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Universal Health Care's Medicare members offered Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program

In an effort to promote wellness and disease prevention to its older adult members, Universal Health Care will begin offering the Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program on January 1, 2011, to subscribers of their Medicare Advantage Plan in 13 states (Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia). SilverSneakers is the nation's leading social support and exercise program designed to improve seniors' well-being and health.

2 Dec 2010

IOF commends IOM's new vitamin D and calcium intake recommendations

On November 30, 2010, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (IOM) in the US released new recommendations on daily reference intakes for vitamin D and calcium across all ages. The report is based on available evidence in the literature, with higher quality studies, supporting the role of these nutrients on bone health. Vitamin D deficiency is an important health issue to address as it has been linked to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and hip fractures as well as other skeletal and non-skeletal disorders.

2 Dec 2010

IPC acquires Senior Care of Colorado

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has acquired Senior Care of Colorado, PC (SCOC) headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. SCOC provides geriatric care at more than 200 facilities in the Denver metro area. SCOC has an annualized volume of more than 200,000 patient encounters. This acquisition represents an expansion of operations for IPC in Colorado, where the company has provided acute care hospitalist services since 2003.

2 Dec 2010

Deficit panel delays vote; Curbing Medicare spending part of proposal

Over the next ten years, 30 million more seniors will pour into Medicare, which already eats up 12 percent of the federal budget and 20 percent of all health spending, NPR reports. That has deficit hawks worried. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former Congressional Budget Office director, says, "If you look past the next eight to 10 years, Medicare is the deficit problem… And there's simply no way we can address our fiscal problems without coming to terms with Medicare's future."

2 Dec 2010

Key factors in evaluating Medicare Part D plans

More than 1,100 Medicare prescription drug (Part D) plans are available for 2011. Most consumers have about 33 plans to choose from in their area during annual enrollment, which is Nov. 15 to Dec. 31. However, Part D plans with the lowest premiums may not be the best match for Medicare beneficiaries' individualized needs, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

1 Dec 2010

Older adults with diabetes have reduced life expectancy

Despite medical advances enabling those with diabetes to live longer today than in the past, a 50-year-old with the disease still can expect to live 8.5 years fewer years, on average, than a 50-year-old without the disease.

1 Dec 2010

Alliance of Specialty Medicine calls for permanent fix to Medicare SGR formula

In response to Congress acting to postpone unprecedented reimbursement cuts to doctors who treat Medicare patients, The Alliance of Specialty Medicine (Alliance) today called on lawmakers to work towards a permanent solution to fix to the program's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula so temporary fixes would no longer be necessary.

1 Dec 2010

Deficit plans target politically-protected Medicare program

The politically-sacrosanct Medicare program is in the crosshairs of proposals to cut the deficit, prompting possible battles between seniors' advocates and debt-conscious lawmakers, Kaiser Health News reports.

30 Nov 2010

Lame duck update: Congress delays Medicare payment cuts, fails to roll back health law's 1099 provision

Congress on Monday agreed to delay for one month a cut in Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors, giving a short-term reprieve to a looming crisis over treatment of the nation's elderly.

30 Nov 2010

First Edition: November 30, 2010

Today's headlines include reports on congressional action on the Medicare doc 'pay fix' as well as results from a new poll related to how the public thinks Medicare should be addressed in the context of deficit reduction.

30 Nov 2010

Medicare advantage enrollees will see more changes to plans

Medicare Advantage enrollees should make a habit of evaluating their options each year. Though experts say that beneficiaries won't be seeing a lot of changes this time and what changes there are will mostly be for the better it is a good idea for people to go through this annual drill before enrollment ends Dec. 31, just to make sure their plan choice remains a good one.

