By Jeff Baumgartner; Light Reading ~ Aug 07, 2018
As it seeks to derail the already-closed $84 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner, the US Department of Justice claimed Monday that the judge who approved it without restrictions did so without applying “fundamental principles of economics and common sense.”
From Ron Carson; Forbes ~ Aug 05, 2018
As a society, we embrace the idea that doctors and lawyers are required to act in their patients’ or clients’ best interests. Doctors violating the Hippocratic Oath face stiff penalties, including the potential to lose their license to practice medicine, and lawyers dealing in their own self-interests or who fail to disclose conflicts of interest can be disciplined or even disbarred.
By Thomas Beaton; HealthPayer Intelligence ~ Aug 03, 2018
August 03, 2018 – CMS has announced that monthly Medicare Part D premiums are expected to fall from $33.59 in 2018 to $32.50 in 2019 as new policies to reduce Medicare’s drug costs take effect.
Earlier in 2018, CMS issued a final rule that made several changes to Medicare Part D drug purchasing such as increasing generic drug substitution across Medicare, lowering the cost of biosimilars for consumers, and expanding the number of available Part D plans and pharmacy options.
By Jessie Hellmann; The Hill ~ Aug 03, 2018
Hospitals will be required to post online a list of their standard charges under a rule finalized Thursday by the Trump administration.
While hospitals are already required to make this information public on request, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said the new rule would require the info be posted online to “encourage price transparency” and improve “public accessibility.”
From Jennifer Greenfield; CNN ~ Aug 03, 2018
Editor’s Note: “Jennifer Greenfield is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. View more opinion articles on CNN.”
From Mark Miller; Reuters ~ Aug 02, 2018
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Social Security is unaffordable due to our aging population.
Social Security is a driver of our national debt.
Social Security is built on a house of cards – its assets are just IOUs.
By Maurie Backman; The Motley Fool ~ Jul 31, 2018
Millions of seniors depend on Social Security to pay the bills in retirement. But in recent years, those benefits have been letting retirees down.
Since 2000, Social Security beneficiaries have lost 34% of their buying power, according to data from the Senior Citizens League.
From Bob Carlson; Forbes ~ Jul 29, 2018
Most folks want to stay in their homes for as long as possible. An AARP survey in 2015 said that’s the goal of almost 90% of those age 65 or older. If you’re in that group, you need a plan.
By Sean Williams, Motley Fool – July 29, 2018
When discussing America’s most important social programs, Social Security is arguably at the top of the list. Aside from the fact that 62.5 million people are receiving a benefit check each month, more than three out of five retired workers (which comprise 69% of the aforementioned 62.5 million beneficiaries) are reliant on the program to provide at least half of their monthly income.
By Carol Wilson; Light Reading ~ Jul 26, 2018
AT&T today closed on its purchased of AppNexus, a global advertising technology platform, further advancing its stated strategy of leveraging its new position as a content owner as well as a distributor to change how advertising is done.
