Core Insights - Medicare assists in reducing medical costs for retirees, yet healthcare spending significantly impacts their savings [1][10] Financial Impact on Retirees - A typical retiree retains only 88% of their total income and 71% of their Social Security benefits after out-of-pocket medical expenses [2][10] - Out-of-pocket costs encompass insurance premiums, doctor's visits, and prescription drugs [2] - The Social Security trust fund is projected to deplete by 2033, potentially reducing benefits to 77% of expected amounts for recipients [4] Medicare Coverage Considerations - Choosing the appropriate Medicare plan is crucial, as Medicare Advantage may not always lead to savings compared to Original Medicare [5][10] - Medicare Advantage plans, offered by private insurers, can have additional premiums and limit provider networks, which may affect retirees' choices [6][8] - Both Medicare-only and Medicare Advantage policyholders spend a similar percentage of their income on medical expenses, with 87% and 88% of retirement income remaining after costs, respectively [7] Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) - HSAs provide a tax-advantaged way to save for medical expenses, but contributions cease upon enrolling in Medicare [11] - HSA funds can be invested and used for Medicare premiums in retirement, offering a strategic financial tool for managing healthcare costs [11]

Alexandria, Va., Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  The National Community Pharmacists Association cheered an announcement by the Federal Trade Commission today that insurance giant Cigna has agreed to make big concessions to help remedy years of unfair business practices that have plagued consumers with higher drug prices and hurt independent pharmacies by stifling competition. “This settlement will help lower consumers’ copays that have been tied to artificially inflated prices that feed Cigna’s insatiabl ...

Cigna Corp's Express Scripts has settled the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's claims its insulin pricing practices violated antitrust and consumer protection laws, and agreed to changes aimed at loweri... ...

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), a health and well-being company focused on helping people live their healthiest lives, today released its latest Value-Based Care By the Numbers Report. The findings show that value-based care helps Medicare Advantage patients receive more personalized, preventive care while improving their overall health experience. Every path in value-based care leads to one goal: helping people achieve their best health." -Alex Ding, M.D., Deputy Chief Medical Of ...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zynex, Inc. (ZYXIQ), an innovative medical device company specializing in non-invasive medical devices for pain management, announced it has for the first time entered into a provider agreement with Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), effective February 1, 2026. About Zynex, Inc. Zynex, founded in 1996, is a pain management device manufacturer and distributor. For additional information, visit: www.zynex.com. Investor Relations Contact: Vikram Bajaj, CFO E-mail: [email pr ...

UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH), CVS Health Corp. (NYSE:CVS), and Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) declined last week, but while investors focused on the Donald Trump administration’s proposed near-zero increase in Medicare Advantage, another major regulatory threat emerged late Thursday that could squeeze the industry’s profits from the other end. Shining A Light On ‘Ghost’ Billions The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), on Jan. 29, issued a landmark proposed regulation demanding “radical transparency” from Pharma ...

across key sectors including Financial Services, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Retail, and Manufacturing. The partnership will embed agentic AI and Copilot powered by Work IQ, Foundry IQ and Fabric IQ capabilities into mission-critical workflows. This partnership also expands on the Cognizant Neuro® AI Suite of offerings Cognizant is bringing to the market which leverage Microsoft cloud and AI services.- Adopted Anthropic's Claude, one of the world's most powerful family of large language models (LLMs), to ...

UnitedHealth stock has lost close to half of its value within just the past 12 months.UnitedHealth Group (UNH 0.49%) is a stock that looks to be in deep trouble. As of the end of January, it was already down 13% in 2026. And that's after an already brutal year in 2025, when it fell 35% in value. Investors have been dumping the stock in droves, as things appear to be going from bad to worse.The company recently released its latest quarterly results, which only exacerbated concerns about its future and whethe ...

Core Insights - The Vincent Country Safe Zone Activity Day, presented by Cigna Healthcare, is a community initiative aimed at enhancing the educational and wellness experiences of students at Burckhalter Elementary School, with a focus on long-term impact and support for the whole child [1][3][13] Investment and Resources - The event celebrated a collective investment in Burckhalter Elementary School, unveiling enhancements such as a new soccer turf field, an adaptive agility mat, a food pantry, and a community mural, contributing nearly $745,000 in funding and resources since its inception [2][3][9] - New partners, including the Playing for Keeps Association, supported the installation of the first full-size turf soccer field at the school, creating a dedicated green space for physical activity [4][5] Community Engagement - The event brought together corporate, nonprofit, and philanthropic partners, including Cigna Healthcare, Chick-fil-A, and Google, to provide various resources such as health screenings, meals, and STEM learning experiences for students [3][9][11] - Stand Together and Cigna Healthcare collaborated with the Kevin Love Fund to provide mental health resources for educators, emphasizing the importance of community support [8][10] Educational Impact - The initiative has positively impacted over 4,800 students and 640 educators, focusing on physical, emotional, academic, and creative support to foster an environment where children feel seen and inspired [2][3][13] - The NFL FLAG program was integrated into the event, promoting youth participation in sports and expanding access to flag football [12] Long-term Commitment - The virtual fundraising component of the event aims to raise additional funds and resources for Burckhalter Elementary School, with participation from NFL Legends and community leaders [16] - Ongoing partnerships with organizations like Infinite Athlete and Zebra Technologies ensure continued support for educational resources and creative expression at the school [6][7][11]

Core Insights - Humana has launched Agent Assist, an AI-driven support tool developed in collaboration with Google Cloud to enhance member advocacy in health insurance [1][2] - The initiative signifies a broader trend of AI adoption in healthcare operations and customer service [2][6] Group 1: Tool Features and Functionality - Agent Assist utilizes Google Cloud technologies, including Vertex AI and Gemini, to support over 20,000 member advocates across Humana's service centers, handling millions of inquiries annually [3] - The tool generates real-time call summaries, surfaces relevant information during interactions, and provides guidance for compliance and accurate responses [3] - A human-in-the-loop approach is implemented, allowing member advocates to maintain decision-making authority while AI aids in information retrieval and reduces manual workload [4] Group 2: Implementation and Future Plans - Member advocates began using Agent Assist in October, with a full rollout expected across service centers within the year [5] - The tool will integrate into existing call center systems and will undergo ongoing performance and compliance reviews [5] - This initiative is part of Humana's broader digital transformation strategy aimed at improving member experiences through responsible AI use [5] Group 3: Industry Trends - Humana's move aligns with industry trends of integrating AI and generative AI into customer service and healthcare support functions [6] - A Google Cloud study indicates that 44% of executives in healthcare and life sciences have AI agents in production, with nearly half of organizations allocating over 50% of future AI budgets to these agents [7]