Latest Medicare Update August 31, 2006 at 03:15 PM

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August 31, 2006

Medicare Part D - Happy with Medicare prescription plan (The Meridian Star) I wanted


Happy with Medicare prescription plan (The Meridian Star)
I wanted to share my experience with the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. I was automatically enrolled in a Part D plan and I ve been very happy with it. All of my prescriptions that weren t covered before Part D are covered now.

Drug-plan gap a chasm for many (The Monterey County Herald)
Donna and Grover Stark together take $2,000 worth of prescription drugs every month to treat a host of maladies, including Grover's arthritis and Donna's emphysema and heart failure. So the couple rushed last December to enroll in Medicare Part D, the new federal prescription-drug plan.

Medicare ready to reel in erroneous refunds (Billings Gazette)
The government has asked 230,000 senior citizens who got $50 million in erroneous refunds of their Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to repay the money by Sept. 30. As many as 1,700 Montanans got the refunds, which were distributed earlier ...

Medicare Part D - NEJM Perspectives React To West Virginia's 'Personal Responsibility' Medicaid Plan;


NEJM Perspectives React To West Virginia's 'Personal Responsibility' Medicaid Plan; Issue Brief Examines Medicare Part D (Medical News Today)
Two perspective pieces from this week's New England Journal of Medicine examine West Virginia's new Medicaid program, which will allow 160,000 Medicaid beneficiaries -- many of whom are parents of children enrolled in the program -- to sign a "personal responsibility contract. [click link for full article]

Medicare ready to reel in erroneous refunds (Billings Gazette)
The government has asked 230,000 senior citizens who got $50 million in erroneous refunds of their Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to repay the money by Sept. 30. As many as 1,700 Montanans got the refunds, which were distributed earlier ...

Medicare wants money back from 2,000 Arizonans (Tucson Citizen)
More than 2,000 Medicare recipients in Arizona mistakenly got a drug plan "refund" from the federal government and the agency wants its money back. It mistakenly returned Part D monthly premiums to them because of a computer glitch.

Happy with Medicare prescription plan (The Meridian Star)
I wanted to share my experience with the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. I was automatically enrolled in a Part D plan and I ve been very happy with it. All of my prescriptions that weren t covered before Part D are covered now.

Open enrollment set for Blue Cross participation (Brewton Standard) Residents


Open enrollment set for Blue Cross participation (Brewton Standard)
Residents of Alabama who are currently uninsured have an opportunity to change that status. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is offering a special, limited-time open enrollment for Alabamians currently without health insurance coverage.

Blue Cross plans appeal over what it paid hospital (BizJournals)
JACKSONVILLE -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. plans to file an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court this month, hoping the court will overturn a decision in a case that pits insurance companies against health providers with millions of dollars at stake.

Blue Cross extends dependent coverage to age 29 (The Business Journal of Phoenix)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona has extended the age limit for coverage of unmarried dependent children on their parents' health insurance plans through age 29.

Red Cross closes shelter, sends 1,000 Glades residents out in stormy Ernesto (Sun-Sentinel)
Belle Glade A decision by the Red Cross to shut down emergency shelters early Wednesday forced more than 1,000 people to leave Lake Shore Middle School just as the center of Tropical Storm Ernesto blew in, generating hours of heavy downpours and gusty winds that often topped 25 mph.

Medicare RX: A National Conversation


Medicare RX: A National Conversation

Medicare Part D - NEJM Perspectives React To West Virginia's 'Personal Responsibility' Medicaid Plan;


NEJM Perspectives React To West Virginia's 'Personal Responsibility' Medicaid Plan; Issue Brief Examines Medicare Part D (Medical News Today)
Two perspective pieces from this week's New England Journal of Medicine examine West Virginia's new Medicaid program, which will allow 160,000 Medicaid beneficiaries -- many of whom are parents of children enrolled in the program -- to sign a "personal responsibility contract. [click link for full article]

Medicare D numbers in (The News & Advance)
About three out of four of those eligible for the Medicare D prescription program in Central Virginia have opted for the drug coverage.

