News
To avoid care disruptions, know when the clock runs out on your prior authorization
10+ hour, 47+ min ago (1169+ words) A woman with multiple sclerosis wanted to be able to walk up the stairs at home without losing her balance. Her doctor prescribed medicine that helped, but then approval from her insurance plan for the drug expired. Jaclyn Mayo has…...
Medicare's three-day rule: Longer hospital stays, no patient benefit
2+ week, 4+ day ago (570+ words) A long-standing Medicare policy meant to manage rehabilitation services in nursing homes may keep older Americans in hospitals longer than necessary without improving patient health or saving Medicare money, new research finds. When the policy was created, typical hospital stays…...
Blurry line between medical and vision insurance leaves patient with unexpected bill
4+ week, 9+ hour ago (1024+ words) Barbara Tuszynski was concerned about her vision but confident in her insurance coverage when she went to an eye clinic last May. The retiree, 70, was diagnosed with glaucoma in her right eye in 2019. She had a laser procedure to treat…...
Study examines potential impact of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan on cancer patients
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (516+ words) A new study examines the potential impact of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (M3P) - an opt-in policy implemented in 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act that allows beneficiaries to spread out of pocket (OOP) costs over the calendar year - on Medicare Part…...
Study reveals challenges in accessing wheelchairs through Medicare-listed suppliers
3+ mon, 2+ week ago (108+ words) Published today in'Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a University of Minnesota Medical School research team found that access to wheelchairs through Medicare-listed suppliers is inconsistent and often challenging. For those paying cash, the median wheelchair cost was $300. Most suppliers accepting Medicare did…...
Rising premature deaths prevent many Americans from reaching the age of Medicare eligibility
3+ mon, 2+ week ago (643+ words) For 60 years, Medicare has served as a social safety net. Workers pay into the system over their lifetimes with the expectation that they will be able to access affordable health care when they turn 65. But for a growing number of…...
An Arm and a Leg: A wild health insurance hustle
6+ mon, 2+ week ago (1855+ words) When a New York couple purchased a health insurance plan from a telemarketer, they thought it covered everything they wanted: doctor visits, tests, and medicine. But then came the unexpected bills for thousands of dollars, forcing them to skip crucial…...
Narrow Medicare drug coverage linked to worse outcomes in MS patients
6+ mon, 3+ week ago (414+ words) Medicare drug plans are increasingly excluding coverage of new specialty drugs that treat complex conditions like cancers and autoimmune diseases. New research from the USC Schaeffer Center shows how these barriers may come at a cost to patients' health. In…...
Research identifies four main drivers of improved care quality at home care cooperatives
8+ mon, 8+ hour ago (474+ words) New research on home care cooperatives " agencies co-owned and managed by home care workers " has identified key factors that appear to significantly improve the quality of care for patients. The researchers identified four main drivers of improved care quality at…...
Understanding why older Americans switch Medicare Advantage plans
8+ mon, 3+ week ago (769+ words) More than half of older Americans now get their Medicare coverage through an insurance company's Medicare Advantage plan. But many go on to switch plans or even leave for traditional Medicare when Open Enrollment comes around each autumn. Researchers have…...