Latest Medicare Update January 31, 2007 at 07:50 PM

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January 31, 2007

Medicare Part D - Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged by Increased Medicare Part D


Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged by Increased Medicare Part D Enrollment Numbers (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
The Medicare Rx Education Network applauded the new Medicare Part D enrollment numbers released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that showed even more of America's seniors have chosen to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug program, and that the second enrollment period has gone smoothly. This is a definitive indicator that the Medicare benefit is working ...

Pearce staffers explain ins and outs of Medicare drug coverage to area seniors (The Deming Headlight)
Medicare Part D and the young prescription drug program were the topics of a forum late last week that nearly 20 senior citizens attended, as they listened to staff from U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce's Washington and Las Cruces offices.

All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Should Be Required To Cover Heart Medication BiDil For Black Beneficiaries, ... (Medical News Today)
NAACP's New England council President Juan Cofield sent a "sharply worded letter" to the Boston regional office of CMS stating that NitroMed's heart failure drug BiDil, the only drug approved by FDA for use in a single race, should be required to be covered under all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, the Wall Street Journal reports. [click link for full article]

Medicare Part D - Pearce staffers explain ins and outs of Medicare drug coverage


Pearce staffers explain ins and outs of Medicare drug coverage to area seniors (The Deming Headlight)
Medicare Part D and the young prescription drug program were the topics of a forum late last week that nearly 20 senior citizens attended, as they listened to staff from U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce's Washington and Las Cruces offices.

Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged By Increased Medicare Part D Enrollment Numbers (Medical News Today)
The Medicare Rx Education Network applauded the new Medicare Part D enrollment numbers released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that showed even more of America's seniors have chosen to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug program, and that the second enrollment period has gone smoothly. [click link for full article]

Access to Benefits Coalition/NCOA Say Collective Action Needed to Find and Enroll Remaining Beneficiaries in Medicare ... (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
According to a report issued today at a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on whether Medicare Part D is working for people with limited income and resources, between 3.4 and 4.4 million Medicare beneficiaries remain eligible for the low-income subsidy (or Extra Help) through the Medicare's Prescription Drug program, but still have not signed up.

Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged by Increased Medicare Part D Enrollment Numbers (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
The Medicare Rx Education Network applauded the new Medicare Part D enrollment numbers released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that showed even more of America's seniors have chosen to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug program, and that the second enrollment period has gone smoothly. This is a definitive indicator that the Medicare benefit is working ...

Medicare Part D - Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged By Increased Medicare Part D


Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged By Increased Medicare Part D Enrollment Numbers (Medical News Today)
The Medicare Rx Education Network applauded the new Medicare Part D enrollment numbers released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that showed even more of America's seniors have chosen to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug program, and that the second enrollment period has gone smoothly. [click link for full article]

Fewer seniors and disabled people lack Medicare drug insurance (Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune)
MEDICARE PART D, NEW FIGURES RELEASED The number of older and disabled Minnesotans without drug insurance dropped by about 21,700 people to 142,444, a 13 percent decline in a year, Medicare officials said Tuesday. Nationally, about 34.2 million Americans on Medicare now have drug coverage under the Medicare Part D benefit, or equivalent plans offered by the military or former employers, said ...

No Medicare Part D late fees for low-income enrollees, CMS says (Baltimore Times)
BALTIMORE - CMS Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk announced the elimination of the 2007 late enrollment penalty for any beneficiary eligible for the low income subsidy for a Part D plan even if they failed to sign up by the program's initial deadline.

All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Should Be Required To Cover Heart Medication BiDil For Black Beneficiaries, ... (Medical News Today)
NAACP's New England council President Juan Cofield sent a "sharply worded letter" to the Boston regional office of CMS stating that NitroMed's heart failure drug BiDil, the only drug approved by FDA for use in a single race, should be required to be covered under all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, the Wall Street Journal reports. [click link for full article]

Providence Alaska Medical Center Named Blue Distinction Center(SM) for Cardiac


Providence Alaska Medical Center Named Blue Distinction Center(SM) for Cardiac Care (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska----In recognition of its adherence to national quality standards, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska has named Providence Alaska Medical Center a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Announces New Patient Safety Initiatives and Electronic Prescribing Collaborative (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is implementing a series of initiatives aimed at improving patient safety, reducing cost and assisting physicians as they navigate new medical technologies.

