Tag: Retirees

The ‘Advantage’ Con

This is post for all my senior readers.

Daily we are bombarded by ads telling us all the ‘advantages’ of having Medicare Advantage plans….the problem is as I keep pointing out they are full of crap and are little more than a con job.

These plans taunt that we can get special coverage for hearing, vision and dental with these plans…..so how true is that?

As the privatized form of Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans advertise dental, vision, and hearing benefits not covered by traditional Medicare, but a recent analysis found that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries do not typically receive more of these supplemental services than traditional Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, out-of-pocket spending was similar for most supplemental services.

The research led by a team from Mass General Brigham is published in JAMA Network Open.

“Medicare Advantage plans receive more money per beneficiary than traditional Medicare plans, but our findings add to the evidence that this increased cost is not justified,” said first author Christopher L. Cai, MD, who conducted this work as a resident in the Department of Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

For their study, Cai and his colleagues analyzed 2017–2021 data from two continuous surveys, the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. In total, the investigators assessed information on 76,557 Medicare beneficiaries.

Only 54.2% of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries were aware of having Medicare Advantage while just 54.3% were aware of having vision coverage. Medicare Advantage enrollees were no more likely to receive eye examinations, hearing aids, or eyeglasses than traditional Medicare enrollees.

Out-of-pocket expenses for supplemental benefits were similar or modestly lower for Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare enrollees paid $205.86 and $226.12, respectively, for eyeglasses (9.0% less for Medicare Advantage); $226.82 and $249.98, respectively for dental visits (9.3% less for Medicare Advantage); and no differences for optometry visits or durable (a proxy for ), after adjusting for demographics.

Nationwide, Medicare Advantage plans’ annual spending on vision, dental services, and durable medical equipment totaled $3.9 billion, while enrollees spent $9.2 billion out-of-pocket for these services and other private insurers covered $2.8 billion.

In contrast, Medicare Advantage plans received $37.2 billion dollars annually more than taxpayers would have spent if beneficiaries had enrolled in traditional Medicare, a cost that is partially intended to fund supplemental benefit use.

“Supplemental benefits are a major draw to Medicare Advantage, but our findings show that people enrolled in Medicare Advantage have no better access to extra services than people in traditional Medicare, and that much of the cost comes out of their own pockets,” said senior author Lisa Simon, MD, DMD, assistant professor in the Division of General and Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

(medicalexpress.com)

These are profit generating cons…..yes I said ‘cons’….

The federal agency now headed by former television host Mehmet Oz announced Monday that it is substantially boosting payments to privately run Medicare Advantage plans, a boon for an industry notorious for overcharging taxpayers and denying patients necessary care.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said it is jacking up payments to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by more than 5% for 2026—an increase of over $25 billion. That’s more than double the increase proposed by the Biden administration.

Health insurance company stocks jumped in response to the news of the Trump administration’s payment hike, with shares of UnitedHealth Group—the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans—rising more than 6% following the CMS statement.

Oz, whom the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed in a party-line vote last week, previously reported holding tens of millions of dollars worth of stock in companies with interests before CMS, including UnitedHealth.

Social Security Works, a progressive advocacy group that campaigns against Medicare Advantage, said Monday that “privatized Medicare plans are denying patients the care they need, while defrauding the government of billions a year.”

“Trump is giving them even more taxpayer money,” the group wrote on social media. “Trump-Musk don’t care about ‘efficiency.’ They care about stealing our money.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-medicare-advantage-payments

Please research these plans if you are considering taking one…..arm yourself with information before you talk to the fat cat behind the insurance desk.

Do not fall prey to these vultures……it will cost more of your money and provide little coverage…..you have been warned.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

This Is For My ‘Boomer’ Buddies

Many of my friends voted for Trump in the last election and many are retired and depend on Medicare for their health issues…..so I would like to let them know what their vote will do for the medical necessities….

As part of a flurry of executive actions on the first day of his second White House term, President Donald Trump on Monday rescinded an order signed by his predecessor that aimed to develop programs to lower prescription drug prices in the United States—where residents pay far more for medications than people in peer countries.

