Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Medicare enrollment period begins on Oct. 15, extending through Dec. 7th. Throughout this time, seniors across Greater Nebraska will receive numerous calls and letters urging them to switch to Medicare Advantage plans. While these plans often promote cost savings and added perks, the reality for patients and health care providers can be much different. Patients face delays and higher costs Unlike traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans often require prior approval for care. In fact, nearly all Medicare Advantage enrollees must get prior...
TV is flooded these days with commercials encouraging everyone to sign up for Medicare Advantage. What is MA and why are they doing this? First of all, a bit of history. For more than 30 years, Congress has debated whether the private insurance industry could deliver Medicare benefits more efficiently than the federal government. In 2003, these efforts evolved into what is now known as Medicare Part C or, more commonly, Medicare Advantage. MA plans, operated by private insurance companies, cover...
At my house, classic TV is a given. My 93-year-old father-in-law enjoys watching reruns of westerns, Perry Mason, Andy Griffith and Gomer Pyle. With these old favorites come commercials targeting an aging population: Medicare Advantage plans, reverse mortgages, and miracle solutions for neuropathy, with free consultations for the first 250 people who call. Every time we see one of these neuropathy advertisements, my father-in-law looks at me hopefully. His neuropathic foot pain has been...
For end-of-the-year columns, it’s customary to recap events of the past 12 months, usually highlighting a mix of good and bad. Because this year has been dominated by health, and my beat is health, it seems fitting to reflect on where we are. Where we are is not good. A headline in the Los Angeles Times seemed to sum up the current state of the U.S. health care system: “Bodies pile up, patient care falters as COVID-19 devastates L.A. County hospitals.” In the Times’ story, a hospital critical care nurse says, “No one would believe this is the U...
