Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Check your Sources, please!

During election years, things can get very contentious. No matter whether you're a member of the Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Green Party, or whatever, you must think before you believe! Here's an example. One of my friends on Facebook posted a letter, supposedly from Blue Cross Blue Shield, that states that in 2014 under "Obamacare," Medicare monthly premiums will rise to $247 (more than double what they are now). When I see something like this that even smells like it might be a story, I go to FactCheck.org, a non-partisan website that vets all kinds of stories for factual content. What did it say about the letter from "Blue Cross Blue Shield?"
"Medicare officials project the basic premium will be less than half that. But the law will eventually cause 14 percent of seniors with incomes over $85,000 a year ($170,000 for couples) to pay higher “income-related” premiums, up from 5 percent currently."
And furthermore,
"Actually, only 27 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are paying the basic rate. The rest — 73 percent — are paying less under a “hold harmless” provision triggered by the lack of a cost-of-living increase in Social Security this year or last year. Most are still paying $96.40.
As for the future, nobody can say with precision what the basic Part B premium will be next year or the year after, let alone in 2014. The premium is set each year at a level calculated to pay for 25 percent of the cost of the coverage. Medicare officials do keep close watch on the trends, however. And when we contacted Medicare’s Office of the Actuary, we were given these projections — the most recent available — which are current as of the president’s budget for fiscal year 2012 issued in mid-February:
Medicare Part B Standard Premium (projected, February 2011)
2012 $108.20
2013 $112.10
2014 $117.10

Source: Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Office of theActuary
Please feel free to  bookmark the Factcheck.org site and use it before believing for truth that next chain letter, or worse, before you click the forward button on your email and spread untruths. The truth will set you free!





Sunday, July 8, 2012

Happy birthday to us!!!!!

It's our third birthday! We are so happy, and feel so grateful, to be celebrating our third anniversary in this community. Thank you, all, for the support and the trust you've given us. We look forward to serving you throughout many more years.