Author: Elizabeth Blessing
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Medicare now covers Wegovy and Zepbound for about $50 a month through 2027
For the first time, some Medicare beneficiaries can fill certain popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications for a flat $50 a month. The catch worth understanding up front is that this is a temporary program with an expiration date, not a permanent new Medicare benefit. It is called the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, and for households where a…
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UnitedHealthcare is weighing dropping Medicare Advantage plans in 34 counties across 12 states for 2027
UnitedHealthcare is weighing whether to stop offering some of its Medicare Advantage plans in 34 counties spread across 12 states for the 2027 plan year, according to an early exit list that surfaced this month. Nothing is final. The company has not filed binding non-renewal notices, and the map could still shrink or grow before…
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Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, the one window to change or drop a plan
For most people on Medicare, the chance to change coverage comes just once a year, and that window opens October 15 and closes December 7. During those weeks, enrollees can switch, join, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D drug plan, and any change made takes effect January 1. Missing the deadline…
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The FTC is mailing over a million refund checks to consumers harmed by companies
Real refund checks from the federal government are landing in mailboxes this year, and they arrive without anyone having to ask, pay, or hand over personal information. The Federal Trade Commission returns money to consumers harmed by companies it takes to court, and in 2026 it has sent multiple rounds of payments, including more than…
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Comcast is paying up to $50 to customers hit by a data breach, with claims due September 14
Millions of current and former Xfinity customers have a narrow window to claim a payment tied to a 2023 data breach, and the clock runs out in mid-September. A $117.5 million class-action settlement resolves claims over an intrusion that exposed personal information for an estimated 35.8 million Comcast customers. Eligible people can file for a…
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Mercedes-Benz recalls 310,667 vehicles for a door-lock fault, with repairs free to owners
A small electrical switch buried inside a car door has become the reason Mercedes-Benz is calling back more vehicles than in any other U.S. action it has taken this year. The automaker’s American arm is recalling 310,667 vehicles because a part in the driver’s-door lock can corrode and fail, and when it does the car…
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Ground beef is up about 19% and coffee about 20% over the past year at the grocery store
Two staples of the American kitchen table have gotten conspicuously more expensive, and the grocery receipt shows it. Federal price data from around April 2026 put ground beef up roughly 19 percent over the past year and coffee up about 20 percent. Both increases dwarf the broader grocery basket, which rose far more modestly, meaning…
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The FDIC insures up to $250,000 per depositor, and checking your coverage takes minutes
After a stretch of bank stress and headlines about failures, a lot of savers have quietly wondered whether their money is safe. The reassuring answer for anyone banking at an FDIC-member institution is that deposit insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category — automatically, with no sign-up and no paperwork.…
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You can turn off debit-card overdraft and stop paying up to $35 to overspend your own account
Overspending a debit card by a few dollars can trigger a fee of around $35 — but only if you gave the bank permission to let it happen. A little-known federal rule puts that choice in the customer’s hands, and turning off debit-card overdraft coverage is a free move that stops the fees before they…
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The IRS offers free online filing and free in-person help for most working households
Millions of families pay a preparer $150 to $300 or more to file a return they could have filed for nothing. The IRS backs several free options, both online software and in-person help from trained volunteers, aimed squarely at working households, retirees, and anyone with a straightforward return. Knowing which door to walk through is…
