Tag: Seniors

Cognitive Testing: Helluva Idea

The last year of Biden’s admin and the meme was that his cognitive reasoning was shot because of his declining age…..and now with a new  old fart in charge the same meme is being leveled at him as well….and then there are some of the folks in Congress that do not impress me as having all their faculties about them…..so what can be done about this reoccurring situation?

Cognitive testing.

As I stated in the title….I think that this is a helluva idea……but does it go far enough?

There is a bill now that addresses this situation.

The United States is changing fast. Lawmakers are being forced to grapple not just with timeless questions of governance, but often with novel and rapidly-changing policy issues ranging from cryptocurrency regulation to tech monopolies to app-based labor.

That quickly shifting landscape has some doubting whether the country’s aging lawmakers are up for the increasingly complicated task. The issue is stark, with a larger percentage of Congress over the age of 70 than ever before, and a long string of incidents causing constituents to question whether their elected officials are suffering cognitive decline in office.

In response, one House democrat is proposing what Axios calls a “radical solution” to those concerns: mental fitness exams for lawmakers.

The proposal is being raised by Democratic representativeMarie Gluesenkamp Perez, who was elected in 2022 to represent the 3rd district of Washington State.

Last month, Perez tried to pass an amendment to require the Office of Congressional Conduct to produce a cognitive test to assess members’ “ability to perform the duties of office unimpeded by significant irreversible cognitive impairment.”

Go figure, the proposal was widely unpopular with the House Appropriations Committee that voted on it — but Perez is using the momentum to continue pushing the issue.

https://futurism.com/law-congress-cognitive-test

AS I stated I do not believe this goes far enough…..every elected official from president and his cabinet all through the government should be tested regardless of age….in the last twenty years there have been signs that a few elected are showing signs that they have the mental acuity of a garden slug….matters not the party…..all should be tested.

And the results should be made immediately public especially to those that elected these people.

As well as anyone running for office should be given a civics test to determine if they understand the role of government for the health of the nation.

This is a great idea just does not go far enough in my book.

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

For My Fellow Seniors

AS an old fart I watch the doings in Moronic center, DC, for my fellow seniors need to stay informed on how the government will tackle their problems as they grow older….especially the marginal ones that will depend onMedicaid for the health issues.

Below are some of the more absurd excuses for throwing people off the Medicaid rolls…..

In their zeal to deliver a big win to President Donald Trump by passing his sweeping tax and spending bill, Republicans have been coming up with ridiculous ways to defend their plan to strip health care from an estimated 11 million low-income people.

Experts don’t matter. Prove you are worthy of health care. We’re all going to die anyway. Somehow, these are actual arguments GOP lawmakers and officials have been making as they try to gloss over the pain their bill would impose on poor people and families while handing big tax breaks to mostly rich people.

Here are five of the most absurd ways Republicans have tried to defend their so-called Big Beautiful Bill, which guts federal health and food assistance programs by nearly $1.3 trillion.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/medicaid-cuts-republican-bill_n_6842ebdde4b04a6fce05e8c5

Then there is the whole tax thingy in Donny’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ BS….

Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will slash the household resources of the poorest Americans by about $1,600 while boosting the wealthiest households by roughly $12,000, the Congressional Budget Office said in a distributional analysis released Thursday.

What Happened: CBO analysts in their analysis released on Thursday found middle-income families would gain a more modest $500 to $1,000 a year, but the lowest decile would lose ground largely because the bill pares back Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and adds 80-hour monthly “community-engagement” rules for able-bodied adults.

he package extends many 2017 tax cuts, creates temporary breaks on tips, overtime and car-loan interest, and raises the standard deduction for seniors, yet offsets part of the cost by shrinking safety-net programs.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned lawmakers on Thursday that failure to pass the measure could push the nation toward economic disaster, and Idaho Republican Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) argued “the solution to our debt crisis is not to tax Americans more, it is to spend less.” He goes on to say that extending “proven tax reform is critical for working families.”

https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/06/45919604/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-pulls-1600-from-poorest-adds-12000-for-richest-annually-shows-cbo-analysi

Nothing about nay of this should surprise anyone for the GOP has been gunning for entitlements for decades and now they have the perfect storm to attack and destroy as much of these programs as possible.

If you are a senior or close to retirement you might want to pay better attention than you have in the past for your future is in their incapable hands.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

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”

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”

Social Security Changes To Come

I am an retired senior and I try to keep my fellow retirees abreast of any changes to come to their retirement.

This is about some of the ‘promises’ that Trump made to senior citizens…changes that sound good but are they?

The big one is that he wants to eliminate the income tax on benefits….sounds on the surface like a great idea but in the long run is it as good as it sounds?

