Free Republic

The Trump administration recently finalized two rules meant to reduce Medicare drug prices -- while ignoring some serious unintended consequences. For seniors, the rules are a mixed bag. One will help patients save money at the pharmacy. But the other, the "most-favored-nation" rule, is likely to backfire, reducing access to treatments in the long run. The most-favored-nation rule prohibits Medicare from paying more for certain advanced medicines than the lowest price paid in other wealthy countries. It applies to physician-administered drugs, including treatments for osteoporosis, kidney disease and cancer. The list price of many of these drugs are deeply discounted...

Actress Susan Sarandon is calling on far-left lawmakers in Congress to refuse to vote for Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as House Speaker as a means to “force” Pelosi to bring a vote to the floor on Medicare for All. “I believe a better world is possible & at this moment we have a real shot at Medicare for All by fighting to #ForceTheVote, which is why I’ve joined the @PeoplesParty_US Advisory Council,” tweeted Sarandon on Monday. “I want a party that guarantees racial justice, economic justice, a livable climate — now that we’re in a catastrophe right now, free college, a...

I turned 65 in June and got on Medicare. I got the normal Medicare plans including Plan D, and optional Dental and Vision overage. Cost about $150 a total. I opted not to go Medicare Advantage at that time until and I could research it and see if it was all that was claimed. I recently talked to the Blue Cross rep here in Arkansas and after all my questions were answered and i knew my doctor was in the network I opted for a Advantage Plan, PPL plan for $49.00 a month and I am satisfied I made a...

My dear fellow FReepers, could you please help me to find the best coverage but most economial Medigap plan? I have fixed income with Social Security Disability and have basic Medicare, but do not qualify for Medicaid due to my spouse's income (have tried multiple times to get on Medicaid). I've been shopping for a myriad of plans, but would like to see about the best one, Blue Cross Blue Shield--which I am about to further investigate. Thank you my beloved FRiends!

Hospitals will be allowed to care for Medicare patients in their own homes during the pandemic under a government program announced Wednesday to help hospitals deal with the latest surge. ...The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it will let hospitals quickly launch home programs...Hospitals would need to meet certain standards to participate. Those include providing twice-daily visits by medical workers and equipment such as blood pressure and oxygen-level monitors, and keeping patients connected via an iPad or other device to a command center ...

Welcome to the weekend Poland's constitutional court rules Thursday that abortions are illegal in case of "fetal deformity" leaving only three legal reasons for abortion in Poland rape, incest of the life of the mother... When it comes to the issue of healthcare in the USA what you need to know is that government involvement in healthcare is the root of the evil of its high cost... Newsdump Update-Ceasefire Agreed In Libya Conflict Newsdump Update-Belarus Opposition Deadline Tomorrow-Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo Talks By Phone With Belarus Ruler Alexander Lukashenko-Warning To Americans In Belarus... Newsdump Update: France Islam Terrorism Turkey...

While not as prominent an issue during the first presidential debate as racial tensions, COVID-19, and the post-coronavirus economic recovery, both candidates made a point of promoting their health care agendas while criticizing their opponent's. Trump accused Biden of supporting "Medicare for All" and offering a plan that would "extinguish 180 million people with their private health care." Biden vehemently denied the accusations and argued that his plan "is not" going to end private insurance and called the president a "liar." Biden's plan, which he fervently advocated during the debate, would provide everyone with the option of enrolling in a...

Assistant U. S. Attorney Valerie Chu (619) 546-6750NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 30, 2020SAN DIEGO – Federal officials today announced a historic nationwide enforcement action involving 345 charged defendants across 51 federal districts, including more than 100 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals located in San Diego and across the country.These defendants have been charged with submitting more than $6 billion in false and fraudulent claims to federal health care programs and private insurers, including more than $4.5 billion connected to telemedicine, more than $845 million connected to substance abuse treatment facilities, or “sober homes,” and more than...

President Trump has pulled the trigger on actually lowering prescription drug prices. By ending arbitrary trade barriers he could save Americans over $50 Billion a year. Even staunch believers in free-market capitalism recognize that there are areas where the government is required to put on a striped shirt and play the referee. Republicans going back to Teddy Roosevelt have understood that. Especially when companies have acquired monopoly powers. President Roosevelt ruffled feathers among Wall Street tycoons when he launched his effort to break up the trusts. Trusts that were abusing their market power, creating monopolies. American consumers were being harmed...

