seniors
Unmet dental needs of Medicare Advantage members
According to a recently published study in the JAMA Health Forum, Medicare Advantage dental plans may create barriers to dental care access for seniors despite the plans’ intended purpose of expanding coverage. Medicare Advantage Members with dental benefits reported higher…
There aren’t any quick fixes to Social Security insolvency
When combining the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund (OASI) and the Disability Insurance Trust Fund (DI), Social Security will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2035, according to the Social Security Trustee Report for…
Are Social Security benefits taxed?
Do you have to pay income taxes on your Social Security benefit? About 40 percent of people who get Social Security must pay federal income taxes on their benefits. However, this usually happens if you have other substantial income in…
Prices might be rising faster than the Social Security COLA
In 2025, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment was 2.5 percent; however, the cost of living is still high. On a national average, a single person would need $2,099 per month without a mortgage to cover housing, food, transportation, health care,…
The Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program updated
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included several provisions to lower Medicare drug costs by requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices with drug companies for certain drugs covered under Medicare Part D. Juliette Cubanski…
Long-term care facilities enhance lives of Veterans
As a Veteran, you may be able to get assisted living, residential (live-in), or home health care through the VA. The VA provides long-term care services to over 500,000 Veterans, from those with traumatic brain injuries to those who need…
Does Medicare Advantage have better access to extra services?
A study by researchers at Mass General Brigham found that despite Medicare Advantage plans offering enhanced dental, vision, and hearing services, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries did not outperform their traditional Medicare counterparts in utilizing these benefits. Todd Shryock asks whether Medicare…
How Medicaid home care programs support caregivers
Generally, Medicare does not cover home care (home and community-based services or HCBS). In 2022, Medicaid paid for two-thirds of home care spending in the United States. Medicaid supports family caregivers with various services such as training, support groups, and…
Breaking News: Social Security & Medicare aren’t Going Bankrupt!!
In the true sense of the word, neither Social Security nor Medicare is in any danger of going “bankrupt.” However, that doesn’t mean that both programs are not having financial difficulties. Indeed they are, but the worst case scenario is…
A Logistics Nightmare: Implementing the Social Security Fairness Act.
Celebrated by all those affected by the elimination Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), what’s not talked about is the logistics of implementing this new legislation known as the Social Security Fairness Act. Fact is, bills…