Tag: medicare
Congress passes Warner measures to improve care for Medicare patients
Today, a package of bipartisan healthcare provisions introduced by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, were included in a funding bill passed by Congress and signed by the President.
Bernie Sanders details Medicare-for-all plan
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday detailed a Medicare-for-all plan to provide better health care for all Americans at less cost.
Sanders digs at Clinton on healthcare: Flip-flop?
Hillary Clinton is going after Bernie Sanders now that the upstart has emerged as the leader in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Presentation on Medicare Part D in Highland County
Amy Adkins Taylor, VICAP Program Coordinator with the Valley Program for Aging Services, spoke to 33 people at the community luncheon held at the Highland Inn in Monterey about Medicare and Part D on Wednesday.
Questions about Medicare?
The Medicare Open Enrollment period is Oct. 15-Dec. 7. If you have questions about which Part D drug plans or Medicare Advantage plans will be available in our local area for 2016, how to compare their costs and benefits, and would like assistance with enrollment, Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) is here to help.
Hillary Clinton: Congress must act to prevent Medicare premium increase
On the first day of Medicare open enrollment, it became clear that due to a quirk in federal law, millions of Medicare beneficiaries could see their premiums increase by about 50 percent next year. Even more, including many vulnerable retirees, could see their deductibles increase by about 50 percent as well.
Free Medicare Open Enrollment program at Staunton Senior Center
Find out about Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans for 2016 by attending a free Medicare Open Enrollment program presented by Amy Adkins, Insurance Counselor with the Virginia Counseling & Assistance Program on Thursday, October 15 at 10:30 a.m. at Staunton Senior Center.
Tim Kaine urges states to expand Medicaid
Ahead of the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, Sherrod Brown and 29 of their Senate colleagues are urging the 19 states that have not yet decided to expand Medicaid to do so in order to give more than four million additional Americans access to affordable, comprehensive health care.
Sen. Mark Warner applauds committee passage of bipartisan health bills to protect seniors
Today, the Senate Finance Committee voted to approve two bipartisan health care proposals supported by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) aimed at improving the quality of care for seniors on Medicare.
Robert Hurt votes for Medicare bill
Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after voting in favor of the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act, H.R. 1190, which would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) established by the President’s healthcare law.
Senate Republicans kill Virginia Medicare supplemental insurance bill
Senate Republicans killed Senator John S. Edwards’ (D-Roanoke) bill to provide Medicare supplemental insurance coverage to 112,000 Virginians with disabilities under the age of 65.
DARS offers tips for Virginians on Medicare Open Enrollment period
It’s time for Medicare beneficiaries to think about their health care needs and choose the best plan for them.
Medicare Part B and prescription drug premiums for Virginians are $20.4 million lower than predicted for 2015
Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell announced today that next year’s standard Medicare Part B monthly premium and deductible will remain the same as the last two years.
It’s time for Medicare Open Enrollment
Get answers to your questions during Medicare’s annual Open Enrollment period Oct. 15-Dec. 7 at the Staunton Senior Center.
Medicare Open Enrollment Insurance Counseling
You’ve heard about Medicare’s Annual Election Period — sometimes it’s called “the open season” or “open enrollment.” Here are responses to Frequently Asked Questions about a free program that can provide guidance.
Medicare and the Health Insurance Marketplace
There has been a lot in the news about the Health Insurance Marketplace, which will begin enrolling individuals in health insurance plans beginning October 1. For those who are already Medicare beneficiaries, several questions arise. This is important information for everyone who is currently receiving their health insurance through Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage Plans.
Possible Medicare Scam Calls in Staunton
A VICAP client in Staunton called the main Valley Program for Aging Services office this morning to express concerns over multiple phone calls she has been receiving from a Florida number
Virginia approved to begin offering coordinated healthcare for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees
Gov. Bob McDonnell today announced that Virginia has been approved to implement a new healthcare initiative, the Medicare-Medicaid Enrollee (dual eligible) Financial Alignment Demonstration, aimed at coordinating care for more than 78,000 Virginians currently enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.
