NRLN Podcast Medicare Series
When you watch the podcast, Alyson Parker, NRLN Executive Director will inform you about the NRLN’s year-end push to gain passage of:
- Recoupment
- Susan Muffley Act
- Heath Care Tax Credit
- Pension Surplus Usage
- Annual Funding Notice
Alyson continued her comments by describing the NRLN process taking place to develop the NRLN’s 2023 Legislative Agenda. She noted that protecting retirees in de-risking (when a company sells its pension plan to and insurance company) will be an NRLN priority in 2023.
Bill Kadereit, NRLN President, opened his section of the live podcast with comments on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. He said MA competition with Medicare was approved by Congress because insurance companies promised they could perform better.
In the last section of the live podcast, Ed Beltram, NRLN VP-Communications, presented questions from NRLN members for Alyson and Bill to answer.
If you did not receive an email with the NRLN President’s Forum message or an Action Alert posted on this home page, possibly you mistakenly “unsubscribed” on one of our emails or you have a new email address. You will no longer hear from us unless you “re-subscribe”.
The NRLN board created the American Retiree Education Foundation (AREF) in 2014 as a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible, nonprofit education foundation to expand the research and educational reach of the NRLN and to enable NRLN to sharpen its focus as an organization lobbying for the passage of federal legislation and regulations that benefit retirees.
For example, the white paper on Protecting Pension Assets which is used to educate members of Congress on the need for legislation to prevent pension plan sponsors from using plan assets for non-pension expenses was funded by AREF. Access the white paper here.
You can help fund the AREF without costing you anything extra when you make a purchase online from Amazon through its AmazonSmile program.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- SUBSCRIBE to receive periodic emails,
- ACT on NRLN Action Alerts,
- CONTRIBUTE to NRLN’s lobby effort, or
- Make a tax-deductible DONATION to our American Retirees Education Foundation (AREF) research
MEDICARE AND YOU HANDBOOK 2023
The “Medicare & You” handbook includes items or services covered under a health insurance plan. Covered benefits and excluded services are defined in the plan’s coverage documents.
Check the Congressional Report Card
NRLN Provides New “Report Card” Feature on Members of Congress. Do your Senators or Representative support bills that help retirees?
President's Forum
President's Forum 143 - New Congress, New NRLN Legislative Agenda
Bloomberg News reported on January 24 that health insurers are again circulating letters among members of Congress to marshal support for Medicare Advantage (MA), a program where private companies covered seniors’ healthcare with the help of $53 billion in taxpayer rebates in 2022. The Medicare Pricing Policy Committee (MedPAC) reported $57 billion. You may recall that in 2017, I referred to MA plans as Congress’ Trojan Horse, sent to Privatize Medicare. Some scoffed at that prediction then rebates were $20 billion.
The MedPAC’s January 12 report reveals that 2023 rebates to buy more enhanced benefits and to pay more MA premiums will be 20% higher, from $164 per month in 2022 to $196 per month in 2023. It is outrageous that Congress would pay $2,352 a year more for Medicare A & B benefits to insurance companies. These benefits are for 31.9 million in MA plans only but 29.4 million others in original Medicare are denied the same benefits that TV ads call “free”. About 15% of rebate money is kept by insurers to cover overhead and profit.
This year, that $196 will amount to over $75 billion! That’s over $200 million a day from general revenue and part of every nickel we pay in federal income tax, weekly, monthly, quarterly or on April 15, that is handed over to insurance companies. MedPAC reported that MA plans will control 52% of the Medicare market in 2023. I hope you will help us kill that Trojan Horse yet protect those in MA plans from losing what they have.
Bill Kadereit
National Retiree Legislative Network
Blockbuster New York Times Article on Exploitation of Medicare Advantage
by Bill Kadereit, President | National Retiree Legislative Network
For several years I have researched and written about how Medicare Advantage (MA) has been using federal government subsidies to offer special benefits that are denied to original Medicare enrollees. In my latest position paper (August 17, 2022), I noted that MA will cost taxpayers $53 billion in 2022 and the projection is that by 2030 the costs will be $100.8 billion!
The 2022 MedPAC report to Congress stated: “Aggregate Medicare payments to Medicare Advantage plans have never been lower that FFS Medicare spending.” MA payments per enrollee were 104% of original Medicare’s FFS (Fee-for-Service) in 2022.
NRLN Grassroots Network is the name for having support from NRLN members to respond to Action Alerts plus having Region, State and Congressional District leaders to support the NRLN’s Washington, D.C. lobbying efforts.
CLICK CHAPTERS on the MENU to see Other Chapters
Year 2022, on www.opensecrets.com – Following the Money in Politics
Congress Must Take Action to Prevent Cuts to Medicare Home Health Care
Urge your Representative and Senators to pass the Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2022 to prevent a permanent 7.69% cut ($1.33 billion) cut to Medicare home health care beginning in 2023.
