Trending News Today: Some ACA Plan Premium Costs to Jump 25%

An investigation by the federal government found that physician listings in Medicare Advantage private directories are often wrong. They discovered errors in nearly half of the 5832 physicians listed for 54 plans, a level of error that caused much surprise, according to Kaiser Health News. A new rule will be implemented this year that requires Medicare Advantage plans to contact providers every 3 months and update directories with any changes with the hope of preventing a significant amount of errors.

Since Medicare does not cover dental services, many low income seniors go without needed dental care and regular cleanings, which can lead to pain and infections. A recent study found that more than one-third of low income seniors went without care for tooth decay from 2011 to 2014. Medicare Advantage managed care plans will provide dental coverage, but seniors have limited options in receiving this type of care since the coverage is typically minimal, according to Kaiser Health News.

The federal government has recently revealed that premiums for Affordable Care Act plans will increase by 25% next year, and some individuals will have fewer options. However, three-fourths of individuals will still be able to enroll in a plan that costs less than $100 per month with subsidies, The New York Times reported. If individuals choose to not enroll in health insurance, they could be fined $700 or more per person.