Obama: Cut Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid
Richard Eskow of Campaign For America’s Future explains President Obama’s grand bargain which includes cuts to social security, medicare and medicaid. The Largest Online News Show in the World. Google+: www.gplus.to Facebook: www.facebook.com Twitter: twitter.com Subscribe: bit.ly FREE Movies(!): www.netflix.com Read Ana’s blog and subscribe at: www.examiner.com Read Cenk’s Blog: www.huffingtonpost.com
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As Thousands Start Joining Medicare, Allsup Releases Free ?Medicare and Reaching Retirement Age? Guide
As Thousands Start Joining Medicare, Allsup Releases Free ‘Medicare and Reaching Retirement Age’ Guide
Belleville, IL (Vocus/PRWEB) March 01, 2011
Thousands of baby boomers are now entering the Medicare program each month for the first time. It’s not uncommon for new Medicare enrollees to have many questions about the program, which is why Allsup has released its free “Medicare and Reaching Retirement Age” guide. Allsup is a nationwide provider of Medicare plan selection services and Social Security disability representation.
People who are new to Medicare and don’t understand how it works may just enroll in traditional Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B), while neglecting to review all their other choices. They might not realize the repercussions this can have on their access to healthcare.
“It’s risky not to pay close attention to the choices available to you now that you are eligible for Medicare,” said Adrienne Muralidharan, senior product specialist for the Allsup Medicare Advisor®. The Allsup Medicare Advisor is an impartial, fee-based Medicare plan selection service that helps people understand and choose the most affordable and appropriate Medicare coverage for their healthcare needs. (Allsup is not a Medicare plan provider and does not accept commissions from insurance providers.)
“People often aren’t sure what to expect or where to begin,” Muralidharan said. “We help many people newly eligible for Medicare with important questions about coordinating with their employers’ plans and meeting their spouse and dependent needs at the same time.”
To help people who are new to Medicare, Allsup has released a free guide, “Medicare and Reaching Retirement Age.”
Obtain a free copy of the “Reaching Retirement” guide by phone: (888) 271-1173, or e-mail: MedicareHelp(at)allsupinc(dot)com.
Many baby boomers becoming eligible for Medicare may still be on their employers’ plans. “Throughout their careers, many people could easily choose from the two or three pre-screened choices offered by their employer,” Muralidharan said. “Now, they are faced with dozens of options and multiple cost considerations, not just for medical coverage, but also prescription drug and supplemental coverage.”
The guide covers topics including:
Medicare eligibility and how to enroll. Most people have a seven-month window in which they can first enroll in Medicare.
Medicare options and costs. Most people are familiar with traditional Medicare (Part A/hospital and Part B/medical). Other plan options—prescription drug (Part D), Medicare Advantage (Part C) and supplemental plans—are less familiar, Muralidharan said. “It’s important to understand these types and how they work together. Some combinations of coverage are better suited for certain people than for others.”
Coordinating Medicare with private coverage. It’s crucial to coordinate employer-offered care with Medicare because of potential penalties and considerations for your spouse and dependents.
Penalties for not enrolling in Medicare when first eligible. Because penalties last for as long as a person has Medicare, the costs can be substantial. “It’s perfectly acceptable not to enroll in Medicare if you already have coverage,” Muralidharan said. “However, certain steps must be followed to make sure that you have an approved deferral.”
Changing Medicare plans. It’s important that beneficiaries understand when they can change their coverage. All Medicare beneficiaries have the option of switching coverage during annual enrollment, which is from Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 for 2012 coverage. Other enrollment periods may be available depending upon individual circumstances.
“Healthcare costs can be a significant part of a senior’s fixed income,” Muralidharan said. “People who carefully choose and re-evaluate their coverage from year to year can save thousands of dollars throughout their lifetime.”
For an evaluation of your Medicare options, please call an Allsup Medicare Advisor specialist at (888) 271-1173 or go to http://medicare.allsup.com.
ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, Medicare and Medicare Secondary Payer compliance services for individuals, employers and insurance carriers. Founded in 1984, Allsup employs more than 700 professionals who deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. The company is based in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. For more information, visit http://www.Allsup.com.
The information provided is not intended as a substitute for legal or other professional services. Legal or other expert assistance should be sought before making any decision that may affect your situation.