News of Trump’s rollback of Executive Order 14087—titled Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans—was buried amid dozens of other rescissions the president ordered shortly following his inauguration.

The decision to scrap Executive Order 14087 brings to a halt several pilot programs undertaken by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, including an experiment that involved offering generic medications for a $2 copay to Medicare Part D recipients.

“This act is a good indication of how Trump will approach lower drug prices,” Social Security Works, a progressive advocacy group, wrote in response to Trump’s rescission of President Joe Biden’s executive order.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-drug-prices

There is more on this subject…..more screwing to come?

Donald Trump has rescinded yet another Biden-era executive order, and drug prices could skyrocket as a result.

The president recently tossed out executive order 14087, a measure taken by Biden in order to cap certain generic drug prices at $2 for Medicare recipients, improve access to expensive cell and gene therapies for Medicaid beneficiaries, and make new medical procedures more widely available by reducing the evidence gathering process required for drugs. The order was made to allow average Americans faster and more widespread access to affordable care.

While Trump didn’t personally raise the cost of prescription drugs, he did remove one of the barriers that prevents pharmaceutical companies from doing so. While Biden’s order has been rescinded, there are still numerous laws and regulations in place to prevent price gouging for drugs. Pharmaceutical companies do not have free rein over drug prices, yet, but some Democrats believe that the killed executive order is a harbinger of high drug costs to come.

“Donald Trump is already following through on his dangerous plans to jack up the costs of drugs to appease his billionaire backers” said Democratic National Committee rapid response director Alex Floyd in response to the decision. “He lied to the American people and doesn’t care about lowering costs—only what’s best for himself and his ultra-rich friends

According to Bloomberg, pharmaceutical companies are trying to bend the president’s ear. Drug manufacturer Eli Lilly & Co. has petitioned Trump to pause drug price negotiations. Biden’s policies currently allow the U.S. government to buy drugs at a lower cost in order to distribute them to Medicare recipients. While these policies have yet to be rescinded, some worry that it soon will be. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has petitioned the Trump administration not to overturn the policies, saying they grant everyday Americans “substantial benefits” and that repealing them would be a “grave mistake for our nation.”

https://www.themarysue.com/it-was-all-lies-trump-destroyed-for-selfishly-raising-prescription-drug-costs-reversing-cost-caps/

To be fair Trump did not personally raise the price of drugs but he did give big Pharma an opening so they can do as they like.

Now aren’t you glad he is building a wall and could care less about your medical issues.

Your vote was well placed you idiots.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Medicare And Seniors

Since I am an old person I have been keeping a close eye on anything that might help inform my fellow retirees about Medicare…..

It is a new year and some new stuff around Medicare…..new for 2025….

Prescription drug costs for millions of Americans with Medicare coverage are getting a lot cheaper in 2025.

New cost-saving provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act took effect Wednesday for Medicare enrollees. Chief among them: Out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs are now capped at $2,000 through Medicare Part D, the optional prescription plan associated with the federal insurance program for people over 65 and younger Americans with disabilities.

“Before I took office, people with Medicare who took expensive drugs could face a crushing burden, paying $10,000 a year or more in copays for the drugs they need to stay alive,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday, touting the benefits of one of the largest legislative packages of his presidency. “This week, we take another step closer to an America where everyone can afford the quality health care they need.”

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), about 66 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, and about 52 million of them have Part D prescription coverage. Most enrollees spend far less than $2,000 a year on their prescriptions, but officials estimate the new cap will help 19 million people save an average of $400 a year.

https://money.com/medicare-prescription-cost-cap/

Let’s talk about the big scam that will get worse…Medicare Advantage….

Trump’s Medicare czar is going to be the quack Dr. Oz, who relishes the idea of everyone having to take out a Medicare Advantage plan….

He has even said the the uninsured do not deserve to live (paraphrase)….

Mehmet Oz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, once said the uninsured “don’t have a right to health,” only the “right to access a chance to get that health.”

“Because they don’t have the right to health, but they have the right to access a chance to get that health,” he added.

This is the type of douchbags Trump wants in control of your life.

But I digress…..what about those scams , the Medicare Advantage plans?

