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First Edition: December 21, 2011

In the past year, Medicare politics and policies have grabbed headlines, with politicians from both sides of the aisle talking about "saving Medicare," "protecting beneficiaries," "improving quality of care," and "curbing fraud and abuse."

21 Dec 2011

Payroll tax cut extension bill — which includes temporary 'doc fix' — stalls in House as GOP objects

The once-seemingly sure deal, which allowed the Senate to recess for the year, was for a $33 billion package of bills to keep the Social Security tax paid by most workers at 4.2 percent rather than 6.2 percent, extend unemployment benefits for those already receiving them, and avoid reductions in Medicare payments to doctors. The measure would be effective through February.

20 Dec 2011

Cognitive function may be a better indicator of impact of aging on an economy

Cognitive function may be a better indicator of the impact of aging on an economy than age-distribution, with chronological age imposing less of a social and economic burden if the population is "functionally" younger, according to a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

20 Dec 2011

2012 to open up opportunities in booming Australian home care industry

Spending on home care services could grow to up to $11 billion per year if industry deregulation plans are adopted by the Federal Government, according to a forecast from one of the country’s leading home care providers.

18 Dec 2011

SGR in the spotlight: Examining the 'doc fix' dilemma

News outlets report on how this formula, created to control Medicare spending on physician services, has evolved into a "budget-busting juggernaut."

17 Dec 2011

President Obama honors mentoring program for minority girls in science and health

Teresa Woodruff, the Thomas J. Watkins Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at the White House from President Barack Obama Monday, Dec. 12.

17 Dec 2011

Wyden and Ryan join forces on new Medicare overhaul plan

The plan, which is being advanced by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., involves a framework that would offer traditional, government-run Medicare as an option for future retirees along with a variety of private plans. They are billing their approach as a means to prevent Medicare spending from swamping the federal budget. Meanwhile, early analyses indicate it could potentially create higher out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries.

16 Dec 2011

As shutdown looms, differences persist on payroll tax cut, spending bills

Among the items held up in the end-of-year negotiations is the Medicare physician reimbursement fix, which would prevent a 27 percent cut in doctors' payments from taking effect. A House Republican plan to pay for the "doc fix" with dollars from the health law's prevention fund is opposed by some Democratic senators.

16 Dec 2011

State roundup: Florida awaits Medicaid waiver news

Now, nurses regularly do everything from give insulin shots to empty urinary catheter bags. At the same time, state budget cuts mean the number of school nurses in California is shrinking. As a result, nurses say, they are responsible for more students every year and are largely consumed with keeping "medically fragile" children in class.

16 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Wyden and Ryan on their Medicare plan; Frist on the need for international health aid

Few issues draw more heated partisan rhetoric than the future of Medicare. Seniors are a reliable and powerful voting bloc, and both Republicans and Democrats are guilty of exploiting Medicare to frighten and entice voters. But turning discussions of Medicare's future into the third rail of American politics does nothing to guarantee that Medicare will continue to be a lifeline for America's seniors.

16 Dec 2011

Ryan, Wyden to announce new Medicare proposal

Republican congressman Paul Ryan plans to unveil a new Medicare proposal Thursday that would give future seniors the choice of purchasing private insurance coverage or staying in the traditional federal plan. The concept, which is backed by Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, steps back from the House Budget Chairman's previous plan to end the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program for future retirees and replace it with subsidies that seniors would use to purchase private health plans.

15 Dec 2011

MTF survey shows large decline in teen smoking

Cigarette and alcohol use by eighth, 10th and 12th-graders are at their lowest point since the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey began polling teenagers in 1975, according to this year's survey results. However, this positive news is tempered by a slowing rate of decline in teen smoking as well as continued high rates of abuse of other tobacco products, marijuana and prescription drugs.

15 Dec 2011

House approves payroll tax cut extension, but 'strings attached' could stall end-of-session progress

The House measure was approved on a largely party-line vote and was met with immediate promises of opposition from Senate Democrats and the White House. Caught in the crossfire is the Medicare "doc fix" and, possibly, a separate omnibus spending bill to provide government funding through next September.

15 Dec 2011

Ron Paul takes strong stand on government's role in health care; Obama asks supporters to 'stick with him'

While GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul told his supporters that Medicare and Medicaid have no basis in the Constitution, President Barack Obama asked his backers to stay with him in the upcoming election.

15 Dec 2011

Roundup: Nonprofits get big money in disabled payments; Calif. budget problems bring additional Medicaid cutbacks

Spending on this little-known home care program, called Community Habilitation, has soared in recent years, creating multimillion-dollar surpluses at some nonprofit agencies and eye-popping salaries and benefits for those who run them. And it helps explain how New York's costs of caring for developmentally disabled people have ballooned in recent years, creating the nation's most generous system of Medicaid-financed programs, with little scrutiny of its efficiency or result.

15 Dec 2011

House vote scheduled on payroll tax reduction package

The bill, which also would extend a number of other expiring measures and includes "must-pass" provisions such as the Medicare "doc fix," has drawn opposition. Hospitals groups have blasted it because it includes billions of dollars in cuts to hospital payments.

14 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 14, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about progress -- or lack thereof -- as the House and Senate work to come to terms on the year's must-pass legislation.

14 Dec 2011

Fla. squeezes Medicaid spending; Colo. dispute threatens budget

Republican Gov. Rick Scott this week proposed to slash Florida's spending in the joint state-federal health insurance program for the poor by $2 billion, in part to add $1 billion to education in the next fiscal year.

13 Dec 2011

House 'doc fix' proposal provides temporary relief to physicians, draws hospital concern

The "payment patch" would largely be paid for by charging higher Medicare premiums to affluent seniors and by cutting hospital payments.

13 Dec 2011

Roundup: Iowans question Wellmark premium hikes; Fla. Medicare audit; Mich. nursing home scandals

The Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield vice president faced dozens of angry customers and tried to explain why the health insurer wants to increase their premiums by 9.4 percent. ... Barbed questions flew throughout the hearing before the state insurance commissioner, who will decide whether to grant Wellmark's proposed increase for 86,000 Iowans who buy their own insurance policies.

13 Dec 2011

Seniors News and Research

First Edition: December 21, 2011

Payroll tax cut extension bill — which includes temporary 'doc fix' — stalls in House as GOP objects

Cognitive function may be a better indicator of impact of aging on an economy

2012 to open up opportunities in booming Australian home care industry

SGR in the spotlight: Examining the 'doc fix' dilemma

President Obama honors mentoring program for minority girls in science and health

Wyden and Ryan join forces on new Medicare overhaul plan

As shutdown looms, differences persist on payroll tax cut, spending bills

State roundup: Florida awaits Medicaid waiver news

Viewpoints: Wyden and Ryan on their Medicare plan; Frist on the need for international health aid

Ryan, Wyden to announce new Medicare proposal

MTF survey shows large decline in teen smoking

House approves payroll tax cut extension, but 'strings attached' could stall end-of-session progress

Ron Paul takes strong stand on government's role in health care; Obama asks supporters to 'stick with him'

Roundup: Nonprofits get big money in disabled payments; Calif. budget problems bring additional Medicaid cutbacks

House vote scheduled on payroll tax reduction package

First Edition: December 14, 2011

Fla. squeezes Medicaid spending; Colo. dispute threatens budget

House 'doc fix' proposal provides temporary relief to physicians, draws hospital concern

Roundup: Iowans question Wellmark premium hikes; Fla. Medicare audit; Mich. nursing home scandals

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