Medicare advantage in 2021 enrollment update and key trends

However, the swell of seniors who qualify for Medicare has outpaced the number of doctors available to treat them. Every day, an estimated 10,000 Americans turn 65 and become eligible for the government program, the Census Bureau reported..Totalization agreements allow workers who divide their careers between two countries to combine earnings credits under both systems in order to qualify for benefits. The U.S. currently has 24 such agreements, most with nations having economies similar to our own. What makes the agreement with Mexico so controversial are the millions of Mexicans working in this country without legal authorization..Women also tend to take their benefits sooner than men - before reaching the age for full un-reduced retirement benefits. When retiring before full retirement age, benefits are permanently reduced by up to 25% to 30%, depending on age..This week, lawmakers in the House remained in their home districts, while those in the Senate returned to Capitol Hill to begin working on a plan to avoid a government shutdown. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw three key bills gain support..In a letter of endorsement to Rep. Valadao, Ed Cates TSCL's Chairman wrote, "As you know, identity theft is a significant and growing problem, and older Americans are disproportionately affected since they rely heavily on paper mail carried by postal delivery services. Greater protection from identity theft is critical to our members and supporters nation-wide.".This week, action on Capitol Hill was slow as Members of Congress remained in their home states and districts to prepare for the upcoming election. Lawmakers are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, November 13th, to begin the lame-duck session..Congress Adjourns for Spring Break.Our annual Senior Surveys indicate overwhelming public support for the major provisions of The Social Security 2100 Act. And based on your comments and email, that's pretty much the case, no matter which political party you happen to vote for. It's vital for all of us to make sure your Member of Congress knows how you think Social Security and Medicare should be "rescued." Please take our 2020 Senior Survey..While Mr. Shkreli has become the poster boy for this price gouging, he is certainly not alone. These tactics are prominent throughout the entire industry. Drug company executives are buying life-saving drugs and increasing the prices astronomically to line their own pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation.

The Security Of American Elections Oas Episode 3
There are important trade-offs to Medicare Advantage. Enrollees must use the network of hospitals and doctors who contract with the plan. In recent years as enrollment grows, more plan enrollees have been hit with surprise bills for out of network providers - often for thousands of dollars. While traditional Medicare is accepted by any willing doctor in every state, Medicare Advantage coverage tends to be accepted only in a specific geographic area. There are also more requirements for prior approval for certain procedures..COLA Fairness - TSCL strongly believes that the Social Security cost-of-living-adjustment that seniors are currently receiving does not accurately reflect how they must spend their money. Our studies and surveys indicate that the current COLA is growing too slowly and does not accurately measure inflation experienced by seniors. The COLA is based on a consumer price index that reflects how young urban workers tend to spend their money. Older Americans spend a disproportionate share of their household budget on health care. Since health care costs continue to rise so quickly and since most health care spending cannot be substituted out for something cheaper TSCL believes that seniors would be better served if their COLA was based upon a consumer price index for elderly consumers, the CPI-E. Current COLA efforts.Rather than get into all the details of how this works, we will simplify it this way. The Democrats now have the majority in the Senate because Vice President Harris can break tie votes, giving a majority vote of 51 to the Democrats. … Continued

Newsroom Op Ed A Year Of Progress At District One Hospital
Flu vaccination has many benefits. It has been shown to reduce flu illnesses and also to reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes that can result in hospitalization or even death in older people. Flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick..COLAs are calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners. This simply does not make sense for seniors. This method of calculation considers spending habits of younger workers who are more likely to spend their dollars on electronic devices and consumer goods. Seniors are more likely to spend money on medical services and housing expenses. The prices of these items rise significantly higher than what the CPI-W calculates..How Can We Expand Social Security When The Program Is Running Out of Money? … Continued