Kitchie McBride, MHA

"Wellness is a journey, not a destination." Unknown

“A top reason for disenrolling people from Medicaid is that they no longer meet the financial requirements to be eligible — such as income at or below 80% of federal poverty levels.

While the ineligibility data could point to higher incomes which can be a good thing for people, policy analysts at The Commonwealth Institute caution that is not always the case when it comes to health insurance coverage.”

Nearly 500,000 Virginians in Medicaid have been disenrolled • Virginia Mercury Of the roughly 2 million Virginians who’d been enrolled in Medicaid before COVID-19 pandemic, over 480,000 have been disenrolled as of August.

Maryland,
If you have one of these life events, you have 60 days to enroll or change plans. Please call my office to book an appointment 301-882-5822. Virtual/zoom and phone appointments available.

- Getting married or divorced

- Having a child, adopting a child, or placing a child for adoption or in foster care

- Certain changes in income

- Moving to Maryland, and some moves within the state

- Gaining or losing a dependent

- Certain losses of other health coverage, such as job-based coverage

- Becoming ineligible for Medicaid or MCHP

- COBRA coverage period ends

- Change of citizenship or immigration status

- Incarceration or release from incarceration

- Change in status as an American Indian/Alaska Native

- Getting pregnant: you have 90 days from the time your pregnancy is confirmed to enroll.

- Turning 26 years old if you are enrolled in coverage on a parent’s plan. You have until the end of the year you turn 26 to enroll.

Kitchie McBride, MHA
KM Health Insurance Services
Independent & Licensed Health Insurance Broker
📞 301-882-5822 📱

Kitchie McBride, MHA Educating and assisting you in shopping for and enrolling in a suitable health plan.

On August 14, 1935 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law.

Today, Aug. 14, 2024 marks the 89th anniversary of the Social Security Act of 1935.

"Being healthy is a success that many people forget to celebrate."
-Unknown

Kitchie McBride, MHA Educating and assisting you in shopping for and enrolling in a suitable health plan.

Team USA Marylanders will bring home 11 medals from the Olympics!!

If we were a country, we'd be tied with Kenya and Sweden for the 19th slot in total medals won!

Accounts in the marketplace are tax household accounts.
See comments for more information.

Meet the ‘Little City’ in Virginia That’s America’s Healthiest Community

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-08-06/why-falls-church-virginia-is-americas-healthiest-community

Healthiest Communities Rankings
Measuring health and wellness across the U.S. using 92 metrics

https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/rankings

Why Falls Church Is the Healthiest Community in America Education and walkability help the D.C. suburb of Falls Church rise to No. 1 in U.S. News' 2024 Healthiest Communities rankings.

If you’re eligible for Medicaid or the Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP), you can enroll any time of year.

"You can't build wealth without health."

km health insurance services Independent & licensed health insurance broker committed to helping you transform your health which helps retain your wealth.

How does medical inflation compare to inflation in the rest of the economy?

“This brief analyzes prices for medical care compared to other goods and services using consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).”

Read more ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

How does medical inflation compare to inflation in the rest of the economy? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker In March 2024, medical inflation was 2.2% from the same time last year. This was lower than inflation in the overall economy, which was 3.5%.

Key Takeaways

Changes to the Part D benefit in the Inflation Reduction Act will mean lower out-of-pocket costs for Part D enrollees but higher costs for Part D plans overall, leading to concerns about possible premium increases.

CMS is taking steps to mitigate potential premium increases through a new demonstration program for stand-alone drug plans, as well as payment changes designed to bring greater stability to the Part D market in 2025.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes a provision to cap growth in the base beneficiary premium to 6%. For 2025, the base premium is $36.78, an increase of $2.08 or 6% over the 2024 base premium. Although this 6% cap doesn’t apply to the individual premiums that plans charge, it does help to limit premium increases.

Actual Part D plan premiums for 2025 are not yet known and will be announced in September, but premiums are expected to vary, with lower monthly premiums for Medicare Advantage drug plans than stand-alone drug plans, on average, as in 2024. The annual open enrollment period, which runs from October 15 to December 7, presents an opportunity for Part D enrollees to compare plans and shop for lower-priced coverage that meets their needs.

Read more...

What to Know About Medicare Part D Premiums | KFF Changes to the Medicare Part D benefit in the Inflation Reduction Act will mean lower out-of-pocket costs for Part D enrollees but higher costs for Part D plans overall, leading to concerns about possible premium increases. These FAQs provide context for understanding Part D premiums in 2025 and cha...

