Medicare Enrollment Ends Early This Year
Health News Florida reports that nearly two-thirds of seniors don't know that the Medicare enrollment period is occurring earlier than usual this year. Meanwhile, The Hill reports on one member of the U.S. Senate who is holding a strong line against raising Medicare's eligibility age.
Health News Florida: Changes Take Seniors by Surprise
Nearly two-thirds of seniors don't know that the Medicare enrollment period is early this year, a survey shows, and that could cost them. It opens Oct. 15, not a month later, as in the past. Those beneficiaries who don't enroll in or change plans by Dec. 7 will have to wait until next year. That's just one of several changes that may trip people up, said Ross Blair, CEO of PlanPrescriber, which conducted the survey and helps seniors untangle Medicare's dizzying array of health and drug options (Davis, 10/4).
The Hill: Sen. Sanders On Raising Medicare Age To Cut Deficit: 'Ain't Gonna Happen'
As part of their efforts to cut federal spending, GOP leaders are eying a number of entitlement reforms, including raising the eligibility age for seniors receiving Medicare and Social Security. President Obama also riled liberals over the summer when he signaled a willingness to scale back some entitlement benefits as part of his (failed) effort to secure a bipartisan debt-ceiling deal with House Speaker John Boehner (Lillis, 10/4).