I have tried to keep my fellow retirees informed about the scams that are targeting them…..

Medicare Advantage Plans

And the news just keeps coming and is as usual under-reported….

Donald Trump promises he will “not cut one penny” of Medicare, but like most elected Republicans he’s a strong proponent of Medicare privatization. During his first administration, Trump issued an executive order that said Medicare Advantage, the privatized version of Medicare, “delivers efficient and value-based care through choice and private competition.” Mehmet Oz, the TV doctor Trump nominated to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, disparages traditional Medicare and has called for massive expansion of Medicare Advantage. By remarkable coincidence, as of 2022 Oz owned a reported stake of $550,000 in UnitedHealth, Medicare Advantage’s largest participant.

There are many things the private sector does better than the federal government, among them enriching shareholders like Oz. But the private sector does not provide health care more efficiently than the public sector. That’s been demonstrated over and over, yet nobody wants to believe it. A report published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal summarizing a year’s worth of its investigations indicates that where Medicare Advantage really excels is in the filing of fraudulent claims.

Congress created Medicare Advantage in 1997 to demonstrate for good and all, damn it, that the market economy could be more cost-effective at delivering doctor and hospital care. The privatization program succeeded in winning over the public: 54 percent of the Medicare-eligible population chooses Medicare Advantage.

Medicare Advantage looks to people over 65 like a better deal because it covers things traditional Medicare doesn’t, such as visits to the dentist or the eye doctor. Some plans even cover acupuncture! But if you get seriously ill and need to be referred to a specialist, Medicare Advantage isn’t so great. An April 2022 study by the Health and Human Services Department’s inspector general found that 13 percent of the referrals denied under Medicare Advantage would have been approved under traditional Medicare.

https://newrepublic.com/article/189804/privatizing-medicare-advantage-scam-claims-fraudulent

There is so much reporting that does not make the national news on these plans…..senior need to be aware of the pitfalls….

Medicare Advantage plans may seem like a good idea. Most of the time, it seems like you’ll be able to save money and may have additional benefits. However, these plans often come with significant downsides that can hinder you from getting the care you need. This could lead to a negative impact on your health and your finances. Below is a list of Medicare Advantage nightmares, some with real-life stories, to keep you in the know. Being aware of these hidden dangers could save you a lot of heartache.

https://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2025/01/06/10150855_the-dark-side-of-medicare-advantage-5-nightmares-that-could-happen-to-you.html

Please if you are considering one of these plans do some research other than listening to an agent who is only interested in how much he can make off you….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Are You US Army Retired?

If so you might not want to pass this post by.

For a few years now the Army has failed to meet its projected enlistees…..and since the “c” word (conscription) scares the living B-Jesus out of Congress what is the Army to do to fill all those empty positions?

I wrote about this problem a couple of years ago and the incentives the Army was offering to coerce people to enlist…

Closing Thought–24Jan22

Ever heard of the program designated as “ALARACT”?

On March 20th, the US Army Publishing Directorate published ALARACT 017/2024.  The title of the form is “Utilization of the Army Retiree Recall Program” and it cites Executive Order 13223 under “References”.  Executive Order 13223 is a Bush-era EO from September 14, 2001 titled “Ordering the Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces to Active Duty and Delegating Certain Authorities to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation.”

The 18-page PDF for the ALARACT, which stands for “All Army Activities”, contains a slide titled “Directorate of Military Personnel Management.”  Under the first slide, it states:

“What is a Retiree Recall?  -A recalled retiree is a retired Soldier who is ordered to active duty from the Retired Reserve or the retired list under 10 USC 688/688a, 12301(a), or 12301(d) and serves in his or her retired status.  Retiree Recall is not an extension of your MRD.

Who can approve a Retiree Recall? -The Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) of Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA) is the authorized approver to recall retired Soldiers.”

Lots more information in the article and if you are a retiree you might want to keep an eye on the situation and learn as much as possible about this program.

WWIII Alert: US Army Publishes ALARACT for “Utilization of the Army Retiree Recall Program”

If you thought you were safe because you are retired you might want to think twice and prepare for what may come.

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”