Virginia's 3-Day Sales Tax Holiday
August 2-4, 2024

Kitchie McBride, MHA Educating and assisting you in shopping for and enrolling in a suitable health plan.

Happy Birthday Medicare 🎂

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law legislation that established the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

At the bill-signing ceremony President Johnson enrolled President Truman as the first Medicare beneficiary and presented him with the first Medicare card.

Read more…
https://www.ssa.gov/history/lbjsm.html

If too many meds create too many side-effects, deprescribing might be the answer

Taking all those pills may not be necessary | CBC News Taking too many prescription pills may cause side-effects and potential problems. Deprescribing from medications that are no longer necessary to a patient’s health may relieve side-effects and improve health.

“Starting in 2025, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan provides the option to people with Medicare prescription drug coverage to spread the costs of their prescription drugs over the calendar year rather than paying in full at the pharmacy counter each time they fill a prescription. People with Medicare must opt into the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to utilize the new benefit.

This payment option launches at the same time that everyone with Medicare prescription drug coverage will begin to have their annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs capped at $2,000.”

What’s the Impact?

Read more…

CMS to spread awareness of Rx payment plan through guidance People with Medicare must opt into the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to utilize the new benefit, CMS said.

“Healthcare costs are set to rise between 7% and 8% in 2025, according to a new report from PwC.

The analysis comes from PwC's Health Research Insitute and projects that costs will rise 8% year-over-year in the group market and 7.5% in the individual market. That spending growth is likely to reach a 13-year high, according to the analysis.

Factors behind the increases in spending include ongoing inflationary pressures, prescription drug spend and increases in utilization for behavioral health, according to the report.”

Read more…

Healthcare costs set to rise by as much as 8% in 2025: PwC Healthcare costs are set to rise between 7% and 8% in 2025, according to a new report from PwC. | Healthcare costs are set to rise between 7% and 8% in 2025, according to a new report from PwC.

US News' top hospitals for 15 specialties: 2024-25
U.S. News & World Report published its "Best Hospitals" rankings and ratings for 2024-25 on July 16, including specialty rankings.

The rankings and ratings assess nearly 5,000 hospitals in 35 medical and surgical services.

The specialty rankings examine hospital performance in 15 specialties or specialty areas.

For 12 of the specialties, whether and how high a hospital is ranked is determined by data-driven analysis combining performance measures in three dimensions: structure, process and outcomes, according to the media company. Rankings for ophthalmology, psychiatry and rheumatology are based on expert opinion surveys of board-certified physicians. More information about the methodology is available here.

Below are the top three hospitals for each of the 15 specialties:

Note: The list includes ties. Of approximately 4,500 hospitals, 164 earned a national ranking in one or more specialties.

Read more...

www.beckershospitalreview.com

STAY SAFE! Prevent heat-related illnesses from becoming a dangerous heat stroke. Heat Safety Tips:
☀️Get out of the sun & into a cool place, ideally with AC.
🚰Drink fluids but avoid alcohol and caffeine.
🚿Shower, bathe, or sponge off with cool water.
💤 Lie down and rest.

Extreme heat and some medicines can be a risky combo. Here’s what to know

“If you know you’re going to be at work all day, or if you’re on vacation, and you get medications delivered, you definitely don’t want that sitting outside in the hot 100-degree sun,” Ren said. If you think your mail-order medication has been damaged by the heat, call the pharmacy to report the problem."

Read more...

Extreme heat and some medicines can be a risky combo. Here's what to know This summer’s extreme heat is raising the danger of heat-related illnesses and threatening health in a more subtle way — by amplifying the side effects of many common medications.

"In March 2023, the Maryland Department of Health began the laborious process of evaluating the eligibility of 1.8 million Marylanders who had Medicaid coverage, many as a result of pandemic-era policies designed to boost enrollment.

A year after that “unwinding” began, a total of 1,687,343 Marylanders still had health care through Medicaid, according to department data released Thursday.

“We are very proud of the work and the efforts to ensure we did everything that we possibly could to ensure that every single eligible Marylander remained covered,” said Ryan Moran, the health department’s deputy secretary for health care financing. “Today does mark a monumentous effort.”

The new numbers come one day after Gov. Wes Moore (D) proposed $150 million in cuts... "

read more...

After a year of 'unwinding,' Maryland Medicaid rolls drop from 1.8 million to 1.69 million - Maryland Matters In March 2023, state officials began the laborious process of evaluating the eligibility of 1.8 million Marylanders who had Medicaid coverage. A year after that "unwinding" began, 1.7 million Marylanders still had Medicaid coverage, officials said Thursday.

