Medicare Current Rates, News & Information
Today’s News: Doctor’s Face Medicare Payout Cut, IRS Announces Health Insurance Tax Credit and Health Insurers Fight Regulations
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicare , Small Business Health Insurance
May 18th, 2010
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The health care industry has undergone a number of changes in the past few days. Doctors, health insurance companies and even the IRS are making or seeing drastic adjustments – let’s take a closer look.
Doctor’s Face another Medicare Payout Cut
In March, we reported that doctors were ditching their patients because their Medicare payments had been cut by 21 percent. Now it appears that doctors could face yet another 21 percent payment cut in Medicare reimbursement on June 1. In 1997, a Medicare formula was established that said rates should be cut every year, but Congress has blocked the cut seven out of eight years. 
Doctors Ditching Patients Due to Medicare Payment Cuts
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicare
March 4th, 2010
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Some physicians have started dropping their Medicare patients as a result of a 21 percent cut in payment rates that took effect Monday. While many doctors dont want to lose their patients, reports show that many simply cannot keep their businesses running with such a significant cut in Medicare payment rates.
Medicare Expansion is Dropped from Health Care Overhaul
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicare
December 16th, 2009
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Senate Democrats dropped a plan to expand Medicare on Monday. This move was another step for the Democrats in their continued effort to pass the health care overhaul, though not everyone is happy about it.
The Basics of the Medicare Expansion and Why They Let it Go
The idea for the Medicare expansion was to allow people ages 55 to 64 buy into Medicare. While Democrats wanted to keep the expansion in the bill, they decided that the battle they faced to keep it wasn’t worth holding up legislation that would overall extend coverage to tens of millions of Americans, so they dropped it.
Medicare Not Easy to Obtain for Retirees Over 65
Posted in Health Care , Health Insurance , Medicare
December 3rd, 2009
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A new report from Wall Street Journal reveals the difficulties that retirees have with obtaining Medicare if they choose to work past the age of 65. According to the report, those who decide to wait to retire get caught up in a ton of red tape, making the struggle to retire on time or continue to work for money more difficult.
Medicare: An Update on a Dying System
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicare
November 20th, 2009
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Millions of seniors are dependent on the Medicare system every year. According to 2008 stats from Medscape Today, nearly 45 million seniors ages 65 and older are enrolled in Medicare programs. However, since this number is expected increase significantly with the millions of Baby Boomers set to reach retirement age by 2030 – and the system is running out of money – it becomes anything but a secret that today’s Medicare system is indeed troubled, if not dying.
Lawmakers Crack Down on Medicare / Medicaid Fraud to Help Fund Health Care
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicaid , Medicare
November 2nd, 2009
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Senate members are in a mad scramble for cash to finance the health care overhaul, leaving them to look the money they lose every year to Medicare and Medicaid fraud. According to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), cracking down on this type of fraud could help reduce the skyrocketing cost of health care.
Some Medicare Plans Are Being Dropped As Federal Requirements Tighten
Posted in Health Care , Health Insurance , Medicare
October 5th, 2009
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Approximately 660,000 seniors will lose their private Medicare plans next year as a result of Congress tightening up federal requirements, according to Medicare officials. The majority of affected seniors are enrolled in Private Fee for Service (PFFS), a type of Medicare Advantage plan that allows patients to see any doctor they like as long as the doctor is willing to accept payments through the plan.
What is Medicare?
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicare
February 26th, 2009
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One of the most important pieces of legislation to have been passed in American history is the Social Security Act of 1965, which resulted in the implementation of two extremely popular programs, Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is a program devoted to people aged 65 and older. You can also purchase Medigap insurance when Medicare does not cover everything you need.
What is Medigap?
Posted in Health Insurance , Medicare
February 24th, 2009
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Millions of Americans aged 65 and older enjoy the benefits of Medicare, the government program to provide free medical care to those who need it. It’s a wonderful program, and given hope to untold numbers of senior citizens who had nowhere else to go.
As important and helpful as Medicare is, however, it doesn’t cover everything, and you could find yourself unable to pay for important medical help even if you have it. In order to make sure they’re covered for things Medicare doesn’t take care of, millions of people subscribe to Medigap programs.