Despite fewer amputations, Medicare's bill for artificial feet rises 60%

The Associated Press examines the complicated issue of health costs by looking at foot amputations from diabetes.

The Associated Press: Medicare Puzzle: Big Rise In Artificial Feet Costs
What's wrong with this picture? Medicare's bill for artificial feet rose nearly 60 percent in recent years, although foot and leg amputations due to diabetes continued a dramatic decline. Medicare paid $94 million for artificial feet in 2010, according to research conducted for The Associated Press. That was nearly $35 million more than in 2005, even though in 2010, Medicare covered about 1,900 fewer such prostheses (Alonso-Zaldivar, 2/15).

Meanwhile, a new report finds many seniors aren't getting all their benefits.

Reuters: U.S. Seniors Missing Out On $20 Billion Of Benefits
Millions of seniors in the United States are missing out on more than $20 billion in aid that could help pay for food, medicine and heating, simply because they don't know it's there, according to a report released on Tuesday by organizations that advocate for seniors. In response, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) have launched a campaign, "You Gave, Now Save," to help bridge the gap between the available funding and those who need it the most (Baum, 2/14).