Contact:
Mary Jung
(773) 429-0940
Rebecca Ray
(800) 854-1418 ext 65065
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Categories: Medicare Tags: Allsup, Free, Guide, Joining, Medicare, Reaching, Releases, Retirement, Start, Thousands
States, Federal Government Could Save $30 Billion by Managing Medicaid Pharmacy More Like Medicare and Commercial Sector Programs
States, Federal Government Could Save $ 30 Billion by Managing Medicaid Pharmacy More Like Medicare and Commercial Sector Programs
Washington, DC (Vocus) December 6, 2010
A new study from The Lewin Group finds that Medicaid pharmacy could save more than $ 30 billion over the next decade by transitioning from the current approach used by state Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) programs to the more efficient approaches used by Medicare Part D plans, Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs), and the commercial sector, including typical state employee plans.
The study notes that Medicaid FFS pharmacy programs use fewer generic drugs and pay pharmacies higher dispensing fees and ingredient costs than other programs. The findings from this groundbreaking report challenge the assumption that Medicaid pharmacy can only reduce costs by cutting benefits, limiting eligibility, demanding deeper manufacturer rebates, or paying drugstores higher dispensing fees in exchange for more pricing transparency.
“Medicaid is one of the few pharmacy benefit programs that still relies heavily upon a fee-for-service approach. By operating more like Medicare and commercial market plans, Medicaid could increase the use of generics and save billions without cutting benefits,” said Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt.
Currently, three-fourths of Medicaid pharmacy dollars are administered using a fee-for-service approach in which public officials play a role in determining how much to pay drugstores for each prescription filled (dispensing fees) and ingredient costs (the reimbursement for the cost of the actual drugs). The other one-fourth of Medicaid pharmacy is managed more like pharmacy benefits in the commercial sector, where third-parties use proven utilization management tools and negotiate pharmacy payments directly with chain drugstores and the drug wholesalers that represent independent pharmacies.
The Lewin study also finds that although state Medicaid programs pay widely varying Medicaid dispensing fees, these decisions seem largely unrelated to the level of ingredient cost reimbursements a state pays or the level of generic utilization a state achieves. For example, Texas pays the nation’s highest dispensing fees ($ 7.50) and New Hampshire pays the lowest ($ 1.75), but they both pay about the same for ingredient costs and generate similar rates of generic drug utilization.
Many Medicaid pharmacy discussions begin and end with the issue of the drug manufacturer rebates. However, the statutory and supplemental rebates paid to Medicaid by brand name drug manufacturers are determined separately from pharmacy dispensing fees and ingredient costs. This means that manufacturer rebates have no impact on the savings that more active management of dispensing fees and ingredient costs could achieve. Likewise, these savings also do not assume any additional cost sharing for Medicaid beneficiaries.
Key Findings
Savings Opportunities Exist In Four Key Areas
While Medicaid FFS programs and costs vary greatly state-by-state, The Lewin Group identified four key areas where pharmacy benefit management could generally be improved:
Generic Drug Dispensing: Medicaid FFS is less effective at encouraging the dispensing of generic drugs in place of brands. The generic dispensing rate in Medicaid FFS averages 68%, compared to an average 80% generic dispensing rate in Medicaid MCOs.
Dispensing Fees: At $ 4.81 per prescription, the national average dispensing fee that Medicaid FFS programs pay to retail pharmacies per each prescription is more than double the average dispensing fees paid by Medicare Part D payers, Medicaid MCOs, or health plans in the commercial sector.
Ingredient Costs: The rate at which retail pharmacies are reimbursed for the actual medication ingredients (pills, capsules, etc.) is also higher, on average, in Medicaid FFS programs than in Medicare Part D or the commercial sector.
Drug Utilization: The number of prescriptions dispensed per person is typically higher in Medicaid FFS programs than in Medicaid MCOs due to less effective controls on polypharmacy, fraud, waste, abuse, and other factors in the FFS setting.
Estimated Federal and State Medicaid Savings
If all state Medicaid programs used a market-based approach such that dispensing fees, ingredient costs, drug utilization, and generic drug dispensing were brought in-line with norms for Medicaid MCOs, Medicare Part D, and commercial payers, Lewin estimates that:
Combined federal and state savings to the Medicaid program would total $ 30.3 billion over the next decade.
Medicaid FFS prescription costs could be reduced by 14.8%.
Per member per month (PMPM) costs for Medicaid FFS pharmacy benefits could be reduced by $ 12 in 2011 under optimal management.
PCMA represents the nation’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which improve affordability and quality of care through the use of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing), generic alternatives, mail-service pharmacies, and other innovative tools for 210-plus million Americans.
