What to Know for Thursday, October 22nd, 2026: |
1: Medicare Advantage plan exits hit hardest in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Minnesota this enrollment season, so check now whether your plan still exists |
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(Image Credit: Getty Images) |
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Forced disenrollment, when your plan leaves your area, is projected to reach 10% of Medicare Advantage enrollees in 2026, up from about 1% a year between 2018 and 2024: Johns Hopkins researchers found the rate climbed to 6.9% in 2025. The number of non-special-needs Medicare Advantage plans nationally fell 10%, from 3,719 to 3,373, and the average beneficiary now has 39 plan choices in their county, down from 42. In Vermont, 92.2% of Medicare Advantage enrollees lost their plan for 2026, and six other states saw forced disenrollment at or above 40%: Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho, New Hampshire, Maryland, and North Dakota reached that level. In New Hampshire, Anthem and Martin’s Point left the individual Medicare Advantage market and Aetna is pulling out of most counties, affecting about 77,000 residents. In Minnesota, UCare exited entirely, and the average beneficiary lost 11 plan options. Use the Annual Enrollment Period, which runs through December 7, to confirm your plan is still offered and compare alternatives: Log in to Medicare.gov’s Plan Finder or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7. Rural residents and people in plans rated below four stars have been hit hardest, so if your plan is ending, don’t wait for the cancellation notice. Free help is also available through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
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P.S. Need help getting on the best Medicare plan? Our partner Chapter Medicare says its advisors can compare 24,000+ plans for free and help you find one that could save you up to $1,200 a year. Call (539) 205-2147 or visit askchapter.org/insider. Expect longer hold times this time of year, since lines are busy. |
➜ Read the full article from AOL here. |
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Free Medicare Help with Chapter |
90% of American seniors are on the wrong Medicare plan. Thankfully, Chapter is here to help! They can help you switch to the right plan and save $$$. Chapter saves the average senior $1,100 per year! Plus, it is 100% risk-free! Give them a call to find out how much you could save: 539-205-2147. |
askchapter.org/insider |
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2: Americans say they need $5,094 a month to retire comfortably, but most won’t reach it, and only 16% expect to replace 75% of their paycheck |
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(Image Credit: Getty Images) |
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Non-retired Americans estimate they need $5,094 a month in income to retire comfortably, up from $5,032 a year earlier: That figure comes from the Schroders 2026 U.S. Retirement Survey of 1,500 investors ages 30 to 79. At the 4% withdrawal rule, generating $5,094 a month requires roughly $900,000 in savings, but 51% of workplace plan participants expect to have less than $500,000 by retirement, and only 30% expect to reach $1 million. Most people are not confident they can replace their paycheck, and many retirees wish they had planned more: Only 16% of non-retired Americans say they definitely expect to replace at least 75% of their last paycheck, the standard benchmark. Among those already retired, 64% wish they had done more planning before leaving work, and 58% have no idea how long their savings will last. Nearly half (48%) also worry AI could push them out of work earlier than planned. Your Social Security check will cover part of the gap, so build your own income plan now: Use your my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see your estimated benefit at 62, 67, and 70. Then compare that with your expected spending, and consider how long your savings need to last. If you’re still working, increasing your contributions to a 401(k) or IRA now can help close the gap, especially if you’re 50 or older and eligible for catch-up contributions.
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➜ Read the full article from MarketWatch here. |
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3: New federal law gives Social Security identity theft victims a single dedicated caseworker, though the change won’t take effect until April 2027 |
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(Image Credit: Getty Images) |
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The Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act (H.R. 5345), signed October 7, 2026, requires SSA to assign identity theft victims a single point of contact: Rather than explaining their situation to a new representative with every call, victims will work with one trained SSA employee who keeps their case records and coordinates across the agency until the problem is resolved. The law also covers people whose Social Security cards are lost or intercepted in the mail. Sponsor Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) said victims shouldn’t have to fight through layers of red tape to get help. The provision takes effect 180 days after enactment, so the official start date is around April 5, 2027, and SSA is using the time to build the system: During the transition, SSA must set internal protocols, train staff, and create the routing systems needed to assign those contacts. Data breaches involving SSNs are also rising, with 2,243 breaches in 2025 exposing SSN-related data, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. Don’t wait for the new system to act if your SSN is compromised, and take these steps now: Report fraud to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov or 1-800-269-0271, and check your earnings and benefits in your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. File a report at IdentityTheft.gov, lock your SSN, and place free credit freezes with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
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➜ Read the full article from Kiplinger here. |
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Here’s What You Missed on YouTube: |
Check out our new YouTube videos for Thursday, October 22nd. |
Medicare Premium Wipes Out $75 Social Security Increase for Millions! See If You Are Affected? |
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Medicare Premium Wipes Out $75 Social Security Increase for Millions! See If You Are Affected? |
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This newsletter is for information only. Always confirm your options directly with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or a qualified advisor before making big decisions about your benefits. |
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