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Most recently updated firstSep09
Social Security's Next Raise: From the 2.5% COLA to the 2027 Announcement
Social Security’s 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was 2.5%, followed by a 2.8% increase for 2026; the latter was partly offset for many retirees by a nearly 10% rise in the standard Medicare Part B premium. The 2027 COLA has not been set: after July CPI-W data, outside forecasts ranged from 3.4% to 3.6%, with August and September inflation readings still to determine the official adjustment.
Sep09
Medicare Advantage's Retreat: From the 2026 Rate Hike to the 2027 Plan Exits and Open Enrollment
CMS began this cycle by raising 2026 Medicare Advantage payments 5.06%, but plans then faced higher medical costs, risk-adjustment enforcement, and sharp pressure on 2027 bids. CMS’s final 2027 update of 2.48% was materially higher than its near-flat proposal, yet still below the prior year’s update and below cost trends cited by insurers; UnitedHealthcare and Humana have responded with benefit changes and plan exits affecting large numbers of members.