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump signaled support for ending the decades-long practice of taxing Social Security benefits on several occasions. “Seniors should not pay tax on Social Security,” Trump asserted on his social media platform in July. He then repeated the proposal in August during an interview with Fox.

Trump will return to the White House later this month, and many Social Security recipients are undoubtedly hoping the president-elect can make good on his proposal. But ending the taxation of Social Security benefits may actually be bad news for retired workers. Read on to learn more.

The Social Security trust fund holds money used to pay benefits. The asset reserves in the trust fund fell by 45% between 1974 and 1983 because of a growing imbalance in Social Security beneficiaries and taxpayers supporting program. In other words, the cost of paying benefits was increasing more quickly than revenues from payroll taxes.

Congress approved sweeping changes in 1983 to fix the financing problem, and one of those changes made Social Security subject to federal income tax. Initially, seniors with a combined income above a certain level owed taxes on 50% of benefits. But legislation approved in 1993 added a second combined income threshold, above which 85% of benefits were taxable.

Combined income is defined as adjusted gross income (AGI) plus nontaxable interest plus one-half of Social Security benefits. The chart below shows the taxable portion of Social Security benefits at different combined income levels based on filing status.

https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/01/07/social-security-change-donald-trump-bad-news-retir/

This one move could possible truly bankrupt the program for good….maybe that is what they want.

To reiterate…..

We’re just days away from a second Trump administration entering the White House, and like all political transitions, we can expect changes once he takes office. Some of the most interesting ones for retirees could be those related to Social Security.

The program is in danger of benefit cuts in about a decade, and many people are disappointed with the way its buying power has declined over the years. While it may not be the most important issue on Trump’s agenda, he’s made a few comments about changes he’d like to make that could directly or indirectly affect Social Security. Here’s a look at three of the most significant and how they could affect seniors.

https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/01/13/ways-donald-trump-may-change-social-security/

If he gets his way big changes are coming for the retirees, most of whom voted for the person that will screw them the hardest…..

Markets reacted strongly to the reelection of Donald Trump. In the week that followed Nov. 5, the S&P 500 was up about 3.7%. While the likely economic impact of all of Trump’s campaign promises is mixed, the stock market appears to believe that Trump will follow through with those that boost business, like cutting corporate taxes, while not following through with potentially damaging promises like hiking trade tariffs.

How this plays out will have broad implications in the lives of all Americans, but for the millions of Americans who are retired or will soon be so, Donald Trump’s Social Security plans could have an even bigger impact. The program is already on a path toward financial distress, but according to a recent analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), many of the proposals put forth on the campaign trail by the President-elect could exacerbate the issues. First, however, let’s take a look at the state of the program.

https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/01/13/president-elect-donald-trumps-social-security-plan/

The problem with financing the social security program has a an easy fix….everybody pays the same deductions with no cut-off point.

Easy peasy …..but billionaires do not like that idea and we know no matter who is in the White House billionaires always get what they want.

Time will tell just what damage will be done to our retired seniors in the coming years.

I hope you can live with the choice you made…..

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Troubling News For Seniors

It is 2025 and the news coming out is that seniors could be headed for problems with a decade.

Since mid-September, more than 3,600 older adults have shared their life regrets with Business Insider through reader surveys and direct emails. Many spoke about their struggles navigating programs like Social Security, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Medicare. This is part of a series on Americans’ retirement regrets.

…

Still, many people are struggling, and the pressures are only likely to grow as the population ages and funding wanes. Some argue that such trends increase the need to preserve or bolster government programs designed to reduce poverty among older adults.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-social-security-works-medicare-food-stamps-retirement-elder-poverty-2024-12

I am what they call a “baby boomer” and the predictions are not so good for us boomers in the coming years….

As the silver tsunami continues, and more and more workers in the baby boomer generation hit their full retirement age, a larger percentage of the country’s population will be over 65 than ever before. According to a report from the Administration for Community Living, 31.9 million people in the U.S. were 65 and over as of 2022. This not only represented 17.3% of the country’s entire population that year, but the number of Americans that are expected to be 65 and over is anticipated to grow to 22% of the U.S. population by 2040. Another statistic to keep in mind is that the number of older Americans has increased by a whopping 34% since 2012, which far outweighs the 2% population increase for those under 65.

All of this is to say that the country will have more older people living on fixed incomes than it has had in its history. This will not only complicate programs like Social Security, which is already on track to run out of its trust funds beginning in 2033, but also add further pressure on the country’s growing housing crisis. The lack of affordable housing that is already plaguing many Americans is on track to be especially detrimental for the country’s older population. Since most retirees live on fixed income from any combination of 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, Social Security, or other savings, they have less flexibility to handle increasing prices. While this issue is countrywide, there are certain geographic areas that can be even worse.

