Medicare Advantage plans continue growing in their attractiveness to seniors with their expanded benefits and higher quality of care. According to an industry group, the Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP), there are several positive trends for MA plans that are likely to continue. They offer a high quality of care Medicare rates MA plans on a "star rating" basis, with one star representing the lowest quality and five stars being the best. When the rating system began, about a quarter of MA members were in a plan rated four stars or higher. Eight years later, more than three-quarters were…

Drugmakers increased more brand-name list prices this January than in any other January in the past 10 years.  The month is marked by drug price increases every year, but a review by the nonprofit 46brooklyin found that pharmaceutical companies had pushed through 929 price increases in the first 25 days of the year. That's more than the 737 price hikes they made in all of January 2020. 46brooklyn also examined the top 25 drugs by gross spending in Medicare Part D and found that the pharmaceutical companies had increased the prices of 20 of them by an average of 4.3%…

Most singles be they in their 20s or even 50s do not carry life insurance. They reason that since they don't have spouses or dependents, there is no reason to purchase life insurance as their death won't leave anybody in a financial bind. But that reasoning is not always sound and there are a number of circumstances when a single person should consider carrying a life policy: They have debt One of the main expenditures of life insurance payout recipients is paying off the debts of the deceased policyholder. Singles may have debt and if anyone has co-signed on any…

It's normal for our mood and energy levels to fluctuate every now and then. However, it can affect our daily routine, including how we normally function in our everyday lives. This is especially true now, as the COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term effects on our collective mental health. While we can't always control what triggers our stress and mood changes, there are certain steps you can take to controlling them without having to resort to alcohol or other vices. Below are eight ways that you can boost your mood and mindset naturally.   Exercise Physical activity is one of the…

Have you ever been tailgating, and then the driver in front of you suddenly slams on their brakes? That situation requires swift reaction to avoid a collision. Fortunately, advanced safety systems are being unveiled every day in the auto industry that can prevent those types of accidents and make our roads safer for all users. A recent study looked at two types of automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems that have been touted as reducing vehicle collisions. What they found surprised them: Rear AEB systems had a considerably larger effect on reducing fender benders, while front AEB systems had a greater…