Paul Schloesser Associate Editor A new paper published this week claims that in 2026, when Medicare negotiations for drug prices kick off, the minimum discount stipulated by the Inflation Reduction Act exceeds 2020 rebates for only four of the 10 drugs to be negotiated. On Sept. 1, CMS is expected to announce those 10 drugs...
Tag: <span>medicare</span>
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Drug plan prices touted during Medicare open enrollment can rise within a month
May 3, 2022 5:00 AM ET SUSAN JAFFE Retiree Donna Weiner shows some of the daily prescription medications for which she pays more than $6,000 per year through a Medicare prescription drug plan. She supports giving Medicare authority to negotiate drug prices. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Something strange happened between the time Linda Griffith signed up...
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Use of generic heart meds in Medicare Part D could save more than $600 million a year
by American Heart Association Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Prescribing generic medications for heart and blood vessel diseases more frequently instead of brand-name medications in Medicare’s prescription drug program, called Part D, could save more than $600 million each year in the U.S., according to new research published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart...
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Alzheimer’s drug cited as Medicare premium jumps by $21.60
by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar The Biogen Inc., headquarters is shown March 11, 2020, in Cambridge, Mass. Medicare’s “Part B” outpatient premium will jump by $21.60 next year, one of the largest increases ever. Medicare officials told reporters on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, that about half the increase is attributable to contingency planning if the program has...
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Jump in cancer diagnoses at 65 implies patients wait for Medicare, according to study
by Stanford University Medical Center Lung cancer cells. Credit: National Cancer Institute Analyzing a national cancer database, researchers find a bump in diagnoses at 65, suggesting that many wait for Medicare to kick in before they seek care. A couple of years ago, Joseph Shrager, MD, professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford School of Medicine, noticed...
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Does Medicare provide coverage for caregivers?
Original Medicare covers certain types of caregivers. Rules apply depending on the kind of care a person receives and the services a caregiver provides. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for those aged 65 and over and those under 65 who have specific health conditions. Original Medicare consists of Part A, which covers inpatient services and Part...
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Why a Virtual Visit to the Doctor May Be the Safest, Most Affordable Option
by Cathy Cassata In March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began allowing Medicare beneficiaries to receive care via telehealth. Telemedicine is best served when it occurs between you and a doctor you already have a relationship with. To help keep patients with chronic conditions out of the emergency room, and to leave room...
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Too few medicare beneficiaries with diabetes getting eye exams
(HealthDay)—Nationwide, about half of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with diabetes had eye exams in 2017, according to research published in the Nov. 15 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Noting that annual dilated eye exams are recommended for persons with diabetes, Elizabeth A. Lundeen, Ph.D., from the...
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Millions of diabetes patients are missing out on Medicare’s nutrition help
Reviewed by James Ives, M.Psych. (Editor) Louis Rocco has lived with diabetes for decades but, until he met with a registered dietitian in August, he didn’t know eating too much bread was dangerous for him. “I’m Italian, and I always eat a lot of bread,” he said. After two hour-long visits with a dietitian —...
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Critical heart drug too pricey for some Medicare patients
Researchers say cost may be more than $1,600 after insurance payments UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA An effective drug to treat chronic heart failure may cost too much for senior citizens with a standard Medicare Part D drug plan, said a study co-authored by a John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) researcher at the...