Read more about the article CMS Approves Medicare Coverage of ‘Breakthrough’ Medical Devices

CMS Approves Medicare Coverage of ‘Breakthrough’ Medical Devices

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued new rules that require Medicare to cover medical devices that the Food and Drug Administration designates as "breakthrough" technology.  The rule paves the way for giving Medicare recipients access to the latest technologies four years after they receive market approval by the FDA. The move should greatly speed up the time by which these new devices are covered by Medicare, the approval process of which can be extremely slow. Under the final rule, the CMS will use the data for these devices during the four years after the FDA approves them,…

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Read more about the article Signs Your Child May Need More Support During Pandemic

Signs Your Child May Need More Support During Pandemic

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful for most of us, children and teens often have an especially difficult time dealing with the lack of activities and social interaction if they are distance learning.  Depression has skyrocketed during the pandemic as a result of isolation, lost jobs and/or having family members that have fallen ill or died from coronavirus. Also, mental health visits are at an all-time high, even if many people are seeing counselors remotely by video conferencing.  The ongoing stress, fear, grief and uncertainty created by the pandemic can wear anyone down, but children and teens may have…

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Read more about the article Why Everyone Needs Life Insurance

Why Everyone Needs Life Insurance

People who are considering life insurance usually debate whether they need it or not. If anyone will suffer financially after a person's death, that person should have life insurance. This death benefit is meant to help surviving family members or dependents cope with the financial difficulties of losing the deceased's income and paying for final expenses. Life insurance isn't subject to federal income tax. In order to determine how much life coverage to buy, it's important to consider what surviving loved ones would need if death occurred suddenly.  Be sure to consider monthly living expenses, debts and final expenses when…

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Read more about the article New Fitness Guidelines for Children and Adults

New Fitness Guidelines for Children and Adults

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued new fitness guidelines that recommend adults get two and a half hours of moderate exercise every week, at a minimum. The slogan of the new guidelines is "move more, sit less," in an attempt to address the two main reasons many of us don't get enough exercise. This new guidance is the first update to the guidelines since 2008, when they were first released. Here are the report's main suggestions: Adults At least two and a half hours of "moderate-intensity aerobic" exercise a week. Exercise should be done in intervals…

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Read more about the article Fewer Medicare Advantage Plans Receive High-Quality Ratings

Fewer Medicare Advantage Plans Receive High-Quality Ratings

There are fewer Medicare Advantage plans receiving high-quality ratings for their 2021 offerings than for this year's.  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has reported that 49% of 400 Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage received four stars or more (the maximum is five), compared to 52% in 2020. Also, there are fewer people enrolled in plans that will have four or five stars in 2021.  The star ratings measure the quality of service enrollees receive and are based on actual experience of seniors with their plans.  The CMS rates Medicare Part C plans according to hundreds of specific…

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