Blue Cross provides boost to docs who use technology (Business Journal of Tampa Bay)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. said it would provide financial incentives to providers who adopt health information technologies such as e-prescribing and electronic medical records.

Medicare Part D - Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged by Increased Medicare Part D


Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged by Increased Medicare Part D Enrollment Numbers (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
The Medicare Rx Education Network applauded the new Medicare Part D enrollment numbers released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that showed even more of America's seniors have chosen to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug program, and that the second enrollment period has gone smoothly. This is a definitive indicator that the Medicare benefit is working ...

Fewer seniors and disabled people lack Medicare drug insurance (Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune)
MEDICARE PART D, NEW FIGURES RELEASED The number of older and disabled Minnesotans without drug insurance dropped by about 21,700 people to 142,444, a 13 percent decline in a year, Medicare officials said Tuesday. Nationally, about 34.2 million Americans on Medicare now have drug coverage under the Medicare Part D benefit, or equivalent plans offered by the military or former employers, said ...

Medicare Rx Education Network Encouraged By Increased Medicare Part D Enrollment Numbers (Medical News Today)
The Medicare Rx Education Network applauded the new Medicare Part D enrollment numbers released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that showed even more of America's seniors have chosen to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug program, and that the second enrollment period has gone smoothly. [click link for full article]

Porter drops United Healthcare (The Times of Northwest Indiana) VALPARAISO


Porter drops United Healthcare (The Times of Northwest Indiana)
VALPARAISO | Nycole West fears she will have to give up the doctors that delivered her three children and cared for them for their entire lives.

Fall Into the Medigap (The Motley Fool)
Medicare supplemental insurance may give you the additional protection you need.

Brian Gralnick: Fattening Medicare (HuffingtonPost) A key part of Speaker


Brian Gralnick: Fattening Medicare (HuffingtonPost)
A key part of Speaker Pelosi's 100-hour agenda, Medicare Part D, didn't even begin to address the problems with this program. To start with, this so called prescription drug "benefit" is not much a benefit at all. It's actually catastrophic insurance. For example, my Grandma Jean spends nearly $4,000 before her Part D plan really kicks in. The entitlement includes a doughnut-hole (coverage ...

Statement by Lois Aronstein, State Director, AARP New York: Governor's 'Patients First' Health Care Reform Promising ... (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
Following is a statement by Lois Aronstein, state director, AARP New York, titled "Governor's 'Patients First' Health Care Reform Promising for Older New Yorkers":

[today] COMMUNITY CALENDAR (The Advocate)
AARP Tax Preparation: Free tax services to low- and/or moderate-income persons with an emphasis on those 55 and older. The United Way, 621 W. Broad St., Pataskala. (740) 927-1302.

January 30, 2007

Medicare Part D - Brian Gralnick: Fattening Medicare (HuffingtonPost) A key part of Speaker


Brian Gralnick: Fattening Medicare (HuffingtonPost)
A key part of Speaker Pelosi's 100-hour agenda, Medicare Part D, didn't even begin to address the problems with this program. To start with, this so called prescription drug "benefit" is not much a benefit at all. It's actually catastrophic insurance. For example, my Grandma Jean spends nearly $4,000 before her Part D plan really kicks in. The entitlement includes a doughnut-hole (coverage ...

All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Should Be Required To Cover Heart Medication BiDil For Black Beneficiaries, ... (Medical News Today)
NAACP's New England council President Juan Cofield sent a "sharply worded letter" to the Boston regional office of CMS stating that NitroMed's heart failure drug BiDil, the only drug approved by FDA for use in a single race, should be required to be covered under all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, the Wall Street Journal reports. [click link for full article]

Medicare Part D - Avoid Part D $299 Scam: Upfront Medicare Payment is Wrong


Avoid Part D $299 Scam: Upfront Medicare Payment is Wrong (RedNova)
Figuring out the Medicare Part D plan is tough enough. But then the scam artists pick up the phone and stir up more trouble. Seniors and people with disabilities must be on high alert for scammers who are calling and requiring a $299 upfront payment to sign up for a prescription drug plan.

Over 2 million enrolled in Medicare drug plan (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Nearly 24 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said on Tuesday.

