This week, we have an update on the Cigna Medicare Advantage sanctions being lifted, a study from the Census Bureau on the growth trend in our older population, and details on the changes coming to Medicare cards in 2018.
CMS lifts Medicare Advantage sanctions on Cigna | Modern Healthcare | June 16, 2017
The CMS has lifted sanctions it levied on Cigna Corp. in January 2016 after finding major problems with the health insurer’s Medicare Advantage plans, Cigna said Friday.
Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna may immediately resume marketing its Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and begin enrolling members with effective dates beginning July 1, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Read the full update on ModernHealthcare.com here.
The Nation’s Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports | PR Newswire | June 22, 2017
WASHINGTON, June 22, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The nation’s population has a distinctly older age profile than it did 16 years ago, according to new U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released today.
New detailed estimates show the nation’s median age — the age where half of the population is younger and the other half older — rose from 35.3 years on April 1, 2000, to 37.9 years on July 1, 2016.
“The baby-boom generation is largely responsible for this trend,” said Peter Borsella, a demographer in the Population Division. “Baby boomers began turning 65 in 2011 and will continue to do so for many years to come.”
Residents age 65 and over grew from 35.0 million in 2000, to 49.2 million in 2016, accounting for 12.4 percent and 15.2 percent of the total population, respectively.
See the full study on PRNewswire.com here.
New Medicare cards off greater protection to more than 57.7 million Americans | CMS | May 30, 2017
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is readying a fraud prevention initiative that removes Social Security numbers from Medicare cards to help combat identity theft, and safeguard taxpayer dollars. The new cards will use a unique, randomly-assigned number called a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI), to replace the Social Security-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) currently used on the Medicare card. CMS will begin mailing new cards in April 2018 and will meet the congressional deadline for replacing all Medicare cards by April 2019.