Maryland continues success in re-enrolling residents in Medicaid

Over the first year of Medicaid “unwinding,” Maryland kept about 70% of eligible people on the health plan.
“The department was very intentional and making exhaustive efforts to ensure that every single person who was eligible for coverage through this renewal process retain their coverage,” Deputy Secretary of Health Care Financing and Medicaid Director Ryan Moran told WYPR.

The state renewed about 1.5 million people for Medicaid over the last year. It also added about 180,000 people, bringing the total number of people on Medicaid in Maryland to about 1.68 million. That is about 250,000 more than when COVID started.

“Maryland is honored to be recognized as a national leader for its redetermination efforts, ranking among the top ten states by the Kaiser Family Foundation for its exceptional performance in retaining enrollees,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “Our unwinding efforts over the past year is a testament to the Moore-Miller administration’s commitment to leave no one behind.”

Maryland continues success in re-enrolling residents in Medicaid The federal governmental stopped automatic re-enrollment about a year ago.

How to Find a Good, Well-Staffed Nursing Home
✔️ How do I find nursing homes worth considering?
✔️ What should I find out before visiting a home?
✔️ How can I tell if a home has adequate staffing?
✔️ Does a home with three, four, or five stars provide good care?
✔️ How many workers are enough?
✔️ What should I look for when I visit a home?
✔️ What should I ask residents and families in the home?
✔️ What do I need to know about a home’s leadership?
✔️ Does it matter who owns the home?

How to Find a Good, Well-Staffed Nursing Home - KFF Health News Here are the telltale signs to look for in nursing homes to avoid, and resources that can point to better places.

https://medium.com//this-or-that-weight-loss-medications-or-surgery-7a326c19cb70?sk=fc20f3d51950366df49aecac005ae3a8

This or That: Weight Loss Medications or Surgery? Which one is for you?

...though heart disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer, people living in rural areas are dying earlier and more often from heart disease that could've been prevented, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published in May."

Nearly half of U.S. counties don't have a single cardiologist Around 22 million people live in counties that are "cardiology deserts" and need to travel nearly 90 miles round trip to seek specialty heart care.

"The researchers found that the reported acceptability of the hospital-at-home was 47.2 percent. In the effectiveness domain, 55.8 percent strongly agreed or agreed that people recover faster at home than in the hospital. Further, 58.8 percent strongly agreed or agreed with feeling safe being treated at home, and 49 percent strongly agreed or agreed with being more comfortable if treated at home rather than the hospital."

Read more...

Americans embrace hospital-at-home care & associated caregiving tasks Survey results show that more than half of US adults find hospital-at-home care effective and safe, and most said they can perform the caregiving tasks required.

64 prescription drugs subject to coinsurance rate adjustments July 1 to Sept. 30

You can find the official list here -https://www.cms.gov/files/document/reduced-coinsurance-certain-part-b-rebatable-drugs-july-1-september-30-2024.pdf

Abecma
Abilify Maintena
Adcetris
Akynzeo Capsule
Atgam
Aveed
Beleodaq
Bicillin C-R
Bicillin L-A
Blincyto
Breyanzi
Briumvi
Cefepime (from B. Braun and Baxter)
Chirhostim
Cresemba
Crysvita
Cuvitru
Cytogam
Envarsus Xr
Evenity
Fosaprepitant
Fragmin
Fyarro
Gemcitabine (from Accord)
Imlygic
Ixempra
Kepivance
Kimmtrak
Kinevac
Krystexxa
Kymriah
Kyprolis
Leukine
Lupron Depot-Ped
Meropenem (from B. Braun)
Minocin
Nexterone (from Baxter)
Nipent
Nplate
Nuzyra
Oncaspar
Orbactiv
Padcev
Panhematin
Prolia
Rybrevant
Rylaze
Signifor Lar
Sotalol (from AltaThera)
Sylvant
Tigan
Tivdak
Trogarzo
Vabomere
Vectibix
Vivitrol
Vyepti
Vyxeos
Xerava
Xiaflex
Yescarta
Zemdri
Zerbaxa
Zoladex

https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2024/medicare-prescription-price-cuts.html

64 Medicare Medications Getting More Affordable The coinsurance rates for certain Part B drugs are being lowered

I teach my clients how to use their health plan’s benefits (especially for preventive care). Living a healthy life, maintaining healthy habits, and getting the care you need to manage and maintain your chronic conditions will significantly help you lower your healthcare costs.

Lack of Affordability Tops Older Americans’ List of Health Care Worries - KFF Health News Rising health care costs are fueling anxiety among older Americans covered by Medicare. They’re right to be concerned.