying to make the Florida connection,' said prominent Tallahassee attorney and lobbyist Dave Ramba, speaking to POLITICO in Washington during a sold-out Republican Party of Florida inauguration gala. 'Anybody that's got 10, 15, 20 years in Florida politics,' he added, 'their Rolodex is already filled.' — 'Lobbyists and their clients see policy issues that have been big in Florida cropping up nationally. Trump aims to end diversity, equity and inclusion in government hiring practices? So does Florida. Trump wants to ban transgender athletes from women and girls' sports? Happened in Florida almost four years ago.' — 'Capital City Consulting owner and founder Nick Iarossi — who is based in Tallahassee and just expanded into Washington as managing director of BGR Group — said last week he was sitting in the lobby of the West Wing with clients ahead of meetings and bumped into several senior officials from Florida, including Bondi. 'It was almost like you picked up Florida and placed it in the White House,' he said, adding that it was a 'wild' experience but also that Florida was 'getting its due.'' NEW GROUP ALERT: Liliana Coronado is launching government affairs and litigation group Parzival Group. The firm will focus on corrections and criminal justice policy and advise on improvements to the justice system with offices in Washington and Los Angeles. — The move follows Coronado's decadelong stint at the Brimley Group, where she was vice president and counsel. Prior to her time at the Brimley Group, she worked in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles and served as counsel for the House Judiciary Committee. The Brimley Group and Parzival Group plan to work in coordination on criminal justice policy. — 'For the past nine years, Liliana has been an invaluable leader as Vice President of the Brimley Group, driving bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation and innovation, from her work on the First Step Act, Second Chance Reentry legislation, and the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act,' said Jessica Nickel, president of the Brimley Group. 'As she embarks on this exciting new chapter, we are thrilled to continue our strong relationship and look forward to a successful partnership between our firms.' MORE MEDICAID MOVES: The Catholic Health Association is set to chair the Partnership for Medicaid — a nonpartisan coalition that represents health care providers, counties, clinicians and safety-net health plans — as congressional Republicans propose sweeping cuts to the program. — CHA Senior Director for Government Relations Paulo Pontemayor will represent the organization on the coalition. — Roughly 79 million people are enrolled in Medicaid and its related Children's Health Insurance Program. The religious organization has long supported the expansion of Medicaid — which puts it at odds with Trump, who won the Catholic vote last year but has endorsed sharp cuts to the program. — 'CHA looks forward to working with this coalition on shared priorities that advocate for policies that enhance access to care and improve health outcomes,' the group said in a statement. 'We will continue to share stories of the vital role that hospitals, health systems, clinics, and long-term care facilities have in serving patients and communities.' SPOTTED Wednesday night at a National Republican Senatorial Committee fundraising dinner hosted by Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, per a tipster: Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Curtis (R-Utah), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), David McCormick (R-Pa.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.); Norm Brownstein, Ed Royce, Will Moschella, Brandt Anderson, Rosemary Becchi, Geoff Burr, Samantha Carl-Yoder, David Cohen, Samantha Corbin, Steve Demby, Leah Dempsey, Emily Felder, Lauren Flynn, Brady Howell, Jon Hrobsky, Charlie Iovino, Joe Jaso, Luke Johnson, Greta Joynes, Melissa Kuipers Blake, Marc Lampkin, Doug Maguire, Elizabeth Maier, Brian McGuire, Tripp McKemey, Lauren Mish, Bart Reising, Preston Rutledge, Adam Steinmetz, Jon Towers, Mark Warren, and Beth White. Jobs report — David Laufman has joined Caplan & Drysdale as senior counsel in the firm's Political Law group. Laufman most recently was a partner at Wiggin and Dana and previously served as chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Control section of the Justice Department's National Security Division. — Albert Bourla, CEO and chair of Pfizer, is now chair of the PhRMA board of directors. Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson is board chair-elect, and Merck CEO Robert Davis is treasurer, per Morning Pulse. — David Ferris is Cohere's new head of global public sector. He was most recently principal at Pallas Advisors, focusing on tech integrations within national security, per Morning Tech. — Stephen Bell has been promoted to senior vice president of communications at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He has spent over a decade at NRECA, previously serving as vice president of advocacy, press and member connections. — Stephen Neuman has been promoted to be SVP and global head of government affairs at American Airlines. He previously served as managing director. — Rachel Reisner is joining Platform Communications as director of public relations. Reisner previously served as director of national communications for the Republican National Committee and handled regional and battleground communications for the Trump 2024 campaign. — Former Taft Stettinius & Hollister partner Sohan Dasgupta is making his return to the Department of Homeland