Medicare
Biden signs stopgap spending bill, avoiding government shutdown
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has signed the stopgap spending bill, giving his administration and Congress about two months to work out agreement on the dozen annual spending bills. Those appropriations measures were supposed to become law by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but disagreement about whether to adhere to the […]
What you need to know about open enrollment: Yes, it’s a big deal
Nothing keeps West Virginians up at night like the cost of health care. And with the rising prices of food, rent and child care, too many families are left worrying about how to pay the bills and make ends meet. And to add insult to injury, health care costs perennially outpace inflation and all other […]
Medicare open enrollment continues through Dec. 7
Beginning this month, Medicare beneficiaries can review and change their health insurance coverage for the upcoming year. Open enrollment for the federal health insurance program began Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7. Coverage changes made during open enrollment take effect Jan. 1. “This is the main time that people can change their insurance If […]
No to government shutdown: West Virginia can and should keep our kids covered
The federal government is staring down a shutdown. The current spending laws expire at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30. Without a deal by Saturday night, funding will lapse and many government functions, including some health care programs, will temporarily stop. For the first time since 2019, congressional gridlock is poised to at least temporarily shut down […]
Biden administration chooses first 10 drugs for Medicare price negotiations
WASHINGTON — Medicare can now negotiate lower prices for 10 common high-price drugs, cutting out-of-pocket costs for an estimated 9 million seniors and saving taxpayers billions, the Biden administration said Tuesday. Medicare will begin this year to negotiate with the manufacturers of popular medications used to treat blood clots, diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic […]
A new Medicare proposal would cover training for family caregivers
Even with extensive caregiving experience, Patti LaFleur was unprepared for the crisis that hit in April 2021, when her mother, Linda LaTurner, fell out of a chair and broke her hip. LaTurner, 71, had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia seven years before. For two years, she’d been living with LaFleur, who managed insulin injections for […]