| What to Know for Tuesday, March 31, 2026: | 1: Nearly 3 million seniors forced off Medicare Advantage plans as insurers abandon rural areas |  | (Image credit: The Washington Post) |
| 10% of MA enrollees lost coverage in 2026: Almost 3 million people were forced to find new plans when insurers pulled out of unprofitable counties — about 30,000 had no other Medicare Advantage options left, and rural areas like New Hampshire (77,000 affected) and Vermont (35,000 affected) were hit hardest. Traditional Medicare leaves 20% coverage gap many can't afford: Seniors forced to traditional Medicare only get 80% of doctor and outpatient costs covered — supplemental "medigap" plans to cover the remaining 20% cost around $200/month, forcing some to cancel follow-up appointments they can't afford. The "too good to be true" perks are disappearing: Zero-premium plans with gym memberships, vision, dental, and over-the-counter allowances are vanishing as rising healthcare costs and reduced government reimbursements squeeze profit margins — some carriers like UnitedHealthcare exited counties with 600,000 beneficiaries, and the March 31 deadline to switch plans is approaching.
| ➜ Read the full article from the Washington Post here. | | | 2: Has Congress stolen from Social Security? The nuanced truth about those "worthless IOUs" |  | (Image credit: Getty Images) |
| Partly true but misleading: Congress has spent money from Social Security Trust Funds for general government operations and left IOUs in exchange — but those bonds aren't worthless, they're special-issue U.S. Treasury bonds backed by the full faith and credit of the government and they pay interest to Social Security. It's the law, not theft: By law, any surpluses above what's needed to pay benefits must be invested in these Treasury bonds — when those bonds are issued, the money goes into the Treasury's general fund that Congress uses to fund government programs, but this is how the system was designed to work. Real problem is demographics, not theft: The Trust Funds will be depleted by 2033 due to lower worker-to-retiree ratios, people living longer, lower birth rates, and automatic COLAs — after depletion, payroll taxes will likely cover only 80% of benefits, so the focus should be on getting Congress to fix Social Security's finances.
| ➜ Read the full article from MSN here. | | | 3: How to negotiate credit card debt when you're living on Social Security income | | Your Social Security is protected from garnishment: Federal law shields Social Security benefits (retirement, SSDI, SSI) from being seized by private creditors like credit card companies — banks must protect two months' worth of direct deposits from being frozen, so creditors threatening to take your Social Security are likely bluffing. Ask about hardship programs before settling: Many credit card issuers offer programs for borrowers on fixed incomes with temporarily reduced interest rates, waived fees, or lower monthly payments — be direct about living on Social Security and ask what assistance they offer before jumping to a settlement offer. Settlements and bankruptcy are options: If your account is delinquent, creditors often accept 50-70% of the balance in a lump-sum settlement — or if debt is too large to negotiate down, Chapter 7 bankruptcy could discharge it entirely since Social Security income is excluded from the means test calculation.
| ➜ Read the full press release from the CBS News here. | | Here's What You Missed on YouTube: | Check out our new YouTube videos for Tuesday, March 31st. | The Social Security Mistake Nobody Warned You About |  | The Social Security Mistake Nobody Warned You About |
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| This Social Security Math Will Surprise You! |  | This Social Security Math Will Surprise You! |
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| | | NEW EPISODE: Retirement Navigator Podcast | 🎙️ Episode #5: The Medicare Decision Most People Get Wrong at 65 | If you're approaching Medicare enrollment — or you know someone who is — this week's episode is required listening. | Most people spend more time comparing cable plans than they do choosing their Medicare coverage. And that's exactly how they end up stuck with a plan that limits their doctors, surprises them with unexpected costs, and locks them out of better options when they need care the most. | In this episode, I walk you through the key difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, why the choice you make at 65 is so much harder to undo at 75, and what the "guaranteed issue" window means for your long-term flexibility. | If you're on a fixed income, this one is especially important. A $0 premium plan today can quietly become a very expensive decision down the road. | 👇 Hit play now & be sure to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetirementNavigator |  | Episode 5: The Medicare Trap Most Retirees Fall Into at 65 (And Can't Escape at 75) |
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| | The Daily 3 Deal List—Week of March 30th | | 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. | *View our Advertising Disclosure |
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