President Trump on Sunday signed an executive order moving Medicare one step closer to a "most favored nation" drug pricing system, instructing the government health care program for seniors to develop and test paying the same drug prices as other developed countries with cost controls. "It is the policy of the United States that the Medicare program should not pay more for costly Part B or Part D prescription drugs or biological products than the most-favored-nation price," Trump's order declares. The memo defines the most-favored-nation price as "the lowest price, after adjusting for volume and differences in national gross domestic...

Joe Biden has been on the floor of the Senate talking about the need to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans’ benefits. This is where laws are defined. His comments on the Senate floor are likely his true position, since they are made when laws are being finalized. In the debates, Biden flatly denied he made these comments. Compare the videos and judge for yourselves.WATCH BIDEN COMMENTS ON FLOOR OF SENATE & Biden denying them at a debate......

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way a lot of people live — and not necessarily for the better. All of this upheaval could cause you to make some very poor choices with regard to your healthcare, and that’s a good way to lose money and compromise your health at a time when you can’t afford to. With that in mind, here are three Medicare mistakes to avoid at all costs during the ongoing crisis.1. Not signing up on timeHealth coverage under Medicare begins at age 65, and you can enroll up to three months prior to the month...

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed executive orders Saturday for coronavirus economic relief, upending negotiations with Congress after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on Friday. The executive orders establish a payroll tax holiday through the end of the year for Americans earning less than $100,000 a year. They also defer student loan payments through the end of the year; continue eviction moratoriums; and extend enhanced unemployment benefits that expired last week, but at a reduced level of $400 instead of the prior $600. "If I'm victorious on November 3rd, I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts...

President Trump says he will sign an Executive Order to ease the suffering of those harmed by the pandemic-related shutdowns and to stimulate the economy. Congress has failed to agree on a new package to accomplish these things. Trump’s Executive Order would include these four components: (1) a payroll tax holiday until the end of the year, (2) an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits until the end of the year, (3) an extension of the eviction moratorium for federal subsidized housing, and (4) a suspension of student loan payments until further notice. Questions surround the legality of accomplishing at least...

President Trump said Friday that he is prepared to act unilaterally to reinstate expanded unemployment benefits and suspend the payroll tax due to the coronavirus, but signaled he wouldn’t do so immediately. Trump told reporters that his administration is working “in good faith” to reach an agreement on the next stimulus package with Democratic leaders, before lambasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) for seeking funding for states and cities that he said have been mismanaged by Democratic politicians. “If Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage, I will act under my authority...

President Trump delivers remarks at Whirlpool Corporation manufacturing plant — 8/6/2020 Says he has a lot of rich enemies.

At least 360 Democrat delegates, mostly Bernie Sanders supporters, have signed a pledge to vote against a Democrat national platform that does not include medicare for all.According to Politico’s delegate tracker, Biden has 2,632 delegates and Sanders currently has 1,076.The Dems are holding a ‘virtual’ DNC in Milwaukee in just three weeks and it looks there may be a repeat of the 2016 convention.In 2016, Bernie supporters booed Hillary Clinton at the convention after WikiLeaks released DNC emails proving the primary was rigged in Hillary’s favor. Bernie was burned again this time around and his supporters and delegates have not...

If you are on a Medicare Advantage program in Florida, please contribute in this thread what you are happy with, what you are unhappy about, and the plan you current have.

A Tennessee healthcare executive was sentenced to 42 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release today for his role in an approximately $4 million kickback scheme.Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Atlanta Region, Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin of the U.S. Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee...

This past May I turned 65 and HAD to go on Medicare. I'm curious about other people's experiences with it. I hate it, myself. Our primary insurance that was mr. mm's from work is now allegedly the secondary insurance, and our rates for that insurance went down, but I am getting nailed to the wall with prescription expenses. Some of the meds I am on for my Mast Cell Disorder are ridiculously expensive and even with the so-called co-pays, would bankrupt us because of the coverage gap. I have medicare Part B and D but I have no way of...