Financial Issues: Health Insurance & Long-Term Care Insurance

In a report issued December 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) said that the ongoing repairs to the HealthCare.gov website met the Administration's goals, and the site is now working properly for the vast majority of people w...

The Palm Beach County Medical Society has announced that it will hold a seminar on "Understanding the Affordable Care Act" which will "explore new options the Health Insurance Marketplace will give physicians and your patients." The Seminar will b...

The Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS) has announced that, through its "Project Access," it will host Free Events on November 1 and 2 to help residents of Palm Beach County, Florida find health insurance programs for which they may qualify. T...

The Palm Beach County, Florida State Legislative Delegation has announced that it will hold a public meeting on July 15, 2013, to hear comments from the public on the topic of Healthcare/ Medicaid Expansion under the new federal Health Care Law. ...

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced on June 24 that open enrollment for the new federally-run health insurance exchange (called the "Health Insurance Marketplace") being implemented under the Health Care Law, will begin O...

Two new Harvard studies published May 6 in the journal HealthAffairs have examined the causes of a dramatic slowdown in the growth of health care spending that the U.S. has experienced in recent years. They have concluded that the spending slowdown...

In a new report issued on Friday, the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund reported the results of its 2012 biennial survey on the number of U.S. adults who lacked health insurance or were underinsured. The total number of uninsured adults over age 19 incr...

In an editorial published by the Huffington Post on January 24, 2013, John Geyman, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, makes a case that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) only goes part of the way...

The Social Security Administration (SSA) on December 6 issued a press release, announcing that it has added 35 medical conditions to its list of "Compassionate Allowances" - a list of serious diseases and medical conditions for which one is entitled to...

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced proposed new rules implementing three key areas of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (which some call "Obamacare"). The proposed rules were officially published in the Feder...

The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) announced today that Social Security benefits will increase by 1.7% in 2013, as a result of a cost-of-living adjustment. The 1.7% increase will benefit nearly 62 million Americans receiving Social Securi...

So far, much of the punditry and commentary following the first U.S. Presidential Debate, which took place Wednesday, October 3 in Denver, has focused on the style, optics, and mannerisms of the candidates -- not on the substance of what they said. ...

On the occasion of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins September 15, Secretary of Health & Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius issued a Statement, reaffirming the commitment of HHS and the Obama Administration to reducing the disparities in health care...

President Obama's health care law – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – has saved Americans an estimated $2.1 Billion on health insurance premiums, according to a new report released September 11, 2012 by the U.S. Department of Health ...

"If you served in the active military, naval, or air service and were honorably discharged or released, you may qualify for VA health care benefits, including hospital services," according to an e-mail announcement issued August 30 from USA.gov, the of...

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a new tool to help you find out how the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (President Obama's signature Health Care Law - which some call "Obamacare") is benefiting people in your s...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a press release yesterday announcing that because of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (President Obama's signature health care law), nearly 5.4 million seniors and people with disa...

Family caregivers -- the vast majority of whom are women -- may be surprised at the positions Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's choice for his running mate, has consistently taken on women's health and reproductive rights issues. Recent news repo...

By selecting Paul Ryan as his running mate, former Governor and Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney has taken action that backs up and gives teeth to his previous endorsements of the Ryan Budget Plan and his promise to sign it into law if he were electe...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that it has formed partnerships with several pharmacies to help inform and educate seniors and others on Medicare about the several new benefits that are made available to them by t...

A recent study published in the journal HealthAffairs found that people on Medicare were substantially happier with their coverage and reported significantly fewer cost and access-related problems than those with private employer-sponsored health insur...

In a news release issued August 6, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that the basic premiums for Medicare prescription drug plans are projected to remain constant in 2013, at an average of $30 per month. This will be the t...

Starting August 1, 2012, the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, President Obama's signature Health Care Law, requires all insurance companies to offer free coverage for an additional eight preventive health care services for women. The ...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a news release announcing that, because of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act ("Affordable Care Act"), President Obama's signature Health Care Law, seniors and people with ...

The Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS) has announced that, through its "Project Access," it will host Free Events on November 1 and 2 to help residents of Palm Beach County, Florida find health insurance programs for which they may qualify. T...

The Palm Beach County, Florida State Legislative Delegation has announced that it will hold a public meeting on July 15, 2013, to hear comments from the public on the topic of Healthcare/ Medicaid Expansion under the new federal Health Care Law. ...

Two new Harvard studies published May 6 in the journal HealthAffairs have examined the causes of a dramatic slowdown in the growth of health care spending that the U.S. has experienced in recent years. They have concluded that the spending slowdown...

In an editorial published by the Huffington Post on January 24, 2013, John Geyman, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, makes a case that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) only goes part of the way...

The Social Security Administration (SSA) on December 6 issued a press release, announcing that it has added 35 medical conditions to its list of "Compassionate Allowances" - a list of serious diseases and medical conditions for which one is entitled to...

In observance of Veterans Day, Secretary of Health & Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, issued a Statement on Friday, in which she said, "This Veterans Day, we honor all those who have served in our nation’s armed forces and are grateful for their se...

November has been designated as Long-Term Care Awareness Month. As part of this observance, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued a release yesterday, containing useful information on long-term care for seniors and their family caregiv...

So far, much of the punditry and commentary following the first U.S. Presidential Debate, which took place Wednesday, October 3 in Denver, has focused on the style, optics, and mannerisms of the candidates -- not on the substance of what they said. ...

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Thursday awards of funding to seven organizations selected to partner with CMS and 145 nursing homes in seven different states in a new pilot program aimed at improving quality of car...

Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius announced that $12.5 million in awards funded by the Affordable Care Act and the Older Americans Act will be made to local Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) to help older Americ...

President Obama's health care law – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – has saved Americans an estimated $2.1 Billion on health insurance premiums, according to a new report released September 11, 2012 by the U.S. Department of Health ...

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a new tool to help you find out how the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (President Obama's signature Health Care Law - which some call "Obamacare") is benefiting people in your s...

Here is a wake-up call: Medicare may cover costs of a needed rehabilitative or skilled nursing care facility after a hospitalization of at least three nights -- but only to a limited extent. As explained by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...

Professor Lawrence Lessig of Harvard Law School has written a seminal new book entitled, Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress--and a Plan to Stop It, recently published by Hachette Book Group. In it he argues that the root of most of our percei...

What can you do as a Baby Boomer and family caregiver to secure your retirement future against the threat of rising health care and long-term care costs? Here are some links to information that may be helpful to you on long-term care planning, re...

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced on Friday that they have launched new online tools for patients and caregivers to "empower consumers to make informed choices about their health care," as well as other initiatives to i...

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued the following Press Release today: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2011 ...

A study by the Commonwealth Fund ranked the 50 U.S. States as to the quality of their health care in 2009. [See Image At Left] Recently, U.S. States have signaled increasingly divergent approaches to health care, moving in opposite directions in th...

The new health care law established a new voluntary national insurance program that will provide cash benefits to participants who have a qualifying disability that limits their day-to-day living and who meet the other eligibility criteria. This new...

When a Safety Net Is Yanked Away, By Ron Lieber, New York Times, November 12, 2010 "November is long-term care awareness month, and to celebrate, MetLife, a big player in the long-term care insurance industry announced on Thursday that it wanted to ...

MetLife Inc., the largest U.S. life insurer, cites “financial challenges” in halting long-term insurance. Over the past five years the cost of assisted living and the price for a private room in a nursing home rose higher than predictions. Se...

From Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Excellent information provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on: What is long-term care insurance? Coverage and Benefit Choices; Long-Term Ca...

Women & Aging Newsletter, National Program on Women & Aging, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. Although from September 1997, this newsletter provides a good introduction to the topic of long-term care insu...

By Alfred C. Clapp Jr., October 5, 2008, Investment News. Makes the case why having long-term care insurance that covers private care will become even more crucial for today’s Baby Boomers, as they age. In 10 years, the number of people over age...