Medicare News & Updates

CMS finalized the CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D rule on April 2, 2026, removing the 48-hour wait between a Scope of Appointment and a plan-specific sales call. Separately, the agency finalized a 2.48% MA payment increase worth about $13 billion after initially proposing 0.9%.

Costco and SCAN Health Plan announced co-branded Medicare Advantage plans in two states and a Medigap plan in a third. The states aren't named, there's no launch date, and everything is pending CMS approval — so nothing is available to enroll in today.

Plan G is the default Medigap choice in America. It closes nearly every gap Original Medicare leaves — except the $283 Part B deductible. Here's what it pays, what it costs in 2026, and the enrollment window that matters more than the price.

42474 is an SMS short code sending texts branded "CenturyMed" that offer a senior benefits card worth $2,600 — or $4,200, or $2,750. Here's what the campaign actually is and what to do if you replied.

Your Annual Notice of Change must reach you by September 30, 2026. It's the only document that spells out exactly how your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan changes on January 1 — and the one most people throw away unread.

Federal data shows a 25.2% improper payment rate for Medicare glucose monitors, and a watchdog found $377 million in overpayments to suppliers — costs beneficiaries share through 20% coinsurance.

A CBS News investigation and an April 21 congressional hearing exposed a hospice fraud pattern concentrated in Los Angeles County — one that can reach your Medicare record without a single scam call ever reaching you.

After two years of shrinking benefits and rising denials, major Medicare Advantage insurers are reporting improved financial health heading into 2027. Here's what it does — and doesn't — mean for your benefits.

A new study finds the three largest Medicare Advantage insurers deny inpatient rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility requests at higher rates than smaller plans — adding a new comparative wrinkle to a long-running post-acute care denial story.

CMS issued a proposed rule July 14 that could lower beneficiary cost-sharing for X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds starting 2027 — with roughly $70M in beneficiary savings. Here's what's in the proposal and why nothing is final yet.

State attorneys general are warning about unsolicited durable medical equipment mailed to Medicare beneficiaries in 2026. Here's how the scam works, why it matters, and exactly what to do the moment a box arrives.

Medicare isn't reissuing every card in 2026 — but a meaningful number of people legitimately are getting new ones. Here's why cards get reissued, how to spot a scam, and what to do with the old card.

Roughly 82% of seniors have no idea Medicare's new GLP-1 benefit exists. Here's why almost nobody's telling you — and the exact question to bring to your next doctor's visit.

The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge launches July 1, 2026, with a flat $50 copay for Wegovy, Zepbound, and a new pill called Foundayo. Here's exactly who qualifies, how the process works, and the catch most people don't know about.

OTC cards, gym memberships, meal benefits, transportation — the extras that defined Medicare Advantage are quietly smaller in 2026. Here's what changed and what you can do.

The 2026 Trustees' Report projects the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2033, with automatic 11% benefit cuts if Congress doesn't act. Here's what that actually means for your coverage — and what it doesn't.

A quiet, year-round Special Enrollment Period lets eligible beneficiaries switch into a 5-star Medicare Advantage or Part D plan mid-year. Almost no one uses it. Here's exactly how it works in summer 2026.

Roughly 3–4 million Medicare beneficiaries qualify for direct help paying premiums, deductibles, and copays through QMB, SLMB, and QI — and never apply. Here's exactly who qualifies in 2026 and how to apply.

Medicare Advantage plans are retroactively denying emergency MRIs and CTs — billing seniors thousands weeks later. The prudent layperson standard protects you. Here's how to use it.

Medicare's new GLP-1 Bridge program starts July 1, 2026 — covering Wegovy and Zepbound at $50/month, but not Ozempic for weight loss. Here's who qualifies.