Costs

En español | Today, AARP endorsed new legislation that would hold drug companies more accountable for their pricing decisions. Thank you to Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) for introducing the bipartisan FAIR Drug Pricing Act of 2016 calling on drug companies to be more transparent in how they price their products.

Celebrating Black History Month is a tremendous opportunity to acknowledge our past achievements, address present challenges and dream about future possibilities. The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspires us to dream about a future that affords us to live in comfort and prosperity. He encourages us to build a legacy of hope and freedom that can be realized in every aspect of our lives. It is in that spirit that we encourage you to evaluate your dream of financial security.

AARP encourages Americans to review their health insurance options during the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period that started Sunday. Open enrollment (from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31) is an important opportunity for consumers to find a plan that could save them more money, offer better services, or include more of their doctors.

It’s that time of year again: Medicare Open Enrollment. Open enrollment is the one time of year when you can re-evaluate your Medicare health and prescription drug plans and switch to ones that offer better coverage or save you money. By now you should have received your Annual Notice of Change packet of information in the mail. It’s very important to take the time to sit down and review this information to see if you want to make any changes for the upcoming year.

Heads-up, workers. Open enrollment season is just around the corner. That’s when you’ll make your selections for the benefits you’ll receive next year.

The economic value of the nation’s  family caregivers’ unpaid work is an estimated $470 billion a year — an amount about equal to the annual sales of Wal-Mart, the world’s largest company.

One of the most frequent questions I get from clients is whether to buy long-term care insurance. With the average cost of a private room in care facilities topping $94,000 a year, according to a 2013 study by insurer  John Hancock, it’s a reasonable concern. Many of us will need some form of long-term care (LTC), so the question of whether to buy insurance to help with the associated costs is a real one.

Escalating drug prices have been making the news in recent months. In particular, the exorbitant price tags of two brand-name drugs used to treat Hepatitis C — Solvaldi and Harvoni — have ignited intense controversy. I talked with Leigh Purvis, director of health services research, AARP Public Policy Institute, and coauthor of AARP’s Rx Price Watch Report: Trends in Retail Prices of Brand Name Prescription Drugs Widely Used by Older Americans, 2006-2013 about the trend in rising drug prices and what it means for consumers.

Does the phrase “ last-minute” make you nervous? It shouldn’t. All you need to know is when you want to go. If your agenda isn’t set in stone, and if you’re willing to spend a little time on research, you can put together a perfect vacation in no time. In fact, some of the most savvy travelers plan all their travels this way. Here are some of their best tips.

Inflation lately has been pretty tame. Still, the possibility that it could raise its ugly head again, eating away at our spending power and standard of living, is always in the back of our minds. That’s why it’s important to understand inflation to better protect ourselves from its potential impact. Knowing these myths about inflation is a good place to start.