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Doctor payment rates cut again under new Medicare rules

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services posted final Medicare payment rules Tuesday that include a cut in physician reimbursement rates.

4 Nov 2010

The GOP scores big wins in mid-term elections

The New York Times: "Republicans captured control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday and expanded their voice in the Senate, riding a wave of voter discontent as they dealt a setback to President Obama just two years after his triumphal victory. A Republican resurgence, propelled by deep economic worries and a forceful opposition to the Democratic agenda of health care and government spending, delivered defeats to House Democrats from the Northeast to the South and across the Midwest" (Zeleny, 11/2).

4 Nov 2010

IU's cost-saving model of home-based care management for low-income older adults earns recognition

A model program developed at Indiana University to provide care to low-income older adults in their homes has earned recognition for its effective approach and cost-saving benefits in a leading national medical journal.

3 Nov 2010

Kaiser Permanente awards 792 grants in third quarter 2010

Kaiser Permanente, one of the country's largest not-for-profit health care organizations, funded 792 grants nationwide, totaling approximately $16 million in the third quarter of 2010. Grants awarded to organizations this quarter included funding basic human services in California in a tight economy, offering dental care to women and children in the Mid-Atlantic States, and providing college scholarships to high school students in the Northwest to pursue careers in health care.

3 Nov 2010

Dementia patients should receive high-quality palliative care

The system for hospice admissions for patients with advanced dementia, which is a terminal illness, should be guided by patient and family preference for comfort, not estimated life expectancy, says a new study published in the Nov. 3 Journal of the American Medical Association by the Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

3 Nov 2010

Races sometimes hinging on health law issues go down to the wire

Races around the nation are coming down to the wire Tuesday and the controversial health law continues to play a role in the campaign.

3 Nov 2010

Insuring your health: Seniors should consider changes in Medicare Part D plans

In her latest Kaiser Health News consumer column, Michelle Andrews writes: "If you're on Medicare Part D, this month marks the beginning of the annual enrollment time when beneficiaries can try to pick the plan that provides the best coverage for their prescription drugs.

3 Nov 2010

Seniors play powerful role in today's elections

The Christian Science Monitor: "Seniors and baby boomers are more engaged in the election and more excited about voting than any preelection polling has found since 1994, according to the Pew Research Center. While it was considered to be youth that ushered in the Obama revolution, it is the older generation that is wielding more power now.

3 Nov 2010

Medicare Roundup: Courts widen coverage of skilled care; experts give enrollment advice

Two federal courts have ruled that the Obama administration is using overly strict standards to determine whether older Americans are entitled to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing home care and home health care.

3 Nov 2010

First Edition: November 2, 2010

Today's headlines highlights news stories that include speculation about what will become of the health reform law after the election.

2 Nov 2010

Medicare cuts become hot topic in mid-term election campaigns

Advertisements are focusing on Medicare cuts and using them as a rallying point to influence the election. The message, delivered by a series of nervous-looking older Americans, is uniform: Democratic Congressional candidates voted for billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare and let their constituents down.

2 Nov 2010

HDMG and Heritage Health Care host over 4000 seniors at 20th anniversary of Health Expo

Dr. Richard Merkin, High Desert Medical Group and Heritage Health Care hosted over four thousand seniors at their 20th anniversary annual Senior Expo at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. Seniors lined up prior to the 9:00 am start, eager to see celebrity Debbie Reynolds perform and get free health screenings and testing including bone density, cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, body fat, dental and vision screenings and of course, seasonal flu shots.

30 Oct 2010

Stanford study shows aged people can solve highly emotional problems

It's a prediction often met with worry: In 20 years, there will be more Americans over 60 than under 15. Some fear that will mean an aging society with an increasing number of decrepit, impaired people and fewer youngsters to care for them while also keeping the country's productivity going.

29 Oct 2010

Pneumonia vaccination increases among older Americans, but still falls short of Healthy People 2010 goal

Between 2000 and 2007, the proportion of Americans age 65 and older who were vaccinated against pneumonia increased from 53 percent to 58 percent, but the rate fell far short of the Healthy People 2010 goal of 90 percent for pneumonia vaccinations in that age group, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

29 Oct 2010

Healthcare costs expected to reach $191.6 billion in 2010

Total spending on health care in Canada is expected to reach $191.6 billion this year, growing an estimated $9.5 billion, or 5.2%, since 2009, according to new figures released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

29 Oct 2010

Nursing homes struggle to allow seniors use of medical marijuana

The New York Times: As states begin embracing medical marijuana they are also grappling with how they allow or don't allow seniors in nursing homes to use it. "The prospect has just begun to raise difficult questions for administrators and state regulators.

29 Oct 2010

Phrma pushes back against campaign calls for Medicare Part D price negotiation

The powerful pharmaceutical lobby is pushing back against campaign-trail calls to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of millions of seniors enrolled in Part D, The Hill reports.

28 Oct 2010

Republican's controversial proposal to mend Medicare

In a Kaiser Health News companion piece to the story, Some Hill Races Could Hinge On Seniors' Anger Over Medicare, Marilyn Werber Serafini reports that Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan's ideas - including giving Medicare beneficiaries a voucher to buy health coverage and adjusting benefits based on income -- could gain ground if the GOP wins control of the House in November (Serafini, 10/26).

28 Oct 2010

Candidates on health care offense, defense in final week before election

Candidates are in full campaign mode ahead of midterm elections that will likely spell out how the health law is implemented. The New York Times reports that some Democrats are playing defense after voting for health reform. They include Virginia Rep. Tom Perriello who is running against Republican state Sen. Robert Hurt.

28 Oct 2010