By Matt Sedensky & Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar; The Associated Press ~ Jul 08, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare said Wednesday it plans to pay doctors to counsel patients about end-of-life care, the same idea that sparked accusations of “death panels” and fanned a political furor around President Barack Obama’s health care law six years ago.

The policy change, to take effect Jan. 1, was tucked into a massive regulation on payments for doctors. It suggests that what many doctors regard as a common-sense option is no longer seen by the Obama administration as politically toxic. Counseling would be entirely voluntary for patients.

By Catey Hill; MarketWatch ~ Jul 08, 2015

If you’re retired and the golf/beach/travel rotation is beginning to get old — and you’d love a little extra dough — you may be considering something your younger, cubicle-bound self never thought you would: going back to work (though only part-time). And now is a better time to do this than it has been in years, as an increasing number of employers plan to hire part-time help this year — and many of these jobs offer good pay and other perks that retirees desire.

By Sarah Ferris & Peter Sullivan; The Hill ~ Jul 07, 2015

A frenzy of healthcare mergers has given Republicans’ a new line of attack against ObamaCare, which they say is boosting profits for insurance giants at a cost to consumers.

The merger mania — evidenced most recently by a $35 billion deal announced by Aetna and Humana last week — is sparking new fears that shrinking competition in the marketplace could result in less choice for patients.

By Reed Abelson; The New York Times ~ Jul 06, 2015

The nation’s five largest health insurance companies are circling one another like hungry lions closing in on prey.

On Friday, Aetna said it would acquire its smaller rival Humana to create a company with combined revenues of $115 billion this year. Anthem is stalking Cigna. UnitedHealth Group, now the largest of the five, is looking at its options. At the end of the maneuverings, three national behemoths are likely to emerge.

By Sarah Ferris; The Hill ~ Jul 06, 2015

A Medicare program designed to offset costs at hospitals serving the poor is likely prompting doctors to over-prescribe drugs to their patients, according to a new federal audit.

Hospitals that participate in Medicare’s 340B Drug Pricing Program are either prescribing more drugs or more expensive drugs to their patients compared to hospitals that don’t qualify for the program, investigators found.

By Ana Swanson; The Washington Post ~ Jul 04, 2015

If you pay for good health insurance, shouldn’t you be able to afford the medicine you need?

For Kristin Agar, a 63-year-old social worker in Little Rock, Ark., this has not been the case.

In 2008, Agar began experiencing strange symptoms. Her feet swelled, her joints ached, a rash appeared on her face, and every night she would get a fever that would disappear in the morning.

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar; The Associated Press ~ Jul 01, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare proposed Wednesday to ease a coverage policy on short hospital stays that has been criticized because it can result in higher costs for seniors.

Under Medicare, coverage for inpatient and outpatient care is determined under very different payment rules. In some cases, a hospital admission classified as inpatient can result in lower bills for beneficiaries.

From David Richardson; Forbes ~ Jun 30, 2015

US federal law requires retirees to annually withdraw a minimum amount from their retirement accounts after the age of 70 ½. [1] This is driven by a tax rationale: since pension contributions are generally tax-deferred, Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rules require that taxes should be paid on pension benefits during old age. Yet a criticism has been levied at RMD rules, namely that they may prejudice good retirement policy. To the extent that some households are required to draw down their pension wealth too soon, this increases the risk that they will outlive their resources.

By Donald Jay Korn; Investor’s Business Daily ~ Jun 26, 2015

The so-called Doc Fix measure became law in April. It maintains Medicare’s physician payment rates, which had been scheduled for cuts. If it keeps more doctors in the Medicare program, that’s good news for many seniors.

But someone has to pay for Doc Fix. High-income Medicare enrollees will pick up part of the tab. They’ll pay more for Medicare Part B. Here’s the story:

By Sarah Ferris; The Hill ~ Jun 24, 2015

The number of doctors available in many healthcare plans is shrinking under ObamaCare, forcing some patients to pay more or switch providers, according to a new report.

Four in 10 healthcare plans sold through the government’s marketplace have so few options that their networks are described as “small” or “extra small,” according to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.