Random stuff I find interesting and you may not.
Government interference in health care should be reduced, not expanded. The federal government’s not-really-a-shutdown lingers on, largely driven by Democrats’ insistence on extending pandemic-era subsidies that conceal the real cost of health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—better known as Obamacare. It’s not enough that the spending bill under consideration is already bloated with … Read more
Distorting history and underestimating the severity of the problem only increases the chance of insolvency. The Social Security system’s persistent and growing deficits are scheduled to bring trust fund insolvency within nine years, which would force a 23 percent benefit cut. Yet most lawmakers refuse to discuss solvency reforms because voters (and many lawmakers themselves) … Read more
Experts predicted that baby boomers would be broke in their old age. Instead, they’re one of history’s richest generations. By now, many retired baby boomers should be pinching pennies, at best, or battling destitution, at worst. For decades, the media and the experts they quoted warned that boomers weren’t saving enough for a comfortable retirement. … Read more
Aid programs could erase a recent spike in the number of poor people, but complicated rules and the lack of promotion baffle potential applicants #1: $30 Billion in Unclaimed Benefits It almost sounds too far-fetched to be true. But according to research by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) millions of adults aged 65 and … Read more
Many of us say that if we have to die, we’d like to die comfortably in our home. Luckily, hospice—a Medicare-covered model of gentle, holistic end-of-life care—is ready to help with that goal. Maybe. At age 78, my divorced father was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. He later admitted that he’d skipped getting any … Read more
As legislators refuse to act, benefits will be cut without any possibility of sheltering those seniors who are poor. President Joe Biden tweeted last week that he will be a “nightmare” for Republicans who dream of cutting Social Security and Medicare. With this statement, Biden showed that he’s either shockingly ignorant about these two programs … Read more
Americans struggle to understand how their tax dollars are spent. The U.S. has hit its debt ceiling, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has enacted “extraordinary measures” to keep the government out of default—buying Congress a few months to come up with a solution. Republicans have vowed to vote to raise the debt ceiling only in … Read more
‘Taxing the rich’ and cutting ‘woke’ programs won’t come close to getting the job done. You cannot balance the budget just by cutting programs that you don’t like. You cannot balance the budget by booting layabouts off welfare, by reducing “waste, fraud, and abuse,” by eliminating foreign aid, or by repealing the grievously misnamed Affordable … Read more
When nursing home care uses up a widow’s savings, the federal Medicaid program will kick in and cover her bills for care. But it’s more complicated for couples. If one spouse moves into a nursing home and the bills start piling up, the person who is still living in their home can face serious financial … Read more
Using a mix of electrical stimulation and intense physical therapy, nine people with chronic spinal injuries have had their ability to walk restored. All suffered from severe or complete paralysis as a result of damage to their spinal cord. Incredibly, the volunteers all saw improvements immediately, and continued to show improvements five months later. A … Read more
Tooth loss is linked to major killers like heart disease, cancers, diabetes and more You know the old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? Look at this stunning data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 26% of adults 65 or older have eight or fewer teeth 17% … Read more
If we were walruses or penguins, environmentalists would launch daily campaigns to prevent our extinction, large corporations would donate 10 percent of their products to our cause, and Al Gore would film documentaries with some scrawny guy awkwardly trying to tie himself to a lonely chunk of ice in the sea. But we are humans, … Read more
Is property owned in an LLC counted as an asset when applying for Medicaid? Yes. In order to receive Medicaid coverage of healthcare or nursing home care there may be limits on your assets and income. This can depend on the state in which you live, your age, and the type of coverage you’re seeking. … Read more
My confinement has led to boredom. My motivation to do much of anything has waned. I’m watching more TV than ever before. Did you know you can still watch Laurel and Hardy and Ozzie and Harriet? I’ve also learned how easy it is to shop online. I used to be amazed at the number of … Read more
In the bottom-up hierarchy of retailers catering to the lowest rungs of US society, there is Dollar Tree and Dollar General, and somewhere in their immediate orbit, is Rent-a-Center, which caters to those Americans who can’t afford to purchase outright, and whose credit is too low to finance, and are thus stuck renting out any … Read more
Older men and women continue to bear the brunt of sickness, death and isolation. They are weary but holding steady. NEW YORK — As the COVID pandemic enters its 22nd month, elderly men and women continue to bear the brunt of sickness, death and isolation. They are weary but holding steady, whether at home or … Read more
Viagra might help treat Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers who have been using the impotence drug to study the effects it has on the brain. Though more studies are needed, researchers in Cleveland found that men who were taking the blue pill, also known as sildenafil, had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, following analysis of … Read more
“Those who have been in Part B since 2013 have seen their premiums increase 62%. Overall inflation during the same time period is up only 13.5%.” In 2021, most individuals with Medicare Part B paid $148.50 per month. In 2022, their monthly premium jumps to $170.10 per month – an increase of $21.60 per month. … Read more
Medicare announced on November 12 that it would apply big rate hikes on Medicare premiums next year. The monthly Part B premium will rise by $21.60, or nearly 15 percent, to $170.10 from $148.50 this year. This increase is more than double the projected $10 boost included in the annual report from Medicare program trustees … Read more
There is also a Part D penalty…. The Part B penalty is a permanent charge every month There are many rules associated with Medicare enrollment, but here are a few of the basics: Medicare Part A, which covers hospital insurance, is typically free of premiums for individuals who have worked at least 40 quarters of … Read more
Democrats have made a living recently with political attack ads fallaciously accusing Republicans of secret plans to destroy Medicare and Social Security. In one famous TV ad, then-Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan was depicted as shoving an elderly woman in a wheelchair off a cliff. Well, Republicans may want to reprise that ad — and … Read more
The 2021 Social Security and Medicare Trustees’ annual reports are 138 days late and counting. The law requires the Board of Trustees of Social Security and Medicare to submit to Congress annual reports on the financial condition of these vital programs by April 1. This requirement has been in place since 1967. The board now … Read more
COVID-19, which seems likely to morph into COVID-21 and so on, is involved in many factors affecting home-based care. It forced everyone to spend time at home. Once there, we liked what we saw, and have been pouring enormous sums into fixing up and expanding our homes. Home-centric life isn’t going to change anytime soon. … Read more