Medicare recipients need to act now to pick their plans for 2018. The open enrollment period closes December 7. This enrollment period is usually the only chance Medicare recipients have each year to choose a new health plan — either switching between traditional Medicare and a private Medicare Advantage plan, changing from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or adding or changing prescription drug coverage. [Read more…]

On July 30, 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare as well as Medicaid into law. The following year, slightly more than 19 million older Americans had Medicare coverage.

Since then, Medicare has grown, and today covers more than 54 million Americans. And, since its inaugural year, a number of changes have been made including the addition of outpatient prescription drug benefits in 2003 when George W. Bush signed the Medicare Modernization Act into law.

However, even with changes over the years, one thing has remained a constant – enabling qualifying Americans easier access to physician care.

To recognize 50 years of providing Medicare coverage, Pennsylvania’s medical associations offer their thoughts on what Medicare has meant to the delivery of health care. [Read more…]