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Government shutdown looms after Trump-backed bill fails; Environmental groups sue CA Air Resources Board over biogas credits; NY elected officials work to electrify municipal buildings; Need a mental health boost? Talking hot dog is here.

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President-elect Trump repeats his threats to jail Jan. 6th committee members, while also putting a stop-gap spending plan in jeopardy. A court removes Fani Willis from Trump's Georgia election interference case. The FAA restricts drones in New Jersey, and a Federal Reserve rate cut shakes markets.

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Rural folks could soon be shut out of loans for natural disasters if Project 2025 has its way, Taos, New Mexico weighs options for its housing shortage, and the top states providing America's Christmas trees revealed.

NY senior advocates see advantages to dual-use special needs plans

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Thursday, March 28, 2024   

Senior and older adult advocates in New York find certain healthcare plans are helping people get the best bang for their buck.

Dual-eligible special-needs plans offer Medicare and Medicaid coverage together for eligible people. These plans are designed for those who have low incomes, certain medical conditions, and unique health care requirements. In New York, 42% of eligible residents were registered for the plans in 2021.

Heather Leddick, the Health Insurance Information, Counseling, and Assistance Program's insurance information coordinator at the New York State Office for the Aging, described how the plans help those with chronic illnesses.

"They may have access to a network of providers who again specialize in their condition, and offer better coverage for prescription drugs used to treat their condition," Leddick outlined.

She added because the programs offer both Medicare and Medicaid coverage, they have Medicare's preventive benefits such as exams, shots, lab tests, and screenings. Along with Medicare Parts A and B coverage and Medicaid benefits, the plans can have other lifestyle benefits. Some include coverage for glasses and hearing aids, as well as allowances for daily items such as healthy foods and other over-the-counter products.

The pandemic has bolstered concerns about being insured, though a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found the uninsured rate dropped 18% during those years.

Dr. Gina Williams, associate medical director for UnitedHealthcare, said people should be better informed about preventive care post-pandemic.

"Everybody's kind of going into a phase where they're not only thinking about acute illness, but they're thinking about overall care," Williams observed. "What was the impact of the pandemic from a psychological standpoint? Do you need more support and then you also need more coordination of benefits?"

More people have been losing coverage because the public health emergency ended. The Commonwealth Fund reported as of midsummer 2023, close to 4 million people lost their Medicaid coverage. Overall estimates show nearly 15 million people will lose their coverage as the process continues.

Disclosure: UnitedHealthcare contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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