30 Nov 2010

Headline-grabbing offers may not best meet needs of Medicare Part D plan enrollees

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Executive Vice President and CEO Kathleen Jaeger issued the following statement today in response to the Avalere Health study analyzing how the formulary and cost-sharing benefits changes made by various Medicare Part D prescription drug plans affect seniors:

24 Nov 2010

Health spending proposals, health law repeal divide lawmakers

The Wall Street Journal reports that proposals for cuts in health spending by President Barack Obama's deficit-reduction commission are drawing opposition from health companies, doctors and some consumer groups. "How to tackle health costs has become a sticking point for the 18-member committee, which last week concluded three days of meetings without a firm agreement among members.

24 Nov 2010

Government orders three Medicare advantage plans to stop marketing, enrolling new members

The U.S. government's Medicare program has ordered three health insurers Universal American Corp. (UAM), Health Net Inc. (HNT) and Arcadian Health to stop marketing to and enrolling new members in their Medicare Advantage health and prescription-drug plans, saying the companies violated regulations.

23 Nov 2010

Today's Op-Eds: HMOs, the 'fixed' middlemen; you can't keep your coverage; the (in) effectiveness of medical cost control

Wouldn't it be better to let HMOs compete to offer the cheapest most innovative plans-rather than having the plans defined by new exchanges that must follow federal rules and meanwhile allow the HMOs a generous fixed middleman share of total health pie.

23 Nov 2010

UnitedHealthcare introduces Pharmacy Saver program to provide affordable prescription drugs

UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company, announced a new program that will enable enrollees in the company's market-leading Medicare plans to save money on hundreds of prescription medications in 2011.

23 Nov 2010

Explaining changes to Part D plans, fixing doctors' Medicare reimbursements, fighting hikes in long-term care insurance

News outlets cover various issues related to Medicare, including reports about prescription drug coverage and the continuing debate surrounding physician pay. Meanwhile, long-term care insurance is also an important issue for seniors.

23 Nov 2010

First Edition: November 22, 2010

Today's headlines offer a range of health policy stories, including more reports on deficit reduction issues, the continuing politics swirling around the health law repeal effort and employers' soaring health care costs.

22 Nov 2010

Humana delivers one millionth meal in Well Dine food program

Humana has served nutritious meals to more than 81,000 Humana Medicare Advantage members in 120 cities after a hospital or nursing facility stay since the company's meal-delivery program began in 2006. Yesterday, Well Dine delivered the Humana program's one millionth meal to Humana Medicare Advantage member Sylvia van Dyke, 61, of Knoxville.

20 Nov 2010

High court's statement about intent a win for life insurance consumers, says Coventry

Coventry, the creator of the secondary market for life insurance in the U.S., applauds the New York Court of Appeals decision in Kramer v. Phoenix Life Insurance Company as a significant victory for life insurance consumers and the secondary market for life insurance.

20 Nov 2010

Seniors News and Research

Universal Health Care's Medicare members offered Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program

IOF commends IOM's new vitamin D and calcium intake recommendations

IPC acquires Senior Care of Colorado

Deficit panel delays vote; Curbing Medicare spending part of proposal

Key factors in evaluating Medicare Part D plans

Older adults with diabetes have reduced life expectancy

Alliance of Specialty Medicine calls for permanent fix to Medicare SGR formula

Deficit plans target politically-protected Medicare program

Lame duck update: Congress delays Medicare payment cuts, fails to roll back health law's 1099 provision

First Edition: November 30, 2010

Medicare advantage enrollees will see more changes to plans

Headline-grabbing offers may not best meet needs of Medicare Part D plan enrollees

Health spending proposals, health law repeal divide lawmakers

Government orders three Medicare advantage plans to stop marketing, enrolling new members

Today's Op-Eds: HMOs, the 'fixed' middlemen; you can't keep your coverage; the (in) effectiveness of medical cost control

UnitedHealthcare introduces Pharmacy Saver program to provide affordable prescription drugs

Explaining changes to Part D plans, fixing doctors' Medicare reimbursements, fighting hikes in long-term care insurance

First Edition: November 22, 2010

Humana delivers one millionth meal in Well Dine food program

High court's statement about intent a win for life insurance consumers, says Coventry

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