As open enrollment goes into the home stretch Thanksgiving week, critics say the new plan finder tool can create confusion by obscuring out-of-pocket costs that seniors should factor into their decisions…

“If they pick the plan based solely on the premium they are likely getting a plan that could cost them thousands more in a calendar year,” said Christina Reeg of the Ohio Department of Insurance. She heads a program that helps Medicare enrollees try to find the right plan.

If you’re going to make Medicare coverage changes that include dropping or buying a supplemental plan — aka, Medigap — make sure you know the rules that come along with it.

Connecture’s SVP of Federal Programs Jim Yocum spoke with Money Magazine to discuss some of the potential implications from the White House’s recent efforts to curb drug costs. Connecture data was used in the analysis.

Telehealth services are becoming the “go-to” choice for many Americans, including Medicare beneficiaries. In this article, which summarizes an interview our own Jim Yocum did with Bloomberg Law, the journalist explains why CMS supports telehealth benefits as part of their Medicare strategy.

In a recent Bloomberg article, the writers show how prescription drug prices are moving up at a rate at least four times CPI inflation. Connecture data used to help construct Bloomberg’s new Drug Price Index.

A recent article from CNN highlights the obstacles many people with Type 1 diabetes face when it comes to rising drug costs (particularly insulin, in this case). Connecture’s prescription drug data was used and cited in the article.

One new idea on mitigating higher drug prices is to require the posting of costs in Rx advertising. This Kaiser Health News article provides illustrative examples of how this might look for the 10 drugs with the highest annual ad spend. Connecture data used.

Journalist Sarah Jane Tribble wrote a fascinating piece for the Washington Post that uses Connecture drug data and spotlights the Orphan Drug Korlym. This drug has a controversial origin as “the abortion pill,” but is also used to treat Cushing’s syndrome…and its price has shot up.