Will allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices rein in costs or is there a better way?
Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have said that giving Medicare the ability to negotiate prices directly with drugmakers could yield important savings that firm up Medicare's financial future. However, industry experts are increasingly questioning that thinking. Can Medicare's negotiating might rein in high drug costs, or are there better options?
Read moreLocal food box program is helping seniors in Jackson, MS
Hundreds of food boxes were given away to senior citizens in Jackson.
That program helps seniors living in Mississippi’s Capital City.
Six hundred boxes of food were handed out to seniors Monday morning.
“Vegetables, meats, fruit, juice and different things for the nourishment of our bodies,” said Annie Gates, a participant.
Read more"America's other drug problem". Giving too many prescription medications to the elderly
Dominick Bailey sat at his computer, scrutinizing the medication lists of patients in the geriatric unit.
A doctor had prescribed blood pressure medication for a 99-year-old woman at a dose that could cause her to faint or fall. An 84-year-old woman hospitalized for knee surgery was taking several drugs that were not meant for older patients because of their severe potential side effects.
Read moreBefore retiring, be sure to look at you finances and cut costs even it's difficult
“Okay, I am getting ready to retire. Am I missing anything?” This is probably the most common question I get when I talk to pre-retirees.
My conversations are always a mixture of excitement over the second chapter of their lives, oftentimes unencumbered by taking care of children or the need to earn a paycheck, mixed in with the fear of uncertainty. Cutting the cord from a paycheck is a big deal and most people want to make sure they have covered every way they can save on costs.
Read moreAfter facing backlash, the Social Security Administration will roll back its new security features
Satish Mehra tried to log into his Social Security account. But he was locked out.
To access his information, Mehra needed an authentication code required under a new security measure put in place at the beginning of August. When seniors or other recipients tried to log into their online account, the Social Security Administration offered to text the code to their cell phone. Once they entered that code into the agency’s website, access to their user accounts was restored.
Read moreFlorida Department of Children and Families urges family members to report suspected elder abuse
Jack Adler was an 89-year-old widower living an active life in Century Village in Deerfield Beach when he met a woman at Costco who became his "girlfriend."
Several times a week, Fatima Williams, then in her early 40s, would pick Adler up for lunch dates that included shopping trips and stops at banks and ATMs.
Read moreProposals to change Medicare payments for treatments are being met with opposition by Congress
The Obama administration is hitting resistance from industry groups as it tries to change Medicare payments before leaving office.
The administration argues its Medicare proposals will make payments smarter, save money and incentivize quality care. Opposition to the plans, it says, is mainly coming from entrenched interests that are seeking to protect their profits.
Read moreThese simple tips can help you save money on prescription drugs
There’s no doubt the cost of prescription drugs is increasing and increasing dramatically. Next time you have a prescription filled, take a look at the paperwork that comes along with your medicine. Notice the line that says how much the drug costs
Read moreMore Lauderdale County, MS seniors have been victims to phone scams
For the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, phone scams are a constant issue.
"It used to be once a month, we'd get a phone call from a victim of a scam," Sheriff Billy Sollie says. "Then, it went to once a week. Now, it's almost daily we're getting a phone call."
Read moreMedicare's inability to negotiate drug prices is resulting in higher costs for the program
Last year, I lost a dear friend and research associate, Nicolas Freeman, who died because he was unable to pay the high cost of Sovaldi, the lifesaving drug for hepatitis C.
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