Preventive Services Start Now!


Preventive Services Start Now!

Medicare Part D - WellCare Agents' Tactics Queried (The Tampa Tribune) TAMPA - Medicare


WellCare Agents' Tactics Queried (The Tampa Tribune)
TAMPA - Medicare officials say they're looking into complaints about questionable sales tactics by independent brokers that were performed by independent brokers for several national health plans, including Tampa-based WellCare Health Plans.

All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Should Be Required To Cover Heart Medication BiDil For Black Beneficiaries, ... (Medical News Today)
NAACP's New England council President Juan Cofield sent a "sharply worded letter" to the Boston regional office of CMS stating that NitroMed's heart failure drug BiDil, the only drug approved by FDA for use in a single race, should be required to be covered under all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, the Wall Street Journal reports. [click link for full article]

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Announces New Patient


Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Announces New Patient Safety Initiatives and Electronic Prescribing Collaborative (SYS-CON Media)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) is implementing a series of initiatives aimed at improving patient safety, reducing cost and assisting physicians as they navigate new medical technologies. As a part of its Recognizing Physician Excellence program, BCBSF is providing financial incentives to providers who adopt health information technologies such as electronic medical records and ...

Blue Cross provides boost to docs who use technology (Business Journal of Tampa Bay)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. said it would provide financial incentives to providers who adopt health information technologies such as e-prescribing and electronic medical records.

Diversinet Signs Licensing Agreement With Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (CCNMatthews via Yahoo! Finance)
TORONTO, ONTARIO-- -

Medicare Part D - All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Should Be Required To Cover


All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Should Be Required To Cover Heart Medication BiDil For Black Beneficiaries, ... (Medical News Today)
NAACP's New England council President Juan Cofield sent a "sharply worded letter" to the Boston regional office of CMS stating that NitroMed's heart failure drug BiDil, the only drug approved by FDA for use in a single race, should be required to be covered under all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, the Wall Street Journal reports. [click link for full article]

WellCare Agents' Tactics Queried (The Tampa Tribune)
TAMPA - Medicare officials say they're looking into complaints about questionable sales tactics by independent brokers that were performed by independent brokers for several national health plans, including Tampa-based WellCare Health Plans.

January 29, 2007

Medicare Part D - Avoid Part D $299 Scam: Upfront Medicare Payment is Wrong


Avoid Part D $299 Scam: Upfront Medicare Payment is Wrong (RedNova)
Figuring out the Medicare Part D plan is tough enough. But then the scam artists pick up the phone and stir up more trouble. Seniors and people with disabilities must be on high alert for scammers who are calling and requiring a $299 upfront payment to sign up for a prescription drug plan.

No Medicare Part D late fees for low-income enrollees, CMS says (Baltimore Times)
BALTIMORE - CMS Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk announced the elimination of the 2007 late enrollment penalty for any beneficiary eligible for the low income subsidy for a Part D plan even if they failed to sign up by the program's initial deadline.

Pearce staffers explain ins and outs of Medicare drug coverage to area seniors (The Deming Headlight)
Medicare Part D and the young prescription drug program were the topics of a forum late last week that nearly 20 senior citizens attended, as they listened to staff from U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce's Washington and Las Cruces offices.

Medicare Part D - PCMA: Part D Plans Projected to Save Seniors, Medicare Program


PCMA: Part D Plans Projected to Save Seniors, Medicare Program $469 Billion over Ten Years (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs) achieved higher-than-expected savings of 29 percent during 2006 and are on track to save Medicare and its beneficiaries $469 billion over the 2006-2015 period if current performance is maintained, according to a new analysis from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released today by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). To build on the success of ...

No Medicare Part D late fees for low-income enrollees, CMS says (Baltimore Times)
BALTIMORE - CMS Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk announced the elimination of the 2007 late enrollment penalty for any beneficiary eligible for the low income subsidy for a Part D plan even if they failed to sign up by the program's initial deadline.

Pearce staffers explain ins and outs of Medicare drug coverage to area seniors (The Deming Headlight)
Medicare Part D and the young prescription drug program were the topics of a forum late last week that nearly 20 senior citizens attended, as they listened to staff from U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce's Washington and Las Cruces offices.