Security, which has tapped him to serve as assistant secretary for trade and economic security. In his previous government stint he served as the deputy general counsel for DHS and special counsel for the Education Department. — The Department of Housing and Urban Development has added a handful of new staff members, a majority of whom are HUD alumni. Kasey Lovett, previously at JPMorganChase, makes her return to the department as head of public affairs. Jacklyn Ward, press communications manager for former Secretary Ben Carson at the American Cornerstone Institute, also rejoins HUD as press secretary. The department also hired Samantha Seal as press assistant. Seal most recently worked at the America First Policy Institute as strategic communications coordinator for former Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf. New Joint Fundraisers Pramila's Progressive Power PAC (Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Build Our Movement PAC, Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC) Van Hollen Ossoff Victory Fund (Sens. Chris Van Hollen, Jon Ossoff) New PACs Citizens for Better Communities (Super PAC) IHS Civic Action Now PAC (Super PAC) Mother Funders PAC (Hybrid PAC) The Voter Mobilization Project (PAC) New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS Ajw, Inc.: Renewable Fuels Association Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Sustana Group Inc. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: US Chamber Of Commerce Arentfox Schiff LLP: American Electric Power Company, Inc. Axadvocacy Government Relations: Public Properties LLC Bockorny Group, Inc.: Cvs Health Inc Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Faire Wholesale, Inc. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Fh Cann & Associates, Inc. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Havocai Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Protect Coalition Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Skillful Communications, Inc. Dba Big Interview Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: The Nuclear Company Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: University Of Health & Performance Freeman Mathis Decisions: Braves Holdings, LLC Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Vistra Corp. Green Mountain Strategies LLC Dc: Lifecenter Northwest Hb Strategies (Fka Husch Blackwell Strategies): Promontory 150 LLC Ice Miller Strategies LLC: Tulsa Innovation Labs Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Business Council Of Canada Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Lig Nex1 Co., Ltd. Pennsylvania Energy Resources Group, LLC: West View Water Authority Pennsylvania Energy Resources Group, LLC: Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority Quill Advisers LLC: Shanda Asset Management LLC River Public Affairs Group: Mith-Ih-Kwuh Economic Development Corporation River Public Affairs Group: National Mobile Shower And Catering Association River Public Affairs Group: National Wildfire Suppression Association River Public Affairs Group: Salem Media Group River Public Affairs Group: Wildfire Water Solutions Rulon & White Governance Strategies: Veritaseum Inc., Ryan Costello Strategies: Centerline Action Scissortail Strategic Consulting Partners LLC: Capcventures LLC On Behalf Of Tcom Lp Skyline Capitol LLC: Gregory Ingram Skyline Capitol LLC: Seek Labs, Inc. Squire Patton Boggs: American Roads Squire Patton Boggs: Arapahoe County, Colorado Squire Patton Boggs: Association For Accessible Medicines Squire Patton Boggs: Autos Drive America Squire Patton Boggs: Becton, Dickinson And Company Squire Patton Boggs: Better Medicare Alliance Squire Patton Boggs: Heineken USa Squire Patton Boggs: Ipc International, Inc. Squire Patton Boggs: Leidos Inc. Squire Patton Boggs: Vertiv Group Corporation Steptoe LLP: Exxonmobil The Bridge Advisory Group: Sign In Solutions Thorn Run Partners: Boom Technology, Inc. Twinlogic Strategies, LLP: Network Advertising Initiative New Lobbying Terminations Ark Strategy: Evolution Space, Inc. Krl International LLC: Symbion Power Services Washington Alliance Group: America'S Vetdogs
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Here are 7 Medicare changes for 2025 that you should know about
Selena Maranjian The Motley Fool Medicare is big business, recently providing healthcare coverage to 68 million people. It changes a little or a lot every year, and millions have strong opinions about it, too: Before the 2024 election, fully 94% of surveyed seniors said it was very or extremely important to protect Medicare, per the Better Medicare Alliance. 65% of people say that Medicare has fully met their expectations, per the Commonwealth Fund 2024 Value of Medicare Survey. 51% say the federal government doesn't spend enough on Medicare (with 46% saying the same about Medicaid), per the KFF Health Tracking Poll. Close to two-thirds (63%) are worried that Medicare won't be around when they need it, per 2024's Nationwide Retirement Institute Health Care Costs in Retirement survey. Given the importance of Medicare, here are some changes for 2025 to know about right now. 1. Premiums and deductibles have risen Premiums and deductibles tend to increase regularly, and 2025 is no exception. The Part A annual deductible for hospital stays rose from $1,632 to $1,676, and the Part B annual deductible for medical insurance (including services from healthcare providers, outpatient care, home healthcare, preventive services and more) jumped from $240 to $257. Fortunately, most retirees don't pay premiums for Part A — but they do pay Part B premiums. The standard Part B monthly premium