Susan Jaffe

Some seniors got dozens of COVID tests they never ordered. Bad actors may have used seniors' Medicare information to improperly bill the federal government — and could do it again, investigators say.

Even the savviest Medicare drug plan shoppers can get a shock when they fill prescriptions: That great deal on medications in fall is no bargain after prices go up as much as 8% by winter.

With a deadline for Medicare enrollment looming, some lawmakers and advocates are concerned that Medicare hasn't done enough to reach out to consumers who might be affected by website problems.

A billing glitch could cause lapses in private drug policies and Medicare Advantage plans that provide both medical and drug coverage. Premiums weren't deducted from some Social Security checks.

To help seniors stay healthy and independent, some Medicare plans will soon cover things like home-delivered meals or rides to the doctor, but finding plans that include the coverage is not easy.

Federal officials will allow private Medicare insurance plans to require patients who are candidates for certain expensive drugs to try cheaper drugs first.

Sometimes a drug plan's copay is higher than the cash price, but insurance rules keep pharmacists from telling Medicare beneficiaries unless they ask.

People who mistakenly stayed on marketplace health plans after they qualified for Medicare may be eligible to have Medicare penalties reduced or waived, if they apply for the waiver by Sept. 30.

Many seniors are denied coverage for rehabilitation because therapists mistakenly believe that patients must be improving to qualify. A new legal order seeks to clarify the standards.

Under a settlement in 2013, Medicare was supposed to make clear to physical therapists that their services are covered even if beneficiaries aren't improving. But that hasn't been widely accepted.

As more seniors keep working and maintain health coverage on the job, there is greater potential for costly confusion about when and how to sign up for Medicare.

A Department of Health and Human Services proposal and an increase in funding could reduce the backlog in appeals of denied Medicare claims by 2021, six years sooner than without the changes.

Counselors nationwide have helped 7 million people choose Medicare plans, challenge coverage denials and get subsidies. But some senators just voted to spend the money on other causes.

Cuts in provider networks spurred Medicare officials to allow more than 15,000 Medicare Advantage members to pick new plans in seven states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Editor's note: A version of this story first ran on Sept. 23, 2015. It has been updated to reflect the current ages of the subjects.

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