Opinion: Here’s the biggest winner in the AT&T-Time Warner merger

From Howard Gold; MarketWatch ~ Jun 14, 2018

Time Warner CEO Bewkes could receive $434 million ’platinum parachute’

One night in early February, workers removed the legendary Time Inc. name from its headquarters building in Manhattan and replaced it with the logo of Meredith Corp., its new owner. It was the end of the storied magazine publishing company founded by Henry Luce and his Yale classmate Briton Hadden in 1923, which lasted 95 years and defined the American Century.




These 7 states are most at risk from rising health-care costs

By Emma Court; MarketWatch ~ Jun 13, 2018

High and growing health-care costs are a problem for everyone — but especially so for state and local governments.

And states with lower credit ratings are especially susceptible because they have less financial flexibility, according to a new report from credit ratings and research firm Fitch Ratings.




AT&T Cleared by Judge to Buy Time Warner, Create Media Giant

By David McLaughlin, Andrew Harris, Scott Moritz & Erik Larson; Newsmax ~ Jun 12, 2018

AT&T Inc. was cleared by a judge to take over Time Warner Inc. in an $85 billion deal that the mobile-phone giant says will fuel its evolution into a media powerhouse that can go head-to-head with Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon on Tuesday rejected the Justice Department’s request for an order blocking the Time Warner acquisition, saying the government failed to make its case that the combination would lead to higher prices for pay-TV subscribers.




Seniors slow to embrace online access to doctors, survey says

HealthDay News; United Press International ~ May 30, 2018

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 — Many doctors have internet portals to help patients manage their care. But that doesn’t mean older folks will use them.

A University of Michigan poll found only about half of patients 50 to 80 years old have set up an online account with their healthcare provider.

“The health care system has provided patient portals as an efficient way for patients to communicate with their providers.




Will Trump’s Drug Plan Reduce Costs For Seniors On Medicare?

From Howard Gleckman; Forbes ~ May 30, 2018

The Trump Administration is heavily promoting what it calls its “Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs.” But will the plan reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries?

The answer is: Not by much, and not soon. And, in some cases, it could even make drugs more costly.




Trump says drug companies to ‘voluntarily’ slash prescription costs

By Jessie Hellmann ; The Hill ~ May 30, 2018

President Trump predicted on Tuesday that drug companies would voluntarily slash prescription prices in the coming weeks.

“You’re going to have some big news,” Trump said at a signing ceremony for a bill intended to help terminally ill people get access to experimental treatments.

“I think we’re going to have some of the big drug companies, in two weeks, they’re going to announce because of what we did, they’re going to announce voluntary massive drops in prices.”




AT&T & Verizon Plot (Sort Of) Mobile 5G Demos & Trials

By Dan Jones; Light Reading ~ May 29, 2018

Both AT&T and Verizon are ready to demonstrate, or trial, initial applications of mobile 5G connectivity using 28GHz technology and have applied to the FCC for permission to do so.

AT&T plans to show off “mobile” 5G over 100 meters to compatible user equipment, and then demonstrate feeding the 28GHz signal via WiFi to user devices at a gaming show.




Opinion: Aside From Folate, Vitamins Appear Largely Ineffective For Prevention, Study Finds

From Alice G. Walton; Forbes ~ May 28, 2018

If you like the idea of warding off disease by taking vitamin supplements, you’ve probably been disheartened by the research in this area over the last few years. A new study won’t help. It finds that the vast majority of the vitamins and minerals analyzed didn’t have any measurable benefit, at least when it came to the outcomes studied here—cardiovascular disease, stroke, and early death.




Opinion: When You Decide Your Retirement Is a Mistake

From Rodney Brooks; US News & World Report ~ May 25, 2018

After waiting years for their retirement, some people still make one of the biggest retirement mistakes of all: They retire before they are mentally or financially prepared.

Some retirees just get bored. Other seniors miss interactions with colleagues and clients.




Opinion: Senior advocates say new draft guide to Medicare distorts facts. Here’s what you need to know

From Philip Moeller; PBS News Hour ~ May 25, 2018

Medicare & You is the government’s seminal guide to all things Medicare, and is a primary resource used by consumers in each year’s annual enrollment season beginning Oct. 15. As such, it is or should be the gold standard of reliable information for more than 65 million people already enrolled in Medicare and the millions of people who newly enroll each year.










Reminder to Members
Please notify us at: e-mail if you change your contact information, particularly your e-mail address so you continue to receive information from us.