MEDICARE

Nov 05 2025HEALTH

How Tech is Changing Doctor Visits

Doctors are now using tech to keep an eye on patients' health from afar. This means they can check things like blood pressure without needing an in-person visit. It's not just about convenience, though. This tech might also help more people see their family doctor. A recent study found that clinics

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Nov 04 2025HEALTH

Big Pharma Makes a Deal: Cheaper Drugs for Medicare

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

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Oct 27 2025HEALTH

Hearing Again: A Retired Nurse's Journey with Cochlear Implants

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.

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Oct 20 2025HEALTH

How Doctors Join and Leave Medicare: A 10-Year Look

Over the past decade, the number of doctors taking part in Medicare has seen some ups and downs. This program, which helps older Americans pay for healthcare, is a big deal for many. But why do doctors decide to join or leave Medicare? Let's break it down. First, it's important to understand that M

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Oct 20 2025HEALTH

Smart Medicare Choices During Government Shutdown

The government shutdown might make things tricky for Medicare open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7. Even though the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says updates will keep going, getting quick answers might be harder. Experts suggest taking your time with big decision

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Jul 29 2025HEALTH

Weiss Hospital Faces Medicare Termination: What Went Wrong?

Weiss Memorial Hospital is in hot water, literally and figuratively. The federal government has decided to cut it off from Medicare, a big deal that could seriously hurt the hospital's finances. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this decision, saying Weiss didn't follow th

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Jul 18 2025HEALTH

Understanding Social Risk Tracking in Medicare

Health care providers are now using Z codes to track social risks among Medicare patients. These codes cover a range of issues like job stability, housing conditions, education levels, and other personal challenges. However, the use of these codes is not widespread, and there are concerns about how

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Jul 11 2025HEALTH

How Bundled Payments Could Change Spine Surgery for Medicare Patients

Medicare has been experimenting with new ways to pay for medical services. One of these experiments is called Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced, or BPCI Advanced for short. This program started in 2018 and includes spine surgery done outside of the hospital. The idea is to pay a set amo

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Jul 06 2025HEALTH

Long-Term Care: A Costly Surprise for Many Seniors

Many people assume Medicare covers long-term care, but that's not the case. This mix-up could lead to big financial problems for seniors. Long-term care includes help with daily tasks like bathing or dressing. Over 80% of people will need this help at some point. The confusion is clear: 58% of adul

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Jul 01 2025CRIME

A Massive Health Care Fraud Crackdown: What You Need to Know

In a significant move, authorities have recently taken down a huge health care fraud operation. Over 320 people were charged, and nearly $15 billion in false claims were uncovered. This is the biggest crackdown of its kind in history. The operation was a joint effort between state and federal prose

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