Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs Expected to Remain Stable in 2026

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing that average premiums, benefits, and plan choices for Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Medicare Part D prescription drug program are expected to remain stable in 2026. Average premiums are projected to decline in both the MA and Part D programs from 2025 to 2026. CMS is committed to ensuring these programs work for Medicare beneficiaries while maintaining access to high-quality, affordable healthcare options, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and making sure beneficiaries have the information they need to make informed choices about what is best for them.

CMS releases this key information, including 2026 premiums, benefits, and access to plan options for MA and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, ahead of the

Do Medicare, Medicaid cover weight loss drugs? It depends

(NewsNation) — Millions of Americans fighting obesity faced a setback last month when the Trump administration declined to allow Medicare and Medicaid to cover popular weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last month rejected a Biden proposal that would have required Medicare and Medicaid to cover the drugs. According to The New York Times, the most popular of the drugs are Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, and Zepbound, made by Eli Lilly.

The drugs for diabetes are manufactured under the names Ozempic and Mounjaro. Medicare covers the medications for diabetic patients, as well as a small subset who are obese and have a heart condition or sleep apnea.

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Five Medicare Changes Coming in 2026

Knowing how Medicare is evolving and which benefits you can rely on will help you focus on whether Original Medicare or a particular Medicare Advantage plan will serve you best. Medical costs are going up every year and there are a number of factors at work; inflation and medical advancements, such as biosimilars, are helping to drive costs up.

According to Fidelity, a 65-year-old retiring in 2024 can expect to spend an average of $165,000 in health care and medical expenses throughout retirement. One way to manage your costs is by selecting the best Medicare policy for you.

While we are about five months away from Medicare open enrollment, the state of Medicare has been