Medicare Part D - Part D gets 'F' (The Cincinnati Enquirer) Medicare has a


Part D gets 'F' (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Medicare has a glitch-riddled prescription drug program, Part D. Many seniors say D stands for Dumb. In the latest development, 230,000 Americans got a message that boils down to this: The check's in the mail, but don't cash it.

PACE Plus Medicare Benefits Will Begin Sept. 1 (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
PACE Plus Medicare - the nation's most comprehensive prescription assistance package for older adults - will go into effect on Sept. 1, a change that should be seamless for most PACE/PACENET recipients who have enrolled, Secretary of Aging Nora Dowd Eisenhower said today.

Medicare D numbers in (The News & Advance)
About three out of four of those eligible for the Medicare D prescription program in Central Virginia have opted for the drug coverage.

Legislators mull Medicaid and Medicare cuts to area emergency services (Torrington Register Citizen)
By KARSTEN STRAUSS Register Citizen Staff WINSTED - Local officials met Tuesday to discuss ways to avoid impending Medicaid and Medicare cuts to local emergency care services.

August 30, 2006

Blue Cross plans appeal over what it paid hospital (BizJournals)


Blue Cross plans appeal over what it paid hospital (BizJournals)
JACKSONVILLE -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. plans to file an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court this month, hoping the court will overturn a decision in a case that pits insurance companies against health providers with millions of dollars at stake.

Blue Cross extends dependent coverage to age 29 (The Business Journal of Phoenix)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona has extended the age limit for coverage of unmarried dependent children on their parents' health insurance plans through age 29.

Cross Country: Lincoln tabbed second (Jefferson City News Tribune)
The Lincoln University women's cross country team was recently picked to finish second in the Heartland Conference preseason poll. Dallas Baptist was picked to finish first. Following Lincoln were Montana State-Billings, St. Mary's, Incarnate Word, St. Edward's and Oklahoma Panhandle.

Medicare Part D - Most ESRD Patients Will Fall Into The Medicare "Doughnut Hole"


Most ESRD Patients Will Fall Into The Medicare "Doughnut Hole" (Medical News Today)
Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are a high-risk group for increased medication costs related to a gap in coverage-the so-called "doughnut hole," or lack of prescription drug benefits between $2,251 and $5,100 in medication expenses-in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, suggests a study in the September Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. [click

4,600 can get help in Summit with drug costs (Akron Beacon Journal)
Thousands of Summit County senior and disabled residents could be missing out on getting their prescriptions for $5 or less. More than 4,600 Summit County residents are eligible for extra help getting new prescription drug coverage known as Medicare Part D, according to the Medicare Access Network of Ohio. The network provides information and assistance with the optional Medicare prescription

Medicare wants money back from 2,000 Arizonans (Tucson Citizen)
More than 2,000 Medicare recipients in Arizona mistakenly got a drug plan "refund" from the federal government and the agency wants its money back. It mistakenly returned Part D monthly premiums to them because of a computer glitch.

Medicare Part D - Medicare Outlines Refunds of Erroneous Payments (RedNova) By Jim Stafford,


Medicare Outlines Refunds of Erroneous Payments (RedNova)
By Jim Stafford, The Daily Oklahoman Aug. 30--Oklahomans who received an unexpected Medicare "bonus" refund of their premium payments for the agency's prescription drug plan are learning of a new plan to give it back.

Legislators mull Medicaid and Medicare cuts to area emergency services (Torrington Register Citizen)
By KARSTEN STRAUSS Register Citizen Staff WINSTED - Local officials met Tuesday to discuss ways to avoid impending Medicaid and Medicare cuts to local emergency care services.

Medicare wants money back from 2,000 Arizonans (Tucson Citizen)
More than 2,000 Medicare recipients in Arizona mistakenly got a drug plan "refund" from the federal government and the agency wants its money back. It mistakenly returned Part D monthly premiums to them because of a computer glitch.

