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Medigap policies that supplement Medicare’s basic coverage can cost vastly different amounts, depending on the company selling the policy, according to a new study. The findings highlight the importance of shopping around before purchasing a policy. 

Stay-at-Home Orders and fear of infection from COVID-19 have left many families struggling to manage the care needs of their…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning residents of long-term care facilities and their families that some facilities may unlawfully require residents who are on Medicaid to sign over their $1,200 pandemic relief checks.

The closure of Social Security offices has affected unemployed seniors who need to apply for Medicare after losing their employer health coverage. These seniors now have more time to enroll in Medicare or change plans.

With the coronavirus pandemic hitting nursing homes and assisted living facilities especially hard, families are wondering whether they should bring their parents or other loved ones home. 

With coronavirus dominating news coverage and creating alarm, it is important to know that Medicare and Medicaid will cover tests for the virus. 

The federal government is broadly expanding coverage of Medicare telehealth services to beneficiaries and relaxing HIPAA enforcement, which will give doctors the ability to provide more services to patients remotely. 

The spread of the coronavirus to nursing home residents has caused the federal government to direct nursing homes to restrict visitor access. Families are having to find new ways to stay in touch.  

For years people have been worried about Social Security’s future, but what is the actual outlook? According to the federal government, unless Congress acts to intervene, Social Security shortfalls are expected beginning in 2035.   

The Trump administration will allow states the option to cap Medicaid spending using block grants. While this change does not directly affect nursing home residents on Medicaid, it could result in significant service cuts to other beneficiaries. 

The basic Medicaid rule for nursing home residents is that they must pay all of their income, minus certain deductions, to the nursing home.

Medicare does not offer much in the way of dental benefits, but advocates for Medicare beneficiaries are arguing for that to change. 

The federal government has released the 2020 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures.

When it comes to long-term care costs, the charges for home care are now rising faster than those for nursing home care, according to Genworth’s 2019 Cost of Care survey.

After small or no increases the past couple of years, Medicare’s Part B premium will rise sharply in 2020. The basic monthly premium will increase $9.10, from $135.50 a month to $144.60. 

Reports of elder financial abuse continue to increase, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to scams or to financial abuse by family members in need of money.

There are circumstances in which transferring a house will not result in a Medicaid penalty period, and one of those is if the Medicaid applicant transfers the house to a “caretaker child.”  

Hospice care is supposed to help terminally ill patients maintain their quality of life at the end of their life, but two new government reports find that serious problems in some hospices may be actually causing harm to hospice patients.

The Trump administration is officially rolling back a ban on the use of arbitration agreements by nursing homes, once again allowing nursing facilities to ask families to give up their right to sue over patient injuries or deaths. 

It may become harder for Medicare beneficiaries to find home health care due to a new rule from the Centers…

Hospital patients who need additional care after being discharged from the hospital are usually sent to either an inpatient rehabilitation facility or a skilled nursing facility, and Medicare offers very different coverage for each.

This week, we are happy to share a blog post from Aaron Stevenson , the the founder of Snooze EZ….

A new report that combines nursing home quality data with a survey of family members ranks the best and worst…

At the end of last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) finalized new rules that made it more difficult…

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2019 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses…

With the aging population becoming increasingly tech savvy, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has moved a lot of services online….

Congress has expanded benefits for Medicare recipients with chronic conditions in its latest budget bill. The law gives some Medicare…

As we make our way through the hottest month of the year, it is a perfect time to review some…

The federal government has begun mailing new Medicare cards to 59 million Americans. You should keep track of when your…

Arizona and Florida are the latest states to request a waiver from the requirement that states provide three months of…

A new study has found that people enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan were more likely to enter a lower…

The announcement of the 2018 Medicare premium is good news for some beneficiaries and bad news for many others. The…

The federal government is issuing new Medicare cards to all Medicare beneficiaries. To prevent fraud and fight identity theft, the…

A new federal law is designed to address the growing problem of elder abuse. The law supports efforts to better…

Medicare is supposed to provide up to 35 hours a week of home care to those who qualify, but many…

In 2018, Social Security recipients will get their largest cost of living increase in benefits since 2012, but the additional…

Are you happy with your current Medicare plan or plans? Now is the time to think about whether you are…

The median cost of a private nursing home room in the United States has increased to $97,455 a year, up…

What happens if you are a high-income Medicare beneficiary who is paying a surcharge on your premiums and then your…

A new report finds that states have made incremental improvements in providing long-term care, but need to make more improvements…

When we’re young we believe that we’re invincible, which makes it harder to admit as we age that our bodies…

Have you or a loved one been denied Medicare-covered services because you’re “not improving”? Many health care providers are still…