In the News
The articles and opinion pieces below are for information and are not necessarily a reflection of the NRLN’s position on issues.
The NRLN is nonpartisan and its positions on retirement issues are presented in its Legislative Agenda and white papers that can be accessed from under the Legislative Agenda tab on the website main menu.
Reps plan renewed push on bill to restore lost Delphi pension benefits By Melissa Nan Burke, The Detroit News – Feb 2, 2023
Fighting Liver Cancer Takes Big Financial Toll: Study From U.S. News – Feb 2, 2023, at 7:38 a.m.
Nursing Home Residents Need Nurses, Wherever They Live From Medicare Advocacy – Feb 2, 2023
Here’s how the debt crisis could end if Biden-McCarthy talks fail From Politico – Feb 2, 2023
How US healthcare compares to peer nations, in 6 charts From Advisory Board – Feb 2, 2023
Inside the current urgent care ‘boom’ From Advisory Board – Feb 2, 2023
2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Advance Notice Fact Sheet From CMS – Feb 1, 2023
Biden and McCarthy hold ‘first good’ meeting on debt ceiling, but ‘no agreements, no promises’ By Politico – Feb 1, 2023
FTC Fines GoodRx for Unauthorized Sharing of Health Data By Associated Press – Feb 1, 2023
Ozempic: Dieters Who Use Scarce Diabetes Drug Could Face Side Effects From U.S. News – Feb. 1, 2023
CDC advises against using EzriCare eye drops as it investigates dozens of infections and one death in 12 states By Katherine Dillinger, CNN – Feb 1, 2023
Can these viruses increase your risk of dementia? From Advisory Board – Feb 1, 2023
Allergies in America, in 8 charts From Advisory Board – Feb 1, 2023
Why telehealth coverage needs ‘to become permanent,’ according to experts From Advisory Board – Feb 1, 2023
Why Every Generation Needs to Care About Medicare By Layla Parast, U.S. News – Jan 31, 2023
Building Resilience Into US Prescription Drug Supply From Health Affairs – Jan 30, 2023
Physician burnout continues to rise From Advisory Board – Jan 31, 2023
FBI has ‘hacked the hackers’ targeting hospitals From Advisory Board – Jan 31, 2023
CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart: How 3 pharmacy giants are tackling staffing shortages From Advisory Board – Jan 31, 2023
Feds Expect to Collect $4.7B in Insurance Fraud Penalties By Associated Press – Jan 30, 2023
House GOP grits its teeth for the ‘big lift’: A budget battle By Caitlin Emma, Politico – Jan 30, 2023
Prospect for passing policing legislation in Congress remains low By Jessica Dean and Ted Barrett, CNN – Jan 30, 2023
How the Supreme Court could soon change free speech on the internet By Lauren Feiner, CNBC – Jan 30, 2023
Medicare Will Save U.S. Billions Negotiating Drug Prices By Cara Murez, U.S. News – Jan 30, 2023
President Biden to End COVID-19 Emergencies on May 11By U.S.News – Jan 30, 2023
6 tips to lower dementia risk From Advisory Board – Jan 30, 2023
Social Security, Medicare should be ‘off the table’ in debt ceiling talks, McCarthy says By Lorie Konish, CNBC – Jan 30, 2023
McCarthy optimistic about agreement with Biden on debt ceiling By Olivia Olander, Politico – Jan 29, 2023
Warner and Rubio together call for document oversight for national security By Olivia Olander and Nicholas Wu, Politico – Jan 29, 2023
No dad jokes here: Newly launched Congressional Dads Caucus to focus on policies for working families By Dareh Gregorian, NBC News – Jan 26, 2023
Medicare negotiating drug prices will likely save the U.S. billions, study says By Berkeley Lovelace, Jr. NBC News – Jan 27, 2023
Is Social Security income taxable by the IRS? Here’s what you might owe on your benefits By Anna Kaufman, USA Today – Jan 28, 2023
House Republicans pass bill to limit drawdowns on Strategic Petroleum Reserve By Richard Carson, Reuters – Jan 27, 2023
FDA Experts Are Still Puzzled Over Who Should Get Which Covid Shots and When By Arthur Allen, Kaiser Health News – Jan 27, 2023
FDA panel votes to change US vaccine strategy From Advisory Board – Jan 27, 2023
PBGC Approves Supplemented SFA Application for GCU 2-C Plan News Release – Jan 27, 2022
PBGC Approves Supplemented SFA Application for Painters Local 466 Plan News Release – Jan 27, 2023
CDC Study: Updated COVID-19 Booster Shots Cut Risk of Symptomatic Infection From XBB.1.5 By Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder, U.S. News – Jan 25, 2023
Wave of Rural Nursing Home Closures Grows Amid Staffing Crunch By Tony Leys, Kaiser Health News – Jan 25, 2023
