Medicare and Medicaid (BenefitsLink.com)Headlines re Medicare and Medicaid, gathered by BenefitsLink.comGuidance Overview U. S. Supreme Court Affirms EEOC Medicare Coordination Ruling- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "In a closely watched case, the United States Supreme Court has refused the AARP's request for review of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in AARP v. EEOC, thereby affirming the EEOC's ability to exempt from the age discrimination statutes the coordination of retiree health benefits with Medicare. This ruling clears the way for employers to design retiree health benefit plans that feature coordination of these benefits." (Littler Mendelson P.C.)http://www.littler.com/presspublications/index.cfm?event=pubItem&pubItemID=18558&c... Guidance Overview CMS Extends Certain Deadlines for Completing Retiree Drug Subsidy Reconciliations- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Plan sponsors will get additional time to complete their Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS) reconciliation1 under a deadline extension announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Monday, March 24, 2008.2 The extension applies to plan sponsors with RDS applications for plan years ending in either 2006 or the first quarter of 2007. It provides welcome relief for plan sponsors that have been scrambling to complete the reconciliation. In many cases, plan sponsors...http://www.sibson.com/publications/capitalcheckup/032608.html Outlook Remains Bleak for Two U.S. Social Insurance Programs- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "The Bush administration issued a grim report yesterday on the financial outlook for Medicare and Social Security, but said the condition of the programs had not significantly deteriorated since last spring." (The New York Times; free registration required)http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/us/26benefit.html?ex=1364184000&en=d0a0465ded34942a&... Status of the Social Security and Medicare Programs - A Summary of the 2008 Annual Reports- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "The financial difficulties facing Social Security and Medicare pose enormous challenges. The sooner these challenges are addressed, the more varied and less disruptive their solutions can be. We urge the public to engage in informed discussion and policymakers to think creatively about the changing needs and preferences of working and retired Americans. A national conversation and timely political action are essential to ensure that Social Security and Medicare continue to play a.http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TRSUM/trsummary.html 2008 Annual Report of the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) 242 pages. Excerpt: "The Boards of Trustees issued their most recent report on March 25, 2008. The Trustees Report is a detailed, lengthy document, containing a substantial amount of information on the past and estimated future financial operations of the Hospital Insurance and Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds . . . . We recommend that readers begin with the 'Overview' section of the report. This section is fairly short, is written in 'plain English,' and summarizes all the key..http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ReportsTrustFunds/downloads/tr2008.pdf McCain Says Affluent Seniors Should Pay More for Medicare Drug Benefit- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Sen. John McCain will propose today that affluent seniors pay more for government-provided drug benefits as a way to control health-care spending . . . ." (The Washington Post; free registration required)http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041403056.html Assessing the Impact of Coverage Gaps in the Medicare Part D Drug Benefit (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "This study illustrates how beneficiaries faced with the full cost of their prescriptions reduce their overall utilization, a phenomenon that may become more common with increasing out-of-pocket expenses. Over time it appears that the coverage gap may negatively affect those suffering from chronic conditions by exacerbating the hurdles they already face." (Changes in Health Care Financing & Organization)http://www.hcfo.net/pdf/findings0408.pdf Cost Trends for Chronic-Condition Cohorts with Medicare Benefits (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) 36 pages. (Milliman)http://www.milliman.com/expertise/healthcare/publications/rr/pdfs/cost-trends-for-chronic-... Guidance Overview CMS Final Medicare Part D Regulations Affect Retiree Drug Subsidy (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) 3 pages. Excerpt: "CMS recently issued final regulations that make policy clarifications and technical corrections to its earlier final regulations on Medicare Part D. The regulations contain provisions affecting the retiree drug subsidy program, including clarification of rules regarding the timing of applications for the subsidy, submission of actuarial attestations upon a material change and changes to the rules for determining actuarial equivalence." (Buck Consultants)http://buckconsultants.com/buckconsultants/Portals/0/Documents/PUBLICATIONS/Newsletters/FY... Long-Term Care Insurance: Partnership Plans and the Impact of Other Legislation- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Why is true group long-term care so important Many Americans will have no way to pay for long-term care services when they are needed. Insurance for long-term care will not become widespread if only available on an individual basis, which means that the change will need to come first from employers. Group coverage needs to include employer contributions to make it affordable to employees and vesting to make it affordable to employers." (Milliman)http://www.milliman.com/expertise/healthcare/publications/true-group-ltc/partnership-plans... |