Read More: https://www.moneydigest.com/1742957/united-states-boomers-wont-be-able-to-afford-to-live-in-10-years/

Life is not easy for our seniors and I do not see much positive situations in the near future.

Sorry to be a Bummer.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Getting Old Sucks!

It is Sunday and I usually post some obscure question or delight my readers with something entertaining….but today I would like to post on something that we all must go through in our lives….aging.

When we are young we do not think about grow old until one day you realize your reflection shows wrinkles you did not know were there and you start growing hair in places it did not grow before…..and when you get up from sitting and your body sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies–Snap, Crackle and Pop.

I was doing fine until about 55 I broke my leg, 2 operations, then I lost 4 toes, then I was diagnosed with diabetes then I was told I have 2 types of cancer and then there is the treatments…..so when I say ‘getting old sucks’ I mean it.

Old age gives you a new mindset and of course the contemplation of one’s mortality…..but we can soldier through if we just rethink old age.

Whether you are a Gen Zer entering the workplace or a boomer entering retirement, there’s no denying the fact that you aren’t getting any younger.

But does the thought of growing old sting? Even though aging often has a negative connotation, it doesn’t have to.

Western culture tends to define aging as a gradual physical decline — associating it with aches, pains and a foggy memory — and becoming out of touch with a fast-paced society (e.g., the internet meme “OK boomer”). We are led to believe that our best days are a summit that will pass us by.

But when we look at the science of aging, fundamental pieces of this negative narrative start to vanish.

Alan Castel, a professor of psychology at UCLA, is an advocate for aging victoriously. “Our own attitudes about aging do influence how we age,” Castel says, “so if you think positively about what can happen as you get older, then you might be active and healthier, and you might live longer.”

In his book Better With Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging, Castel cites a study in which researchers used Catholic nuns’ diary entries from when they were in their 20s to determine their levels of happiness. Of the most cheerful nuns, 75% lived to age 80, but only 40% of the least happy nuns lived that long. The happiest nuns lived about 10 years longer than the least happy nuns.

Castel uses this example to support his view that there are things you can do today — whether you’re 25 or 65 — to live a happier, healthier and longer life.

https://100.ucla.edu/impact/its-time-to-rethink-aging

Getting older is not the end of the world, but it is getting closer, we need to knowledge the aging process and learn to cope.

That is all for me today….enjoy your Sunday and as always…..Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

A Drug Deal

I have written about one of my drugs prescribed cost me $536…..I almost had a stroke when told…..now the Biden admin has a deal with drug companies to do what they did for insulin…..slash the prices on certain drugs.

Seniors will save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs for the 10 costliest prescription drugs under Medicare as a result of the Biden administration’s negotiations with drug companies, according to a Thursday announcement. Beginning in 2026, the costs of 10 popular medications will be reduced by between 38% and 79% from 2023 list prices, though “those figures overstate the actual savings that will be achieved, as drugmakers already negotiate behind-the-scenes discounts with private companies that run Medicare drug plans,” per Bloomberg. The government itself will save $6 billion, bringing total savings in the first year to $7.5 billion, per the outlet. The Congressional Budget Office suggests the program will slash $237 billion from the federal deficit over 10 years.

President Biden stressed that all Republicans voted against the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which granted Medicare the authority to negotiate drug prices on behalf of its 66 million members, per the Guardian. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, noted she cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the IRA. “Without her vote, we wouldn’t be talking about having negotiated drug prices,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Some drug companies don’t see this as a win, however, warning the IRA will harm the development of new drugs, restrict access to medicine for patients, and ultimately result in higher costs. Here are the 10 drugs and price changes based on a 30-day supply, courtesy of NBC News:

  • Eliquis, a blood thinner from Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer, falls from $521 to $231
  • Xarelto, a Johnson & Johnson blood thinner, falls from $517 to $197
  • Januvia, Merck & Co.’s diabetes drug, will cost $113, down from $527
  • Jardiance, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug, moves from $573 to $197
  • Enbrel, an Amgen rheumatoid arthritis drug, will cost $2,355, down from $7,106
  • Imbruvica, an AbbVie and J&J drug for blood cancers, falls from $14,934 to $9,319
  • Farxiga, an AstraZeneca drug for diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, falls from $556 to $178
  • Entresto, a Novartis heart failure drug, will cost $295, down from $628
  • Stelara, a J&J drug for psoriasis and Crohn’s disease, falls dramatically from $13,836 to $4,695
  • Fiasp and NovoLog, diabetes drugs from Novo Nordisk, will cost $119, down from $495

Medicare plans to target another 15 drugs in 2025 and 2026, per the Washington Post.

This is good news for Seniors…..check out the list and see if any drugs you take are on it.

