Congressman Peter Welch has launched a bi-partisan effort to reduce Medicare costs by nearly $160 billion over the next 10 years. The plan would allow the federal government to negotiate prices for prescription drugs that are bought under the Medicare Part D program.

Five New England residents and five national health care advocacy groups are suing the federal government, saying Medicare benefits are being improperly cut after their health conditions are determined to be chronic.

Congress is taking steps to avoid major cuts in Medicare payments to health care providers. The Vermont Medical Society says that's good news because the cuts would have been devastating to doctors across the state and would have most likely forced some private practice physicians out of business.

A Vermont program that helps Medicare recipients to understand their bills and detect any errors just got a boost from the federal government.

The Douglas Administration has changed its mind about asking senior citizens to send their upcoming Medicare rebate checks to the state. The Governor now says getting the checks back would be an administrative nightmare, and so he's decided to back down from the issue.

There's a dispute over rebate checks being sent to senior citizens to help offset the cost of prescription drugs. The Douglas Administration says the rebates should go to the state, but Senators Leahy and Sanders say seniors should keep the money.

Congressman Peter Welch is backing legislation that he says will help protect thousands of elderly Vermonters from a significant increase in Medicare premiums.

Even as Congress and the White House draft a national health reform plan, Vermont and six other states will try to fix a key area of the system on their own.

New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes wants the government to stop putting seniors' Social Security numbers on Medicare cards in order to prevent identity theft.

Senator Bernie Sanders is sponsoring a series of Town Hall meetings around Vermont this weekend on preserving and strengthening two federal programs some people fear are under threat. The keynote speaker at these meetings is Barbara Kennelly, the President of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. She speaks with VPR's Mitch Wertlieb.

Two Vermont rivers are being treated today with chemicals to kill lampreys that are blamed for killing fish in Lake Champlain;