News and Features Related to Health Care Reform
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Government: Medicare Snafus Improving
Jan. 24, 2006 -- Bush administration officials said Tuesday that problems plaguing the first month of the Medicare prescription benefit are improving but warned patients and health providers to brace for more. Hundreds of thousands of patients using their Medicare drug benefits for the first time ha
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Medicare Rx Glitches a Pain for Many
Jan. 17, 2006 -- Federal officials defended their implementation of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit Tuesday after reports that some beneficiaries have been unable to get promised medications in the program's first month. Health officials said they are asking insurance companies administer
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U.S. Health Spending Nears $2 Trillion
Jan. 10, 2006 - The U.S. spent nearly $2 trillion on health care in 2004, and consumers are being asked to shoulder a higher and higher share of rising costs, according to federal figures released Tuesday. The nation spent $1.88 trillion overall on health care, 7.9% more than was spent in 2003. Whil
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Picking the Best Medicare Drug Plan
Jan. 10, 2006 -- Sorting through the new Medicare drug plans is a bit like panning for gold, a new report suggests. That is, the benefits are there, but you've got to roll up your sleeves and do a lot of sifting to get your hands on them -- and the waters look pretty muddy right now. That's the gist
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Best Drug Prices: Medicare or Canada?
Dec. 30, 2005 -- It may be less costly to get prescription drugs through the new Medicare drug plan than from online Canadian pharmacies, according to a new AARP report. AARP crunched the numbers for five people taking a variety of prescription drugs. Using the drug plan finder on Medicare's web sit
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Medicare Rx Prices Top VA by Half
Dec. 21, 2005 -- Popular drugs soon to be covered by Medicare are set to cost seniors and taxpayers nearly 50% more on average than they do under the existing Veterans health system, according to a report released Wednesday. The study comes just days before the Jan. 1 start of Medicare's new prescri
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Medicaid, Medicare Cuts Pass Senate
Dec. 21, 2005 -- Millions of patients on Medicare and Medicaid are likely to see higher health care costs under a budget-cutting bill narrowly passed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday. The plan trimmed $40 billion from the federal budget over the next five years and in so doing also cut $4.8 billion from
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Employers to Keep Retirees' Rx Coverage
Dec. 8, 2005 -- Most retirees who already have prescription coverage through a former employer won't be forced to choose a Medicare drug plan over the next few months, according to a report released Wednesday. A survey of 300 large employers shows that nine in 10 plan to keep offering drug coverage
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Medicare Drug Plan: Confusion Reigns
Nov. 10, 2005 -- A survey released Thursday suggests low enthusiasm and confusion among seniors toward the new Medicare prescription-drug benefit, just days before the government is set to begin enrollment in the plan. Only 20% of seniors now say they plan to sign up for the benefit, which begins a
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Senate Passes $10 Billion in Health Cuts
Nov. 3, 2005 -- The U.S. Senate passed a sweeping budget bill Thursday approving more than $10 billion in cuts to the Medicare and Medicaid health programs over the next five years. The cuts mostly spare beneficiaries of the two huge programs of any reductions in benefits or access to health care. B
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