Reviewed October 2, 2026. Original Medicare doesn’t pay for hearing aids or the exams to fit them, so you pay the full cost unless you have other coverage. Many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans add hearing benefits, often a yearly routine hearing exam and an allowance or set copay toward hearing aids. Part B does
Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids? Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage Read More »
Reviewed October 17, 2026. You’re dual eligible if you have Medicare and also qualify for Medicaid, either full Medicaid benefits or a Medicare Savings Program that helps pay Medicare premiums and cost sharing. About 12.5 million people were dual eligible on average in fiscal year 2025, according to CMS. Duals automatically get Extra Help with
Dual Eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid in 2027: Who Qualifies and What You Get Read More »
Reviewed October 7, 2026. The Medicare donut hole is gone. The “donut hole,” or coverage gap, was a phase of Medicare Part D where you paid a bigger share of your drug costs. It ended on January 1, 2025, when the Inflation Reduction Act redesigned Part D. In 2026, your out-of-pocket spending on covered Part
Medicare Donut Hole 2026: Is the Coverage Gap Gone? Read More »
Reviewed October 7, 2026. Yes, you can get premium-free Medicare Part A on your spouse’s work record. If you didn’t work long enough to earn it yourself, you qualify at age 65 when your spouse (current, divorced or deceased) receives or is eligible to receive Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits (SSA). Your spouse’s record
Medicare on Your Spouse’s Work Record: Who Qualifies Read More »
Reviewed October 2, 2026. Medicare coordination of benefits (COB) is the set of rules that decides which insurance pays first when you have Medicare plus other coverage, such as an employer plan, COBRA, retiree coverage, Medicaid, TRICARE or workers’ compensation. The “primary” payer pays first up to its limits, and the “secondary” payer may pick
Medicare Coordination of Benefits: Who Pays First and How to Update Your Records Read More »
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Florida’s top-ranked hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report 2026-2027 Best Hospitals rankings, released August 4, 2026, include Mayo Clinic-Florida in Jacksonville, AdventHealth Orlando, UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Cleveland Clinic Weston and Tampa General Hospital. If you’re on Medicare, a ranking is only half the picture: you also
Top-Ranked Hospitals in Florida (2026-2027) and Medicare Read More »
Reviewed October 17, 2026. IBX Personal Choice 65 is Independence Blue Cross’s Medicare Advantage PPO for southeastern Pennsylvania. For 2027, IBX lists three individual Personal Choice 65 PPO plans: Personal Choice 65 Rx PPO, Personal Choice 65 Achieve Rx PPO and Personal Choice 65 Medical-Only PPO. The Rx PPO costs $207 a month in Chester,
IBX Personal Choice 65 PPO 2027: Plans, Costs and Benefits Read More »
Reviewed October 4, 2026. The biggest Medicare changes for 2027 are in prescription drug coverage: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 and the standard deductible to $700, while negotiated prices for 15 more drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, take effect January 1, 2027. CMS also projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall
Medicare Changes for 2027: Part D Cap, Premiums and Drug Prices Read More »
Reviewed October 2, 2026. You can pay a Medicare premium bill four ways: online through your Medicare account, automatically with Medicare Easy Pay, through your bank’s online bill pay, or by mailing a check, money order or card payment to the Medicare Premium Collection Center in St. Louis. Most people never get a bill because
How to Pay Your Medicare Premium: Bills, Due Dates and Payment Options Read More »
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Medicare doesn’t pay for assisted living. Medicaid can help, but only through state programs, usually home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers, that pay for care services such as personal care, medication help and nursing in an assisted living residence. Federal rules generally don’t let these waivers pay room and board, so
Medicaid and Medicare Assisted Living Programs: What Is Covered in 2027 Read More »
