Medicare Advantage

Last month's congressional budget deal included some benefits for Medicare recipients that may reduce their drug expenses and increase the coverage for certain therapies.

Medicare Advantage plans say they offer good value and aim to keep patients healthy, but sicker people are far more likely than others to drop out because of lack of access to specific doctors.

A former medical director at two Florida insurance companies alleged the companies inflated fees by making patients appear sicker than they were or exaggerating the treatment that was provided.

At issue are alleged overpayments from the government to the the insurer UnitedHealth Group, which runs popular Medicare Advantage plans.

Audits show Medicare potentially overpaid five insurance plans by $128 million, yet the government recovered only $3 million. The finding adds to questions about oversight of Medicare Advantage plans.

Aging takes a toll on teeth, but Medicare doesn't cover most dental needs, and private plans often have skimpy coverage. That means people are paying out of pocket for care or going without.

Federal audits of 37 Medicare Advantage health plans cited 35 for overbilling the government. Many plans, for example, claimed patients with depression or diabetes were sicker than they actually were.

Privately run Medicare Advantage plans have overcharged the federal government by billions of dollars, yet Medicare hasn't been effective in recouping the excessive payments, an audit found.

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.

The Internal Revenue Service will evenly divvy up the amount divorced or legally separated spouses owe if they have to repay an insurance tax credit — unless they agree to a different arrangement.