The full report can be obtained at no charge at http://www.lewin.com/content/publications/Medicaid_Pharmacy_Savings_Report.pdf .
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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Categories: Medicaid Tags: billion, Commercial, could, Federal, Government, Like, Managing, Medicaid, Medicare, More, Pharmacy, Programs, Save, Sector, States
Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits
Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits
Maximize your Social Security, SSI, and Medicare benefits and navigate the system with confidence.
Everyone wants to get the highest possible retirement and pension income – not to mention the best medical coverage. Turn to Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions to discover the benefits you’re entitled to and how to claim them as easily as possible.
Navigate the complex and often daunting Social Security and Medicare systems using the resources and information in t
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Categories: Social Security Tags: Benefits, Government, Medical, Medicare, Most, Pensions, Retirement, Security, Social
Medicare
What is Medicare? How and when will I use it? Watch this short and easy to understand video about Medicare Part A, B, C and D. -Stay Smart Stay Healthy See more videos at: www.youtube.com Stay Smart Stay Healthy was created by Edward Batchelor at Humana Inc. as a new-media venture designed to deliver guidance, and to support awareness and understanding of the healthcare industry. His goal was simple: to educate consumers on the healthcare system by removing the usual complexities and replacing them with an informative and engaging series of videos.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
New Study Proves Canadian Drugs are More Affordable than Medicare Part D, says MedCenter Canada
Vancouver, Canada (PRWEB) December 20, 2005
A recent study conducted by MedCenter Canada Inc. (www.MedCenterCanada.com) verifies that of the 1,820 cases analyzed, 84.6% of seniors would spend less money ordering their drugs from a Canadian pharmacy than by enrolling in Medicare Part D, the Bush administration’s controversial drug reimbursement plan.
The MedCenter savings are significant: on average, seniors would save $ 565 per year and 14.9% will enjoy annual savings over $ 1,000 compared to Medicare Part D.
The study also found that for the 15% of seniors that would realize superior savings with Medicare Part D the actual savings averaged only $ 12.90 per month. During the study, many seniors commented that the Medicare program was not worth the hassle to understand and enroll. Consequently, many seniors preferred the simplicity and convenience of ordering from Canada.
Alex Glassey, president of MedCenter Canada says the study illuminates what their customers have known all along. “Compared to Medicare Part D, buying prescription medications from Canada is clearly a superior choice for the vast majority of seniors. They will save more money and will find it much less complicated.”
MedCenter Canada has been rigorously performing personal assessments at no charge for their senior customers. The results are proving invaluable because they take into account the actual drugs each patient takes as well as the details of their chosen Medicare plan. A final comparison of out-of-pocket costs between MedCenter purchases and Medicare Part D is prepared and sent to each senior. As a result, seniors are provided the necessary information to make informed decisions.
For those seniors who wish to see for themselves, MedCenter offers a free online “Part D Calculator” at www.MedCenterCanada.com or they can call toll free 1-800-442-9585 for a personal assessment. “Either way it will only take a few minutes to discover the best way to save on prescription medications. It is the best Christmas present that we could possibly give to our prospective customers,” says Glassey.
MedCenter Canada Inc. (www.MedCenterCanada.com), through its partner network of licensed international pharmacies, is an established leader in providing affordable medications to American customers. Since 2003, MedCenter has helped tens of thousands of Americans save money on their prescription medications.
Media Contact:
Alex Glassey
MedCenter Canada Inc.
Ph.: +1.204.510.2012
www.MedCenterCanada.com
# # #
Categories: Senior Centers Tags: Affordable, Canada, Canadian, Drugs, MedCenter, Medicare, More, Part, Proves, says, Study, than
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The Medicare Answer Book
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Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage – “It’s all coming together”
Retiree Prescription Drug Coverage & The New Prescription Drug Coverage
Basic Questions and Answers about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
Medicare Part D Electronic-Prescribing Proposed Rule
On December 8, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. This landmark legislation provides seniors and people living with disabilities with a prescription drug benefit, more choices and better benefits under Medicare, the most significant improvement to senior health care in nearly 40 years.
Categories: Social Security Tags: coming, Coverage, Drug, Medicare, Prescription, together”, “It’s
Chief Financial Officer Testifies on Medicare & Medicaid Improper Payments
Categories: Social Security Tags: Chief, Financial, Improper, Medicaid, Medicare, Officer, Payments, Testifies
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