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Retirement Healthcare and Medicare

Retirement expert Bob Carlson’s research and knowledge on how to get the most out of healthcare options

Found 315 Articles.
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how-long-term-care-insurance-can-reduce-risk

How Long-Term Care Insurance Can Reduce Risk

December 1, 2006

Most people evaluate long-term care insurance the wrong way. Sales approaches also often stress the wrong factors. LTCI should be analyzed in much the same way we analyze investment opportunities. Fear often is the focus of LTCI discussions. Scary statistics are used to try to convince consumers that they need the policies to protect them […]

part-d-medicare-prescription-drug-plan-changes-and-updates

Part D Medicare Prescription Drug Plan: Changes and Updates

November 1, 2006

We are rolling into the second year of the Part D Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. Beneficiaries can switch plans during the enrollment period from Nov. 15 through Dec. 31. If new coverage is selected, it begins Jan. 1. With one year of experience behind them, insurers are changing their plans, and most of the changes […]

what-is-better-than-medicare

What is Better Than Medicare

November 1, 2006

Alternatives to traditional Medicare are more popular – and with good reason. For the same and sometimes lower cost, more care is received by Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare Advantage is an umbrella name for alternatives to traditional Medicare. The alternatives include HMOs, PPOs, and special needs plans. But the fastest-growing alternative is PFFS – private fee […]

long-term-care-insurance-new-regulations

Long Term Care Insurance: New Regulations

November 1, 2006

New regulations covering long-term care insurance might be on their way to your state. The regulations will broaden care and help reduce premiums. The regulations were drafted by the National Association of Insurance Commis-sioners. Insurance is regulated by each state. This group drafts model statutes and regulations that each state is encouraged to adopt. In […]

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medicare-premium-hikes-coming

Medicare Premium Hikes Coming

October 1, 2006

Medicare beneficiaries with higher incomes face higher premiums in 2007 and thereafter. We have better estimates of those premiums now, and beneficiaries can factor these higher costs into their financial plans. The higher premiums, called surtaxes, are imposed on a sliding scale. They begin rising for single beneficiaries whose incomes exceed $80,000 and for married […]

get-set-for-the-new-medicare-surtax

Get Set for the New Medicare Surtax

June 1, 2006

Medicare beneficiaries are used to annual premium increases to go along with the rising cost of medical care. But in 2007 many will be surprised by the new means-tested premiums. Higher income beneficiaries will pay higher premiums. The amount of the increase in premiums will depend on the beneficiary’s income. The higher premium is called […]

medicare-drug-deadline-draws-near

Medicare Drug Deadline Draws Near

May 1, 2006

The deadline for Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for the new prescription drug plan is drawing near. To avoid penalties, seniors who are in Medicare must sign up for a plan under Part D of Medicare by May 15, 2006. The penalty, if you sign up for a plan later, is an increase in the […]

Strategies to Pay for Long-Term Care

April 1, 2006

Are consumers doing the right thing by not purchasing long-term care insurance? Insurers long have been frustrated by the small number of people purchasing LTC insurance. Though more people enter the target age group for the policies, few buy. In 2004, 326,000 new policies worth $700 million were sold. That was a 25% decline from […]

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