Part D gets 'F' (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Medicare has a glitch-riddled prescription drug program, Part D. Many seniors say D stands for Dumb. In the latest development, 230,000 Americans got a message that boils down to this: The check's in the mail, but don't cash it.

Medicare Part D - NEJM Perspectives React To West Virginia's 'Personal Responsibility' Medicaid Plan;


NEJM Perspectives React To West Virginia's 'Personal Responsibility' Medicaid Plan; Issue Brief Examines Medicare Part D (Medical News Today)
Two perspective pieces from this week's New England Journal of Medicine examine West Virginia's new Medicaid program, which will allow 160,000 Medicaid beneficiaries -- many of whom are parents of children enrolled in the program -- to sign a "personal responsibility contract. [click link for full article]

Legislators mull Medicaid and Medicare cuts to area emergency services (Torrington Register Citizen)
By KARSTEN STRAUSS Register Citizen Staff WINSTED - Local officials met Tuesday to discuss ways to avoid impending Medicaid and Medicare cuts to local emergency care services.

Plan now to cover health-care costs (The Columbus Dispatch) A


Plan now to cover health-care costs (The Columbus Dispatch)
A couple retiring today at age 65 could need $295,000 in savings just to cover premiums for health insurance and outof-pocket medical expenses during retirement.

AARP: (Daytona Beach News-Journal)
55 Alive Mature Driving, Tax-Aid, Medigap programs and more. www.aarp.org ; (866) 595-7678. ACT Corp.: Intervention, education, treatment and rehabilitation services.

More Families Must Decide on Senior Care: Many Wait Until a Crisis Strikes (RedNova)
By Bob Moos, The Dallas Morning News Aug. 20--Teresa Thrash knew she had found the right assisted-living residence for her elderly mother when the staff member giving a guided tour greeted every resident by name. "I was impressed," she said. "The place felt like family." Ms.

Local Briefs (Norwich Bulletin)
PUTNAM -- A 14-year-old girl was in fair condition Sunday night after being hit by a car earlier in the day while riding her bicycle. Sarah Hanton of 15 Fremont St. was listed in fair condition Sunday night at UMass Memorial Health Center, where she was flown from Day Kimball Hospital.

Medicare drug benefit (Sun-Sentinel) Baltimore's XLHealth to operate in 6


Medicare drug benefit (Sun-Sentinel)
Baltimore's XLHealth to operate in 6 states XLHealth, a Baltimore company that this year launched a local Medicare HMO aimed at the chronically ill, plans to expand next year to five more states.

Rx Industry Draws Fire for Gifts to Doctors; AARP & Next Generation of Doctors Team Up to 'Shine the Light' on Rx (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
The fight over legislation "shining the light" on the billions of dollars drug companies spend on gifts to doctors heated up today as the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) joined forces with AARP to call on the State Senate to pass the bill.

Medicare Part D - Democrats cry foul over Medicare ad for Talent (Columbia Daily


Democrats cry foul over Medicare ad for Talent (Columbia Daily Tribune)
When U.S. Sen. Jim Talent kicked off his campaign for re-election in June, two Columbia residents gave him credit for helping pass Medicare legislation they said had lowered their prescription drug bills.

Trying to cope with Medicare Part D (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Medicare Part D is an ill-conceived plan that needs to be fixed. The only ones who will benefit from it are the insurance companies who sell it.

Seniors flock to private Medicare plans (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Hundreds of thousands of seniors are signing up for a type of privately run Medicare plan that delivers traditional benefits without the usual restrictions on access to doctors and hospitals.

August 29, 2006

Blue Cross plans appeal over what it paid hospital (BizJournals)


Blue Cross plans appeal over what it paid hospital (BizJournals)
JACKSONVILLE -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. plans to file an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court this month, hoping the court will overturn a decision in a case that pits insurance companies against health providers with millions of dollars at stake.

Red Cross slams Downer's hoax claim (News Interactive)
THE International Committee of the Red Cross has rebuked Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for relying on an unverified internet blog to claim an Israeli missile strike on one of its ambulances in southern Lebanon was a hoax.

