The Healthcare News Network is a free daily guide to healthcare news for everyday readers and seniors. Each morning we explain the most important Medicare, insurance, medicine and public health news in plain English, with links to the original reporting.
Official: Social Security's 2027 raise
Social Security benefits will rise 3.6% in 2027, the largest increase since 2023
Social Security set next year's cost-of-living adjustment at 3.6% this morning, up from 2.8% for 2026. The typical retiree should see about $75 more a month starting with January checks, though a higher Medicare Part B premium will eat into that for most people. Personalized notices post to my Social Security accounts, and paper letters arrive by December.
3.6%
Official 2027 cost-of-living adjustment, up from 2.8% this year
~$75
Approximate monthly increase for the average retired worker; about $59 for average disability and survivor benefits
Jan. 2027
First higher Social Security payment; SSI's higher payment arrives Dec. 31
The yearly cap on covered drug costs goes up $300 and the deductible rises $85 to $700. The cap only counts drugs your plan covers, so confirm your medicines are on its list when open enrollment starts Thursday.
That's down from 32 this year and 36 at the 2024 peak, KFF found. Texas lost the most choices, followed by Illinois and Ohio. Benefits, networks and drug lists change every year, so compare your current plan against the others.
HealthPartners, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross are dropping or reshaping some plans. People moved automatically into a different plan may pay more or lose a doctor. Free help: Minnesota Aging Pathways at 800-333-2433.
Federal checks found people who also had Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP, or who had died. Anyone flagged gets 30 days to dispute the record or drop the extra coverage, so open any letter from the Marketplace right away.
Cigna, CareSource, Medica, PacificSource, Providence, Baylor Scott & White and Mending are exiting markets, forcing some enrollees in 20 states to choose a new plan. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 to Jan. 15 in most states.
Proposed Treasury and IRS rules would limit the credits to citizens, U.S. nationals and certain lawfully present immigrants, and add new verification steps before advance payments go out. These are proposals, not final rules, so watch for any Marketplace request to confirm your information.
Aurobindo is recalling Amazon Basic Care Extra Strength 500 mg caplets in 200-, 500- and 1,000-count bottles after complaints of discolored tablets. No injuries have been reported; check your bottle's lot number against the published list.
The immunotherapy, given with BCG, can now be used for high-grade papillary-only tumors that stopped responding to BCG. In the trial behind the approval, 62% of patients had a complete response. Ask your urologist whether it fits your case.
Records obtained by STAT tie Vykat XR to seven deaths and nearly 100 hospital stays since its approval, though reports like these don't prove the drug was the cause. Families should talk with their child's doctor before making any change.
A 39-year-old Franklin County woman with other health problems died Oct. 10. Pennsylvania has topped 1,000 cases, more than a quarter of the 4,080 counted nationwide. If you're unsure about your MMR shots, ask your doctor.
CDC data show activity rising but still low nationally. Adults 65 and older have the highest hospital admission rate. Shots take about two weeks to work, and you can get flu and COVID vaccines at the same visit.
The state added more than 50 confirmed cases Tuesday, led by Laurel, Christian and Trigg counties, and nine people have been hospitalized. About 90% of Kentucky kindergartners are fully vaccinated. Two MMR doses give about 97% protection.
In an Axios-Ipsos survey, 43% backed it, 24% opposed it and about a third were unsure. Two-thirds said government should spend more to bring down health costs.
The American Hospital Association and four small hospitals say switching from upfront discounts to after-the-fact rebates, set for January, could cost them over $1 billion a year and drain thin cash reserves.
The program helped 583 children last year, with at least 1,000 more on waitlists. Lawmakers will decide; if it's cut, services would run through August 2027.
The nation's largest health insurer earned $6.6 billion from operations in the third quarter and now expects at least $19.50 a share for the year. It is also trimming some Medicare Advantage networks for 2027, so check that your doctors stay in-network.
The new operator of Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall stopped labor and delivery in September. Expectant mothers now drive 30 minutes to over an hour to Sedalia or Warrensburg, though prenatal care continues locally.
The Beacon
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The Healthcare News Network (THCNN) is a free daily healthcare news site for everyday readers and seniors. Each morning we summarize the day's most important health news in plain English, with a link to the original reporting. It is published by GEMSI in South Florida.
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