My problem is this piecemeal approach to lower prices…15 here and 15 later…..these companies have already milked the public and now we give them a few months to milk it more.

But remember these prices will not drop until 2025-2026….so do not celebrate too much until they finally drop.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The $600 Billion Swindle

Before I begin I want to wish all my Dads out there…..

Happy Father’s Day!

I am an old fart and retired and most people I know are retired or close to retirement and I keep a watch on what is going on with Medicare and the insurance giants.

I have been trying to warn my readers of the dangers and the scams run under the guise of “Medicare Advantage” tag.

Since last year I have been warning my readers that are considering one of these ‘plans’ to beware and why….

Medicare Advantage Plans

A new analysis of these plans illustrates just how bad and how deep these swindles go.

A new academic analysis published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine details the enormous sums that privatized Medicare Advantage plans have cost U.S. taxpayers in recent years and calls for the abolition of the program, which has been massively profitable for the insurance giants that dominate it.

Citing the nonpartisan Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the paper notes that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have overcharged the federal government to the tune of $612 billion since 2007—and $82 billion last year alone.

MA plans—now used by more than half of the eligible Medicare population—utilize a range of tactics to reap larger payments from the federal government, which provides insurers a lump sum for each Medicare Advantage patient. The size of the payment depends on the enrollee’s health, which MA plans are notorious for portraying as worse than it is in order to receive heftier government payments.

“Paradoxically, despite those overpayments, MA plans spend 9% less on medical services than [fee-for-service] Medicare spends for comparable enrollees,” reads the new study. “If MA plans pay for less care, where do the overpayments go? Some pay for supplementary benefits, although plans do not disclose how much they spend on them, and MA enrollees do not get significantly more dental care or incur lower out-of-pocket dental costs than those in FFS Medicare. Instead, overhead and profit eats up the lion’s share.”

The study’s authors estimate that MA plans’ overhead from 2007 to 2024 was $592 billion, which is “equivalent to 97% of taxpayers’ $612 billion overpayments to them during that period.”

Dr. Adam Gaffney, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the new study, said in a statement that “Medicare Advantage is a bad deal for taxpayers.”

“Money that could be used to eliminate all copayments or shore up Medicare’s Trust Fund is instead lining insurers’ pockets,” said Gaffney. “And the private insurers keep Medicare Advantage enrollees from getting needed care by erecting bureaucratic hurdles like prior authorizations and payment denials.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/medicare-advantage-cost

Please read all the information if you want to save your cash….do not listen to the hype….ask questions and arm yourself with facts not promises.

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

I hope the Dads have a great day and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Want To Live Past 90?

It is another Sunday here on IST and as per my mandate I want to try and make an FYI post….or some historical thingy.

We are told by doctors and such that if we want to live to a ripe old age then we need to eat well and exercise….that may not be entirely true.

While trend pieces that describe which foods to eat or the magic number of steps to walk each day may help curb disease and increase longevity, a key factor to living a very long life isn’t within our control. Per the Wall Street Journal, research on aging increasingly shows that living past age 90 is linked to genetics. “Some people have this idea: ‘If I do everything right, diet and exercise, I can live to be 150,'” says Robert Young of the Gerontology Research Group. “And that’s really not correct.” Genetics aids longevity as people grow older: It accounts for 25% of our ability to reach age 90, 50% to reach age 100, and 75% to reach age 106, according to Boston University medical expert Thomas Perls.

But that doesn’t mean lifestyle and modern medicine don’t influence longevity. The Census Bureau projects that 109,000 centenarians live in America today—60% more than 10 years ago, when it was 65,000. Those trusty food, exercise, and diet articles help inform people on what can help them live longer (and healthier) lives. Mental health also plays a role, including one’s outlook on life and strong connections with family and friends. “Keeping in good relationships could be one key to health span,” says neuropsychologist Amanda Cook Maher. That said, people who avoid age-related diseases such as cancer or dementia are more likely to have long lives. Untangling exactly which genes aid longevity is a little tricky, but variants or traits that protect us by repairing DNA or resisting Alzheimer’s disease are up there.

Medical News Today, meanwhile, takes a look at what blood tests have also revealed about longevity. Centenarians tended to have average to lower levels of blood biomarkers like creatinine (a factor in kidney health), glucose, and uric acid. The latter suggests fewer problems with issues such as gout or kidney stones. “It is difficult to say if the absence of extreme values point towards lifestyle. But the findings of overall more favorable values for centenarians, and the fact that these markers are related to diet and lifestyle, it is possible—or perhaps even likely—that such factors have an impact,” said researcher Dr. Shunsuke Murata. The wild card is the interaction with genetic factors.

Just a little something to think about on the Autumn Sunday.

Please enjoy the rest of your weekend….and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”