Two major drug companies, Lilly and Novo Nordisk, are close to striking a deal with the White House. They want to offer their weight loss drugs at a lower price. This is big news because it could mean more people can afford these medicines. The plan is to sell the lowest dose of their obesity drugs for $149 a month. This is a big drop from what they usually charge. ...
Hearing loss can be a tough challenge, especially for older adults. Kitty Grutzmacher, a retired nurse from Elgin, faced this issue for over a decade. Her hearing aids weren't cutting it anymore. She struggled to hear anything, even in quiet settings. This made her pull back from social activities. She stopped playing cards, going to Bible study, and even attending c...
Medicare's involvement in gender-affirming surgery is a topic that deserves a closer look. It's crucial to understand that Medicare does not have a blanket policy for these procedures. Instead, each case is evaluated individually. This approach raises several questions. How many Medicare beneficiaries actually receive these surgeries? The answer is not straightforwa...
Medicare has rules for covering gene tests. These rules are called National Coverage Determinations. They were first put in place in 2018 and then changed in 2020. These rules are for a type of genetic testing known as next-generation sequencing. This testing looks at many genes at once. It can help find out if someone has a higher chance of getting cancer. It can al...
The flu shot is a simple and effective way to protect against the flu. However, not everyone is taking advantage of it. Some groups, like older Black and Hispanic adults, are not getting the flu shot as much as they should. This is a worry, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people think about vaccines. Health experts are keeping an eye on this s...
In the final stretch of President Joe Biden’s term, his Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new Medicare and Medicaid rule that could spark a big debate. The rule would make weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy more accessible to these recipients. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra believes this could help fight the obesity crisis in the U. S....
Did you know that taking care of elderly or sick loved ones can cost a fortune? Just ask Sharon Zimmer from Wisconsin. She’s been caring for her husband, Chuck, who has Alzheimer's and dementia, since 2018. The costs are skyrocketing, and it's putting a big strain on families like hers. Sharon had to quit her part-time job to care for Chuck full-time, which cut their...