Experts foresee big Medicare increases
WASHINGTON – With time running out on open enrollment season, many seniors are facing sharply higher premiums for Medicare’s popular prescription drug program. The reason: rising drug costs have overtaken a long stretch of stable premiums.
Beneficiaries have until Dec. 7 to see if there’s a lower-cost plan that will cover their medications in 2016. Consumer advocates and experts say it will pay to shop around this sign-up season.
“Premiums are going up. Deductibles are going up,” said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “There is some potential to save a lot of money by switching plans.”
Also known as “Part D,” Medicare’s prescription plan serves about 40 million older and disabled people. Benefits are provided through a variety of insurance arrangements.
Democrats celebrate victory in Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS – Democrats in Louisiana rejoiced as they reclaimed the governor’s mansion for the first time in eight years, while the state’s GOP leader insisted “our Republican brand is strong” even amid the defeat of a one-time political powerhouse, Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter.
John Bel Edwards’ victory in Saturday’s runoff election was once-unthinkable in the conservative state and a stunning turn of events for Vitter, who started his campaign nearly two years ago as the race’s front-runner. With his 12-percentage point loss, Vitter announced he wouldn’t seek re-election to the Senate in 2016.
Edwards’ win offered a rare pick-up of a governor’s seat for Democrats in the conservative Deep South, but Republican leaders insisted it was a one-time fluke that didn’t suggest the GOP was on the ropes in Louisiana.
Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere pointed to victories for lieutenant governor and attorney general and gains in the state Legislature.
Endangered white rhino dies at San Diego Zoo
SAN DIEGO – One of the last northern white rhinos in the world has died in San Diego.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park says Nola, a 41-year-old female, was euthanized Sunday after her condition deteriorated. She’d been at the park since 1989.
The geriatric rhino had arthritis and was being treated for a bacterial infection linked to an abscess in her hip.
The zoo says Nola had surgery on Nov. 13 to drain the abscess but her health began to deteriorate about a week ago. She worsened over the past 24 hours and vets decided they had to euthanize her.
Last ‘Hunger Games’ opens with series low
LOS ANGELES – “Mockingjay – Part 2,” the final “Hunger Games” film, soared to a $101 million opening in its first weekend in theaters, according to Rentrak estimates Sunday.
For most films, the figure would be a coup, but the latest chapter of “The Hunger Games” collected the lowest opening take among the four films in the series.
The franchise low for the final “Hunger Games” film, which cost a reported $160 million to make, was a bit of a surprise. Lionsgate, however, was not disappointed.
“It’s a great accomplishment. The overall franchise has grossed over $2 billion worldwide and counting,” said David Spitz, co-president of theatrical distribution for Lionsgate. “It’s a pretty phenomenal result.”
Associated Press
