The Trump administration struck a deal with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to lower the cost of GLP-1 drugs. These drugs help with weight loss, diabetes, and other health issues. Starting soon, people will pay about $350 a month for these injectable drugs. This price will drop to $250 over the next two years for those paying without insurance. The deal also includes a d...
A recent deal will allow Medicare to cover weight loss drugs, but it comes with a hefty price tag. The prices for drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy will drop significantly when bought through Medicare and Medicaid. Ozempic will cost $350 per month instead of $1, 000, and Wegovy will be $350 instead of $1, 350. Other drugs will be even cheaper, around $145 per month. This...
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 using this tech can handle more patients, even those with tricky hea...
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...
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 Medicare is a huge part of healthcare in the US. It covers people aged...
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 decisions. Philip Moeller, who wrote a book on Medicare, thinks it's smart to...
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 the rules on nursing, facilities, and emergency care. The trouble star...
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 fairly and accurately they are being applied. The main worry is that...
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 amount for the entire procedure, rather than paying for each part separa...