It’s that time of year again, except for Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii; Daylight Saving Time (DST) is in effect for 48 states in the USA (aka, we spring ahead one hour!) Daylight Saving Time originated in 1918 as a WWI-era measure to conserve fuel and energy by maximizing evening sunlight, officially established […]
Have you heard about the pilot program slated to begin in January 2026, requiring prior authorization in six states for certain Medicare procedures for those enrolled in Original Medicare only? The states — New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Washington — will apply prior authorization evaluations to more than a dozen services per CMS.
Prior Authorization Read More »
There have been numerous news reports about the status of social programs we’ve contributed to in the US for decades. Let’s review what might be changing with the critical programs of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid today. The Current Landscape Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid together form the foundation of financial and healthcare security for
Understanding Social Security and Medicare Read More »
Changes to Medicare taking effect in 2025 are on the horizon. Medicare open enrollment started October 15th and goes through December 7th. There’s so much information out there – wow! In this post, I’ll try to highlight the key points and encourage you to talk with experienced insurance brokers to help you sort through what’s
2025 Medicare Changes Read More »
As costs go up, people taking prescription drugs are often squeezed. When the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in August 2022 the law made improvements to Medicare by expanding benefits and lowering drug costs. Learn about the new changes announced this week! For the first time, the law provides Medicare the ability to
Prescription Drugs Read More »
There were two important pieces of information I found this week pertaining to Medicare. 1) The personal information of 600,000+ Medicare beneficiaries were accessed in the MoveIt data breach and 2) CMS announces a new dementia care model for Medicare patients. For all who are on who know people on Medicare, read on! Data Breach
New Medicare Information of Importance Read More »
On September 27, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2023 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B programs, and the 2023 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts. As many know or are planning for your 2023 budgets, I wanted to share this to
2023 Medicare Updates from CMS Read More »
Open enrollment for 2023 is coming up before you know it! Healthcare coverage is a hot topic across the country. Begin planning now to ensure a smooth process for everyone. For businesses, this is the time for your budgeting and discussions with benefits providers about healthcare and other benefits for your employees. For employees, seek
2023 Open Enrollment Read More »
The Inflation Reduction Act Bill passed by the Senate and the House this week includes Healthcare Cost Savings measures to be aware of. This bill contains provisions impacting health care, climate and tax reform. The Inflation Reduction Act is estimated to spend about $485 billion over 10 years on health and alternative energy programs while raising about
Upcoming Healthcare Cost Savings Read More »
Health Insurance Open Enrollment time is here in the US. Heads-up! Open enrollment for employees, for individuals and for those on Medicare is here. Here are some tips to help you/yours this year. What is the open enrollment period for 2022? Private companies can set their own open enrollment periods with many choosing to do
It’s Open Enrollment Time Read More »
