Trending News Today: Medicare Conversion Could Increase Out-of-Pocket Costs

Medicare’s seamless conversion could wind up costing beneficiaries thousands of dollars out-of-pocket. When a person becomes eligible for Medicare but has individual coverage, the company signs them up for their own Medicare Advantage plan, according to Kaiser Health News. The new coverage will take place 60 days after a letter notifying the beneficiary is sent, as long as they do not opt out.

A website run by the National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov) lists more than 210,000 clinical trials that patients can enroll in, according to California Healthline. Patients with certain conditions that cannot afford or have failed other treatments can enroll in these studies. But, the trial sponsors are not required to disclose associated charges with the patients, and some can be as high as $14,000.

A recent report found a lack of evidence for recommending full-body visual checks for skin cancer as a preventative service. Physicians believe these results do not emphasize the importance of visual screenings, according to Kaiser Health News. But, these screenings can still be beneficial to patients who are at high risk for skin cancer.