Medicare

• Democrats Plan to Expand Medicare Hearing Benefits. What Can Consumers Expect?

  November 05, 2021: President Joe Biden’s mammoth domestic spending bill would add hearing benefits to the traditional Medicare program — one of three major new benefits Democrats had sought. The Biden administration appears to have fallen short of its ambition t...Read more >

• President Biden Unveils Framework for Build Back Better Bill

  November 01, 2021: On Thursday, President Biden travelled to the Capitol to present a new outline of a framework of a broad legislative package that will provide support to millions of American families. Congress and the White House have spent weeks hammering out a dea...Read more >

• KHN: Medicare Punishes 2,499 Hospitals for High Readmissions

  October 29, 2021: The federal government’s effort to penalize hospitals for excessive patient readmissions is ending its first decade with Medicare cutting payments to nearly half the nation’s hospitals. In its 10th annual round of penalties, Medicare is reduci...Read more >

• KHN: The Public Backs Medicare Rx Price Negotiation Even After Hearing Both Sides’ Views

  October 12, 2021: As Congress debates cutting prescription drug costs, a poll released Tuesday found the vast majority of adults — regardless of their political party or age — support letting the federal government negotiate drug prices for Medicare beneficiar...Read more >

• CEOs Against Medicare Price Negotiation Were Paid $400 Million Collectively Last Year

  October 04, 2021: The fight over allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and use the savings to expand guaranteed dental, hearing and vision benefits, continued in earnest on Capitol Hill this week. Executives from 33 pharmaceutical corporations sent a le...Read more >

• Alliance Fighting for Lower Drug Prices as Debate Heats up in Congress

  September 27, 2021: Alliance members in key congressional districts continued their efforts this week to persuade four moderate House Democrats who voted in Committee against allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. House members Stephanie Murphy (FL), Scott...Read more >

• Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Proposal Blocked in Committee

  September 22, 2021: Democratic Reps. Scott Peters (CA), Kathleen Rice (NY) and Kurt Schrader (OR) cast the deciding votes against allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices Wednesday. The 29-29 tie vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee came after a 3-day...Read more >

• Administration Advances Plans for Lower Drug Prices as Congress Works on Ways to Expand Medicare with the Savings

  September 13, 2021: The Biden administration unveiled a detailed blueprint for lowering prescription drug prices last Thursday that includes allowing Medicare to directly negotiate lower drug prices and making those prices available to other insurance plans. The White H...Read more >

• Social Security’s Finances Remain Strong, Annual Trustees Reports Show

  August 31, 2021: The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, regarding the Trustees reports on the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds released today: “Social Security remains strong and so...Read more >

• Apple, Bose and Others Pump Up the Volume on Hearing Aid Options, Filling Void Left by FDA

  August 31, 2021: Spurred by decades of complaints about the high cost of hearing aids, Congress passed a law in 2017 to allow over-the-counter sales, with hopes it would boost competition and lower prices. Four years later, federal regulators have yet to issue...Read more >