The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 includes many provisions designed to address high prescription drug prices and related out-of-pocket costs. One of the most notable changes allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain high-cost prescription drugs, which is expected to save Medicare…
This week the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Braidwood v. Kennedy, a case challenging the requirement for private health insurers to cover certain recommended preventive health services with no cost-sharing. AARP previously examined the implications of the case, finding that more than…
Access to an employer-based, payroll-deduction retirement savings plan plays a key role in allowing people to save for the future. Yet nearly half of American workers, or about 56 million, do not have access to such a plan. To address this challenge, in recent years a growing number of states have…
A recent study linked some popular drugs used to treat heartburn and peptic ulcers to an increased risk of dementia. While the study findings are concerning, consumers should be mindful that media reports do not necessarily present the full picture. Here is a breakdown of what the study actually…
The federal government recently released its first preliminary report evaluating its Financial Alignment Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to increase access to high-quality, well-coordinated health care — including long-term services and supports (LTSS) — for low-income adults who are…
Over the past five years, taxpayers have doled out over $30 billion in bonus payments to push hospitals and doctors’ offices to switch from paper to electronic medical records. Now nearly all hospitals and over half of all office-based doctors have gone digital; but much of that electronic…
There is little dispute that the cost of long-term services and supports (LTSS) is daunting. The typical cost for care in a nursing home is about $91,250 a year, and the average annual base price for assisted living is $43,200. Few people can accumulate sufficient savings, even over a lifetime , to…
Internet-connected devices are rapidly becoming commonplace in our daily lives. Smartphones, tablets, televisions, thermostats, cars, video games and even children’s toys now connect to the Internet.
Nearly 8 percent of adults age 65 and older are food insecure, meaning they do not always have balanced meals or enough to eat because they cannot afford it. However, there are significant racial and ethnic disparities in food insecurity among older adults. Black and Hispanic seniors are over three…
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) gives consumers the right to access their medical information. But many people still have to jump through hoops to get their medical records from reluctant health care providers.
For over a year, a multi-stakeholder group composed of Medicare administrators, doctors, private health plan representatives, consumer groups and employers has worked together to figure out a uniform way to rate doctors’ performance. Today, the group announced agreement on a core set of quality…