Medicare scammers targeting Virginians
Virginians are warned to protect their personal identity information following a spate of bogus calls to Medicare beneficiaries across the commonwealth in which callers threaten to terminate coverage or cut off Social Security checks if recipients refuse to provide requested information.
Medicare Fraud Reported
Virginia residents have begun receiving fraudulent calls involving Medicare cards. The State VICAP office at DARS has received at least 10 calls since January 3 from Medicare beneficiaries regarding calls asking them to verify their personal information in order to receive their new Medicare card. Specifically, the callers are asking beneficiaries to verify their bank account and social security numbers as well as their address.
Rev. Jennifer Butler and Gordon Whitman: The moral case for preserving the safety net
As cracks form among CEOs and Republican Members of Congress over their hardline anti-tax position in the fiscal showdown, religious leaders from across the ideological spectrum have been united in supporting new revenue over additional spending cuts. And they’re speaking for their people. A strong majority of religious Americans favor letting the Bush tax cuts for the richest two percent of Americans expire. Even reliably conservative groups, such as white evangelical Protestants, are evenly divided on the issue.
Virginia Organizing: Why ignore over 400K Virginians?
Gov. Bob McDonnell presented his 2012-2014 biennium budget amendments to the Virginia General Assembly on Monday. One of the amendments the governor has proposed is removing the federal funding for Medicaid expansion that was previously included in the 2012-2014 budget passed by the General Assembly last year.
Kaine ad targets senior vote
A new TV ad from the Tim Kaine Senate campaign aims to reaffirm the Democratic Party nominee’s commitment to strengthening programs that ensure a healthy and secure retirement for Virginia seniors, including Social Security and Medicare.
Tom Perriello: Permanent Medicare reimbursement fix
Last week, Congress took an important step to make sure that our senior citizens can continue to see their doctors for care by protecting the reimbursement rates for doctors who participate in the Medicare system. The House passed bipartisan legislation that blocks the 25 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors that could have gone […]
Ken Plum: Virginia’s Forgotten
Column by Ken Plum www.kenplum.com We had a wind-up Victrola at home when I was growing up. It was a handed-down piece of furniture rather than a serious music-making machine. A few cranks on the handle on the side, lift the arm and put the needle in the beginning track on the 78 rpm […]
Augusta Health earns top grades
Story by Chris Graham freepress2@ntelos.net Call Augusta Health the “little hospital that could.” Call it that because it’s one of 74 hospitals nationwide to win top awards for patient safety and clinical excellence from HealthGrades from among the more than 5,000 hospitals in the United States reviewed by the Golden, Colo.,-based organization.
Warner leads health-care cost-saving effort in Senate
Staff Report www.warner.senate.gov A group of 11 freshman U.S. senators organized by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., are introducing today a package of amendments that will broaden and accelerate efforts to encourage innovation and lower costs for consumers across the U.S. health-care system. “The health-reform legislation now being considered by the Senate makes big strides […]
A simple solution on health-care reform
Column by Robert Dean Banta With all the details and sideline deal-making of the current health-care reform efforts it seems the answer of how to pay for health care must be much simpler than the tangled spaghetti Congress now twirls their forks around. In imagining what I want out of health-care reform I have come […]
Fifth District Report
Column by Tom Perriello Medicare is a critical part of our promise to our seniors and it must be protected. I want to clear up some misinformation about recent changes to Medicare and explain some recent victories for Virginia’s seniors that I have been working for in Congress relating to health-insurance and prescription-drug coverage. Recent […]
Another look at the Medicare Fair Drug Pricing Act
Column by Ken Johnson A recent op-ed in your paper (“Medicare Fair Drug Pricing Act,” Nov. 18 AFP) ignores the fact that America’s seniors are receiving unprecedented access to needed medicines at affordable costs through the Medicare prescription drug program. Medicare Part D has been a proven success for both seniors and taxpayers. Here are […]
