Medicare news: Young workers' benefits at center of fiscal debate; Feds seek to move seniors out of poorly rated plans

Although retirement may still be years away for these younger workers, key decisions could come in the looming debate on the nation's spending. Meanwhile, Medicare officials are sending letters to beneficiaries warning them that their plans are not meeting standards.

The Washington Post: Young Workers' Retirement Hopes Grow Bleaker Amid Economic Downturn
As Washington turns in the coming weeks from the presidential election to the long-term debt issues facing the nation, the discussions will center on whether the country can afford programs such as Social Security and Medicare in their current form (Fletcher, 11/5).

Kaiser Health News: Medicare Trying To Nudge Seniors Out Of Plans With Low Ratings
Medicare officials are trying a novel approach during this open enrollment season to gently nudge a half million beneficiaries out of 26 private drug and medical plans that have performed poorly over the past three years. It begins with letters informing seniors they are enrolled in a plan that received low ratings (Jaffe, 11/5).

Another news outlet examines a new twist in Medicare fraud -

The Miami Herald: Feds: Medicare Millions Moved To Cuba Through Canada, Trinidad And Mexico
A South Florida money-laundering network secretly transferred more than $30 million in illegal Medicare profits through a remittance firm with shell companies in not only Canada and Trinidad, but also in Mexico, according to court records filed Monday. Evidence of the widening network into Mexico surfaced in the federal plea agreement of a one-time Miami medical equipment provider who pleaded guilty Friday to his role in the money-laudering conspiracy (Weaver, 11/5).