People who use financial advisors are more than twice as likely to feel confident in their retirement preparedness than people who don’t. That’s the conclusion of a recent report from the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute. 43 percent of U.S. pre-retirees surveyed who work with an advisor reported that they feel well prepared for retirement. In contrast, only 21 percent of …

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting changes in our lives has put physical, emotional and financial stress on a significant portion of the population, particularly seniors. A recent survey found nearly half of currently employed Americans between the ages of 56 and 75 polled said they were uncertain about when they would be able to retire as a result of …

The number of Medicare Advantage plans is increasing, as is the quality of care and services that Advantage beneficiaries receive, according to a new report. Medicare Advantage plans are at the forefront when it comes to providing value-based care, with beneficiaries having access to integrated health care plans that continue to innovate, according to the “State of Medicare Advantage” report …

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration have issued a final rule and guidance that paves the way for states to allow pharmacists and wholesalers to import prescription drugs in order to reduce costs for patients.  The final rule implements a provision of federal law that allows FDA-authorized programs to import prescription drugs from …

If the recent stock market volatility has you spooked, you’re not alone. The COVID-19 outbreak that has spread throughout the world, including the United States, has damaged global supply chains, completely depressed international travel and is likely to have a significant effect on many a company’s revenues and profits. But as the stock market goes through serious gyrations, bouncing wildly …

President Trump (in late September) issued three executive orders that would affect Medicare outpatient drug prices, protect people with pre-existing conditions from health insurance pricing discrimination and end surprise billing. The main, and most substantive, order would fix prices that Medicare pays for outpatient and pharmacy-sold pharmaceuticals to the lowest prices offered in comparable developed countries. The Trump administration had …

Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period begins Oct. 15. and runs through Dec. 7. This is the time to reassess your Medicare plans.  If you are a current Medicare recipient, in September you will receive your Annual Notice of Change from your Advantage plan or pharmaceutical plan company. This notice will highlight all of your plan’s changes for 2021. The open enrollment …

Americans have billions of dollars invested in deferred annuities. While these contracts offer countless advantages, including a guaranteed stream of income after retirement, most people simply aren’t aware of the many benefits deferred fixed annuities have to offer. Deferred annuities are designed for long-term savings. They can provide monthly or annual payments whenever the policyholder wants to start drawing from …

One of the biggest mistakes people make in planning their health and life coverage is assuming they’ll never need long-term care services, or that if they do need these services, they will pay for them with their savings. Many people shy away from long-term care insurance because they worry about premium hikes or the fact that if they don’t use …

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth could become a permanent and cost-saving fixture in Medicare after positive feedback by patients who used virtual visits to avoid meeting face to face. The use of telehealth was enabled by new regulations that granted waivers for using telemedicine during the pandemic to both Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees. The waivers, issued by the …