medicare
Can Medicare deny services?
Can Medicare deny someone services if they are not financially needy? The answer is no, since Medicare is not a needs-based program. Medicare has specific eligibility rules for certain medical services, as mentioned on The Elder Law Answers website, such…
Choosing your Medicare coverage
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is approaching quickly: October 15 to December 7. At this time, you can change your Medicare Part C and Part D plans for the upcoming year. This allows you to ensure you are enrolled in…
Expect a Substantial Increase in the Medicare Part B Premium in 2026
The Social Security Trustees Report for 2025 projects a Medicare Part B increase of 11.6% in 2026. The premium is estimated to be $206.50. This is a $21.50 increase, the largest since 2022. In 2022, the premium rose by $21.60,…
Why it matters to review your Medicare plan now
The Medicare Open Enrollment Period for 2026 runs from October 15 to December 7, 2025. During this time, Medicare participants can enroll in a new plan, switch to a different plan, or drop their current coverage. The changes made will…
Medicare coverage can be confusing
Medicare coverage can be confusing. With so many rules, it is easy to be overwhelmed. One such rule is the “3-day rule”, which can dictate what services Medicare will cover or not. Angelica Leicht, reporting for CBS News, explains what…
Paying a higher share of Medicare premiums
In May 2025, 68.9 million Americans were enrolled in Medicare according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The premiums paid by Medicare beneficiaries are generally 25 percent of the program costs for Part B and Part D,…
Medicare paid $536 million for remote patient monitoring in 2024
In 2024, Medicare paid $536 million for remote patient monitoring, a 31 percent increase from 2023. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a technology that allows healthcare providers to collect and analyze patient health data from a distance, typically in the…
Will doctors continue to serve Medicare patients?
Medicare reimbursement is not keeping up with inflation, according to a new study. The report noted that doctors are paid one-third less than a decade ago, but over the same period, inflation has risen by almost 30 percent. Additionally, Medicare…
Increase in hospital days by Medicare Advantage members
In 2025, 54 percent of eligible Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. This trend will impact healthcare providers since Medicare Advantage plans ‘reimbursement differs from traditional Medicare. How will this affect hospitals and beneficiaries? First, almost all…
The rising cost of health care for Medicare beneficiaries
The cost of health care for Medicare beneficiaries is rising. A recent analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 7 million Medicare beneficiaries spent more than 10 percent of their annual income on Medicare Part B premiums in 2024.…