Breathe easy: Blue Cross will foot the bill (Orlando Sentinel)
Dear Greg: My wife has sleep apnea and uses oxygen to sleep. The oxygen is supplied by a company named OxyLife Respiratory. Payment was never a problem until August 2005 when Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida stopped paying. The reason given to us and to OxyLife was that BCBS had just switched to a new computer system and was still working on it. The outstanding bill is $2,400. OxyLife has been

Medicare Part D - Part D gets 'F' (The Cincinnati Enquirer) Medicare has a


Part D gets 'F' (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Medicare has a glitch-riddled prescription drug program, Part D. Many seniors say D stands for Dumb. In the latest development, 230,000 Americans got a message that boils down to this: The check's in the mail, but don't cash it.

4,600 can get help in Summit with drug costs (Akron Beacon Journal)
Thousands of Summit County senior and disabled residents could be missing out on getting their prescriptions for $5 or less. More than 4,600 Summit County residents are eligible for extra help getting new prescription drug coverage known as Medicare Part D, according to the Medicare Access Network of Ohio. The network provides information and assistance with the optional Medicare prescription

Democrats cry foul over Medicare ad for Talent (Columbia Daily Tribune)
When U.S. Sen. Jim Talent kicked off his campaign for re-election in June, two Columbia residents gave him credit for helping pass Medicare legislation they said had lowered their prescription drug bills.

Medicare Part D - Humana's Medicare Education RV Tour Returns to America's Highways; Eight


Humana's Medicare Education RV Tour Returns to America's Highways; Eight Recreational Vehicles to Travel Cross-Country (RedNova)
For the second consecutive year, Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) is launching a nationwide mobile educational campaign designed to assist Medicare beneficiaries learn about new Medicare and prescription drug coverage options available to them in 2007. With the theme, "There's so much more to Medicare.

4,600 can get help in Summit with drug costs (Akron Beacon Journal)
Thousands of Summit County senior and disabled residents could be missing out on getting their prescriptions for $5 or less. More than 4,600 Summit County residents are eligible for extra help getting new prescription drug coverage known as Medicare Part D, according to the Medicare Access Network of Ohio. The network provides information and assistance with the optional Medicare prescription

Asian bird flu ruled out in Mich. swan (AP via


Asian bird flu ruled out in Mich. swan (AP via Yahoo! News)
Bird flu found in a wild swan in Michigan was not the deadly Asian strain that has ravaged poultry and killed at least 141 people worldwide, the Agriculture Department said Monday.

Amid Planning, Officials Say Education Best Weapon on Bird Flu (WIBW-TV Topeka)
But state and local officials said during a briefing in Olathe that public education will be their best weapon if bird flu strikes Kansas. Those officials are waiting for the next severe flu strain to emerge to cause widespread misery.

Why You Can't Depend on Group Life Insurance (Wellsville Daily


Why You Can't Depend on Group Life Insurance (Wellsville Daily Reporter)
(ARA) - If you have a full time job, you may also be fortunate enough to have a free term life insurance policy through your employer. For most people, it's the equivalent of a year's salary. If you're lucky, it might even be as high as three times your annual salary.

Simplify Your Life ... Insurance Online (Southwest Daily News)
(ARA) - Purchasing life insurance online is one of the easiest decisions you'll ever make when it comes to protecting your family's financial future.

A National Conversation - Friends and Family First Toolkit


A National Conversation - Friends and Family First Toolkit

Medicare Part D - Trying to cope with Medicare Part D (The Cincinnati Enquirer)


Trying to cope with Medicare Part D (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Medicare Part D is an ill-conceived plan that needs to be fixed. The only ones who will benefit from it are the insurance companies who sell it.

Medicare glitch affects seniors; Mixup puts extra money in checks (Delaware State News)
DOVER - More than 550 Delawareans with prescription coverage from Medicare might have mistakenly received a little extra money and some confusing information in the mail recently.

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