Taiwan eyes mass production of bird flu vaccines in 2008


Taiwan eyes mass production of bird flu vaccines in 2008 (AFP via Yahoo! News)
A Taiwanese research team said it had produced a bird flu vaccine that had passed initial animal tests.

Bird Flu Confirmed in Hungary; Virus Spreads in Japan (Update1) (Bloomberg.com)
Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Geese in Hungary tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, marking the first confirmed infection in the European Union since August. Japan found a third outbreak of avian influenza on a poultry farm.

Japan confirms third bird flu case this month (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Japanese authorities confirmed a third outbreak of bird flu this month, amid growing fears the avian influenza could spread further.

SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company Honors the Environmental Efforts


SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company Honors the Environmental Efforts of Earth Day Network (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. presented its 2007 Community Service Award to Earth Day Network to show support for the group's mission to broaden the environmental movement year round and create positive change in local, national, and global policies.

Why Now is a Good Time to Consider Life Insurance (Bastrop Daily Enterprise)
(ARA) - Life insurance isn't a topic that is usually brought up at dinner time. No one likes to think about their death or the death of a family member. And no one thinks it could happen to them, but the reality is it could!

Fitch Affirms OM Financial Life Insurance Company's IFS at 'A-'; Outlook Stable (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
NEW YORK----Fitch has affirmed the 'A-' insurer financial strength rating of OM Financial Life Insurance Company and assigned 'A-' IFS ratings to its wholly-owned subsidiary OM Financial Life Insurance Company of New York and its U.S. affiliate Americom Life & Annuity Insurance Company.

Blue Cross to offer cell phone access (The Daily Review)


Blue Cross to offer cell phone access (The Daily Review)
Forget sports scores and stock prices.

Blue Cross creates UF endowment (The Florida Times-Union)
Jacksonville-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has established a $3.5 million endowment at the University of Florida to open a center aimed at improving the health of Floridians.

Blue Jackets outlast Wild 3-2 (AP via Yahoo! News)
The Columbus Blue Jackets will have to continue to work through adversity if they want to get in the playoff race.

UF, Blue Cross partnership creates health care center (BizJournals)
GAINESVILLE -- The University of Florida and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. have joined forces in an effort to address health care issues in the state.

Medicare Part D - No Medicare Part D late fees for low-income enrollees, CMS


No Medicare Part D late fees for low-income enrollees, CMS says (Baltimore Times)
BALTIMORE - CMS Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk announced the elimination of the 2007 late enrollment penalty for any beneficiary eligible for the low income subsidy for a Part D plan even if they failed to sign up by the program's initial deadline.

Avoid Part D $299 Scam: Upfront Medicare Payment is Wrong (RedNova)
Figuring out the Medicare Part D plan is tough enough. But then the scam artists pick up the phone and stir up more trouble. Seniors and people with disabilities must be on high alert for scammers who are calling and requiring a $299 upfront payment to sign up for a prescription drug plan.

Medicare plan changes still confusing (The Monterey County Herald)
Sandra and Robert Torres of Citrus Heights say they take about 20 different medications between them for a variety of ailments. They got a shock when they went to get prescriptions refilled early this month.

Medicare Part D - PBMs: Part D Will Save $469B Over Decade (RedNova) U.S.


PBMs: Part D Will Save $469B Over Decade (RedNova)
U.S. Medicare Part D prescription drug plans will save seniors $469 billion in drug costs over the next decade, an industry group said Tuesday.

Pearce staffers explain ins and outs of Medicare drug coverage to area seniors (The Deming Headlight)
Medicare Part D and the young prescription drug program were the topics of a forum late last week that nearly 20 senior citizens attended, as they listened to staff from U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce's Washington and Las Cruces offices.

PCMA: Part D Plans Projected to Save Seniors, Medicare Program $469 Billion over Ten Years (U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News)
Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs) achieved higher-than-expected savings of 29 percent during 2006 and are on track to save Medicare and its beneficiaries $469 billion over the 2006-2015 period if current performance is maintained, according to a new analysis from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released today by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). To build on the success of ...

Medicare limits sex drug coverage (Detroit Free Press)
American men will no longer receive Medicare coverage for Viagra and two other erectile dysfunction drugs when taken to improve sexual performance. The changes, which took effect Jan. 1, are likely to produce millions in annual savings for Medicare prescription drug plans.

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