The Managed Minute No. 1
The team at Managed Healthcare Executive is thrilled to unveil The Managed Minute, a new newsletter highlighting the latest insights in managed care!
Be sure to subscribe to follow along!
We had a busy month here at Managed Healthcare Executive, especially with the 2024 Presidential Election. Medicare enrollment season is also in full swing until Dec. 7, sparking interest and opportunity for enrollees…and scammers.
RFK Jr. and Oz, the Political Dynamics of the Trump Healthcare Duo
President-elect Donald Trump announced Nov. 14 that his pick for the head the Department of Health and Human Services was Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 70, a choice that stirred controversy because of RFK’s anti-vaccine views. ?
Prior to his nomination, Kennedy has also criticized the nutritional value of breakfast cereal such as Froot Loops.
Kennedy joins Mehmet Oz, M.D., 64, of Dr. Oz fame who was also recently endorsed by Trump CMS administrator.
The Republicans currently control the Senate, 53 – 47. Senate confirmation of Kennedy and Oz only requires a majority vote.
?Trump has yet to reveal his nominations for: FDA Commissioner, the National Institutes of Health director, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director and the Surgeon General. ?
??
Trump Picks Oz for CMS Administrator
As the new president-elect, Donald J. Trump, prepares to take office for a second term, he has been nominating cabinet members. This week, he nominated Mehmet Oz, M.D., 64, as CMS administrator, which runs the country’s the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Dr. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon by trade, rose to fame as the host of “The Dr. Oz Show,”?the popular but controversial daytime program that addressed viewers' health-and-wellness concerns and offered advice. It ran from 2009 to 2022.
?
?A Hot Take: What the Trump Win Will Mean for U.S. Healthcare
Donald J. Trump won the popular vote in the 2024 Presidential Election held on Nov. 5. Except for abortion, healthcare issues have stayed largely in the background, with issues such as immigration taking the spotlight.
?Attention is now turning to how the new administration will handle federal healthcare policies, specifically the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Medicare Open Enrollment Attracts Enrollees and Scammers Alike
Interested Medicare enrollees aren’t the only ones paying attention this enrollment season - healthcare scammers are waiting on the wings.
?Medicare fraud costs Americans an estimated $60 billion every year, according to the Social Security Administration.
?To combat this, the Federal Trade Commission released a consumer alert warning enrollees how, when and where these scammers may attempt to contact them.
A majority (89.4%) of Medicare enrollees in the United States are age 65 and older. Scammers most often use the phone to trick enrollees, offering them discounts and free medical equipment in exchange for their Social Security number or credit card information.
Suspicious activity can be reported by calling 1-800-633-4227 or through your local SMP. A list of local patrols can be found on their?website ?or by calling 1-877-808-2468.