U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon questioned whether Aetna’s divestiture of its Medicare Part D business was sufficient and has scheduled another round of hearings.
Medicare Part B
Posted inHealth
Medicare Savings Program cuts delayed by two months
Updated at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday
Lowered eligibility limits for the Medicare Savings Program, which uses Medicaid money to help low-income residents pay medical costs Medicare doesn’t cover, were supposed to go into effect on Jan. 1, but the Department of Social Services said Wednesday it will slow down implementation of the changes in response to concerns raised by the enrollees, advocates and legislators.
Posted inHealth, Money
CT budget cuts program that helps low-income and disabled Medicare patients
The two-year, bipartisan state budget signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy this week will cut Medicaid help for at least 68,000 Connecticut seniors and disabled individuals, a change decried by doctors and health care advocates in the state.
Posted inPolitics
Federal budget deal helps CT defense industry, state budget
Washington – One of Rep. John Boehner’s final acts as Speaker of the House this week was to negotiate a budget deal with the White House that will help Connecticut’s defense industry by boosting Pentagon spending and save the state government about $65 million in health care expenses for low-income residents and state retirees.
Posted inHealth
Medicare Part B premiums remaining level for 2014
Monthly premiums for Medicare Part B will remain stable in 2014 at $104.90 for most beneficiaries, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced this week. The premiums paid Medicare recipients with higher incomes — less than 5 percent of the beneficiaries — will also remain level in 2014.