Latest News
Medicare moves in the right direction by linking reimbursements to outcomes
(Source – www.buffalonews.com) The future of medicine is in compensation by outcome, not by procedure and, last week, the future came knocking on Medicare’s door. Using authority provided by the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration says it will issue rules…
Time to raise Social Security benefits: highlights of Retired Americans Conference
(By – SCOTT MARSHALL, peoplesworld.org) The 2015 Alliance for Retired Americans Legislative Conference took place July 7 thru 10. The week began with great speakers and informative workshops for senior and labor activists. Read more… Notice: The “Read more…” link provided…
Social Security technicalities can be costly
(By – Patrick Peason, www.dailyprogress.com) Social Security might very well be the largest asset on your retirement balance sheet, so it is critical to know and understand as much as possible about this program and how to maximize its value. Most retirees…
Klobuchar, Vitter bill to ensure Medicare beneficiaries have access to speech-generating devices passes House…
(Source – www.klobuchar.senate.gov) U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and David Vitter (R-LA) announced that their bill to ensure Medicare beneficiaries have access to speech-generating devices (SGDs) has passed the House. The bill previously passed the Senate, so it now heads to…
Budget chairman warns of consequences if entitlements are not reformed
(By – Rebecca Shabad) The chairman of the House Budget Committee warned Wednesday that Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security all need to be reformed in order to help people in the long-term. “The danger to beneficiaries is not coming from those of…
Critically ill patients do better, cost Medicare less, at long-term acute care hospitals, study says
(By – Susan Morse, Associate Editor, www.healthcarefinancenews.com) In most cases, the sickest patients are seeing better outcomes at the same or lower cost to Medicare when treated at a long-term acute care hospital, according to a new study commissioned by the National…
VA records sketchy on veterans’ deaths
(By – Patricia Kime, Staff writer – www.militarytimes.com) The Veterans Affairs Department’s system for verifying whether a veteran is alive or dead contributes to costly or embarrassing errors, including compensation being paid to veterans who have passed away and records indicating…
Midyear Tax Planning For Newlyweds
(By – Dee Lee, boston.cbslocal.com) Those June weddings we talked about last month all have a tax consequence to them. The newlyweds are sending out thank you notes right about now, but there is a bit more paperwork for them. The first thing…
Are Kids Causing A Retirement Crisis?
(By – Andrew Biggs, Forbes Contributor) If you think Americans face a retirement crisis, you also think kids are what’s causing it. There’s a policy debate over how well-prepared Americans are for retirement. Some analysts see a modest and manageable problem with…
Obama’s Soothing – And Toxic – Opiate About Entitlements
(Source – news.investors.com) Delusions: President Obama assured an audience of seniors Monday that there is “no crisis” in Social Security and Medicare, and that the cash will always be there. Call it the opiate of the Democrats. Just don’t call it…