increased from $174.70 in 2024 to $185 for 2025. Note, though, that if you're a high earner, you might have to pay up to $628.90 per month for Part B coverage. Retiring in 2025:4 things to know about Medicare right now 2. Prescription drug costs have been lowered The Inflation Reduction Act's Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program has lowered prices for dozens of prescription drugs and annual out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs are now capped at $2,000 for those on Medicare who have a Part D drug plan. 3. Say goodbye to the "donut hole" gap in coverage Until recently, there was a dreaded "donut hole" gap in prescription-drug coverage. That was the period after you and your drug insurance plan spent a certain sum on prescriptions — at which point you had to pay until another sum was spent — when your insurance coverage then resumed. Now there's a Medicare drug deductible of $590 for 2025. If you max that out, you'll likely pay just 25% of the cost of your drugs until you hit that $2,000 out-of-pocket cap. After that, Medicare pays. 4. Mental health coverage has expanded Starting in 2025, more mental health providers will be permitted to serve Medicare enrollees. These include addiction counselors, licensed mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists. 5. Telehealth services have been restricted Telehealth services, such as when your visit with a healthcare provider is conducted electronically, perhaps via your iPad, will be less available in 2025. The new rule is that you must be in a rural medical facility or office to qualify for most telehealth services, with a few exceptions. These are the exceptions, for which you can have a telehealth visit without being in a rural location: Monthly end-stage renal disease visits for home dialysis Services for diagnosis, evaluation or treatment of symptoms of an acute stroke Services to treat a substance use disorder or a co-occurring mental health disorder or for the diagnosis, evaluation or treatment of a mental health disorder Behavioral health services Diabetes self-management training Medical nutrition therapy 6. Caregivers get more help In Medicare's own words, "Medicare covers additional caregiver support, like training that helps your caregiver better care for you ... and relief when they're caring for family members in hospice care. ... Also, some people living with dementia and their caregivers may be able to get more support though a new pilot program." 7. Coverage changes for postal workers Beginning in 2025, eligible U.S. Postal Service workers, retirees and their families will be covered through the Postal Service Health Benefits Program (PSHB) instead of the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB) — though the PSHB is housed within the FEHB. Those affected or interested can learn more here. Heads up: All of the above might change further Those are some of the main changes to know about for Medicare for 2025, but you should also know that some big changes might be coming soon, as the new administration in Washington seems keen to make them. Already, President Trump has rescinded an executive order from President Biden that was to lower prescription drug costs and speed up the process by which treatments get approved. It's not clear yet exactly what will happen, so stay tuned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $ 22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »
Politico
29-01-2025
- Health
- Politico
RFK Jr. says government-run health care is failing Americans
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, derided government-run health care programs during a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing and said more Americans would like to be on private insurance. Kennedy, 71, said he's on a Medicare Advantage plan, the privately run alternative to traditional Medicare. He said more people would prefer to be on those plans, but can't afford it. 'We need to listen to what people prefer to be on,' he said. A September 2024 report from the Better Medicare Alliance, a group of insurers and business groups that support the privately run alternative to traditional Medicare, found that 52 percent of MA enrollees make less than $24,500 a year. Medicare Advantage plans can offer lower premiums but implement cost-cutting tools like prior authorization, in which doctors have to seek insurers' approval before providing care, and narrow doctor networks to cut costs. Kennedy's comments came after Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who has a seat on Finance and also chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that will hold a hearing with Kennedy on Thursday, asked how Kennedy would improve Medicare, the insurer of older Americans, and Medicaid, which provides care to low-income ones — and how he might better integrate people who qualify for both programs. Kennedy responded by suggesting that most people on federal insurance are unhappy with their government plans as well as the private ones offered under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, prompting laughter from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). 'I would ask any of the Democrats who are chuckling just now: Do you think all that money, the $900 billion that we're sending to Medicaid every year, has made Americans healthy? Do we think it's working for anybody? Are the premiums low enough?' Kennedy shot back. Polling updated on Jan. 17 by the health policy research group KFF found that 64 percent of American adults favorably viewed the 2010 health care law. Robert King and Lauren Gardner contributed to this report.
