Medicare

• Position Paper: Increasing the Debt Ceiling Fact Sheet

  February 07, 2023: The debt ceiling is a legal restriction on how much money the federal government can borrow to pay its bills. Congress instituted the debt ceiling in 1917 as a way to rein in federal agencies that were ignoring Congress and setting their own budgets,...Read more >

• State of the Union: Retirees Call on President Biden to Stress That Social Security and Medicare Cuts Remain Off the Table

  February 07, 2023: The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, in advance of President Biden’s State of the Union address: “The state of the union is strong, but older Americans' retirement secu...Read more >

• Kaiser Health News: Government Lets Health Plans That Ripped Off Medicare Keep the Money

  February 03, 2023: Medicare Advantage plans for seniors dodged a major financial bullet Monday as government officials gave them a reprieve for returning hundreds of millions of dollars or more in government overpayments — some dating back a decade or more. The he...Read more >

• Democrats Debate Whether President Biden Should Negotiate with Speaker McCarthy on Debt Limit

  January 30, 2023: House lawmakers and the White House continued to spar last week over whether to include Social Security and Medicare in negotiations over raising the debt limit. President Biden has steadfastly pledged not to cut the programs, insisting that the debt...Read more >

• House GOP’s Plans to Cut Social Security and Medicare Advance

  January 17, 2023: Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said last Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Republicans don’t plan to alter benefits for current Social Security and Medicare recipients. However, at least 127 members of the House Republican Study Committee ha...Read more >

• Medicare Advantage Plans Overcharged Taxpayers by Millions

  December 19, 2022: A review of 90 government audits by Kaiser Health News reveals that Blue Cross and a number of other health insurers issuing Medicare Advantage plans have tried to sidestep regulations requiring them to document medical conditions the government paid...Read more >

• Seniors Laud President Biden’s Executive Order Further Lowering Drug Costs

  October 14, 2022: The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, regarding the Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to explore additional actions it can take to lower pre...Read more >

• Nursing Home Surprise: Advantage Plans May Shorten Stays to Less Time Than Medicare Covers

  October 07, 2022: After 11 days in a St. Paul, Minnesota, skilled nursing facility recuperating from a fall, Paula Christopherson, 97, was told by her insurer that she should return home. But instead of being relieved, Christopherson and her daughter were worried b...Read more >

• While Inflation Takes a Toll on Seniors, Billions of Dollars in Benefits Go Unused

  September 15, 2022: Millions of older adults are having trouble making ends meet, especially during these inflationary times. Yet many don’t realize help is available, and some notable programs that offer financial assistance are underused. A few examples: Nearly ...Read more >

• After Crackdown, Medicare Advantage Marketers Tone Down Sales Tactics

  September 06, 2022: Medicare Advantage plans are being forced to tone down their aggressive advertising this year in response to increased oversight from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The new guidelines were prompted by an increase in consumer co...Read more >