Seniors News and Research

RSS

Benefits of new health insurance reform law for Medicare recipients discussed in news conference

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Barbara Kennelly of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and Dr. Ben Williamowsky of Silver Spring, Md., a Medicare recipient, held a news conference today to discuss benefits of and misconceptions about the Affordable Care Act and Medicare.

27 May 2010

Sen. McConnell blasts Medicare brochure touting health overhaul

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, is blasting the Obama administration for using flyers to tout the new health law to seniors, The Hill reports. "McConnell took offense to the flyers for saying the new law will 'preserve and strengthen' Medicare. And he pointed out that the Department of Health and Human Services lambasted private Medicare Advantage plans when they used similar communications to their members to raise concerns with the health reform law before it was passed" (Pecquet, 5/25).

27 May 2010

Intel expands availability of Intel Health Guide across Europe

Intel is expanding availability of the Intel Health Guide across Europe to help address chronic care challenges - Intel is working with strategic partners in France, Germany, Spain and The Netherlands to bring localised versions of the Intel Health Guide to market over the coming year

26 May 2010

House eyes Wednesday vote on measure that includes COBRA subsidy extension and doc 'pay fix'

Congressional Democrats are scurrying today to advance a $192 billion catch-all legislative package that includes "safety-net benefits for the unemployed, physician reimbursements, tax breaks for businesses and other provisions."

26 May 2010

ALFA recognizes Emeritus Senior Living with 2010 Best of the Best Award

The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) has awarded Emeritus Senior Living, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, its prestigious 2010 Best of the Best Award, a national recognition reserved for the nation's most innovative and effective business practices in the senior living industry. 2010 winners will be profiled in the May/June issue of ALFA's flagship magazine, Assisted Living Executive.

25 May 2010

HHS 'special mailing' on health law's immediate Medicare benefits sparks GOP grumbles

CQ HealthBeat: "Education or propaganda? Or 'beyond propaganda?' The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Monday that it will soon send Medicare beneficiaries a special mailing on 'the immediate benefits they may see' from the health care overhaul law. Getting accurate information about key provisions of the law will help Medicare enrollees 'to be on the alert for any scams asking for personal information,' explained acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner in an agency news release Monday.

25 May 2010

Aging-at-home concept should provide mobility assistance, says AAHomecare president

At a town hall meeting a year ago, President Obama said that home-based care could play a major role in controlling Medicare costs by keeping older people out of more expensive institutional care.

25 May 2010

Round-up: Mississippi struggles with mental health services funding cuts; A drug discount bill advances in Mass.

"Lawmakers earlier this year vigorously fought Gov. Haley Barbour's proposal to close four state mental health hospitals and six crisis centers as a budget-saving measure. Now, nonprofit-run centers that offer front-line services for the mentally ill in some of the poorest communities across Mississippi could face closure."

25 May 2010

Lawmakers could vote this week on three-year 'doc fix,' COBRA subsidy extension

Before they leave for the Memorial Day recess, lawmakers face legislation which includes a provision on Medicare payments to physicians and an extension of the COBRA subsidy to newly laid-off workers.

24 May 2010

Research roundup: Lessons from Medicare Part D; Evaluating medical homes; Insuring young adults

Lessons Learned: Who Didn't Enroll In Medicare Drug Coverage In 2006, And Why? - With data from the 2005 and 2006 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, this study examines enrollment of those who were previously without either public or private sources of prescription drug coverage. The authors report "63 percent of all eligible seniors and 69 percent of low-income beneficiaries were enrolled in Part D in 2006.

24 May 2010

Democrats push three-year Medicare 'doc fix' as part of larger tax bill

A proposal to stop planned payment cuts to Medicare doctors for three years is in a bill extending tax cuts and lengthening unemployment benefits.

21 May 2010

Consumers roundup: More patients choose high-deductible plans; Many neglect doctors medication directions

"The number of Americans enrolled in high-deductible health plans has risen to more than 10 million but still represents a small portion of the insurance market, according to a report from insurance group America's Health Insurance Plans. Enrollments in these high-deductible health plans, which typically are paired with tax-free health savings accounts or health-reimbursement arrangements, are up about 25 percent from last year, the report said" (5/20).

21 May 2010

More than 44% Canadian seniors living in residential care homes diagnosed with depression: CIHI study

More than two in five (44%) Canadian seniors living in residential care homes are diagnosed with or have symptoms of depression, according to a new study released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

21 May 2010

Ariz. tax hike only a band-aid, and other state tales of budget woes

The Wall Street Journal: States are being squeezed by "shrinking state budgets and rising health-care costs" and often vulnerable residents are paying the price. Barbara Hickey, 67 of Florence, S.C., is one of them. She is confined to a motorized wheelchair, lives alone and "relies on certified nurse's assistants to get her in and out of bed, bathed, clothed and fed."

21 May 2010

Safeway Step receives 2010 Caregiver Friendly Award

Safeway Safety Step, LLC has recently been recognized by two national organizations renowned for their service and education in aiding caregivers and seniors remaining in their homes or aging in place. The Safeway Step is a product and installation method designed to provide an economical renovation option for individuals and facilities interested in easier access into the bathtub area.

20 May 2010

Seniors, low-income earners more likely to be long-term users of benzodiazepines: Study

Drugs to treat anxiety and sleep disorders are still being prescribed for extended periods to British Columbian patients - and increasingly so for baby boomers - despite warnings against long-term use, according to a University of British Columbia study.

20 May 2010

Non-adherence to medication increases risk of falling in older adults

Older adults increase their chances of falling by not taking their medications as directed, according to an article in the latest edition of the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological and Medical Sciences (Volume 65A, Number 5). This new information comes from a recent study of Boston-area residents over age 70, which found that those who sometimes neglected their medications experienced a 50 percent increased rate of falls compared with those who did not.

20 May 2010

Health care high school to open in Chicago

Crain's Chicago Business reports that, in the fall, the city will open its "first charter high school specializing in health care, a move local hospitals hope will help relieve chronic workforce shortages. ... Juniors and seniors will be able to earn credits by shadowing hospital workers and interning as assistant nurses and in other professions."

20 May 2010

Use of life-ending drugs without explicit patient request occurs in hospital, among elderly patients

Despite fears to the contrary, the use of drugs to end life without patient request has not increased since euthanasia was legalized in Belgium, states an article in CMAJ.

19 May 2010

Physicians opting out of some insurance create two-tiered medical system

The Fiscal Times: "A small but growing number of physicians are ... abandoning traditional insurance-based practice to offer VIP treatment, including more time with patients, in return for upfront fees. In one common setup, often called concierge or retainer-based medicine, a primary care doctor charges an annual fee ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 just to get in the door.

19 May 2010

Seniors News and Research

Benefits of new health insurance reform law for Medicare recipients discussed in news conference

Sen. McConnell blasts Medicare brochure touting health overhaul

Intel expands availability of Intel Health Guide across Europe

House eyes Wednesday vote on measure that includes COBRA subsidy extension and doc 'pay fix'

ALFA recognizes Emeritus Senior Living with 2010 Best of the Best Award

HHS 'special mailing' on health law's immediate Medicare benefits sparks GOP grumbles

Aging-at-home concept should provide mobility assistance, says AAHomecare president

Round-up: Mississippi struggles with mental health services funding cuts; A drug discount bill advances in Mass.

Lawmakers could vote this week on three-year 'doc fix,' COBRA subsidy extension

Research roundup: Lessons from Medicare Part D; Evaluating medical homes; Insuring young adults

Democrats push three-year Medicare 'doc fix' as part of larger tax bill

Consumers roundup: More patients choose high-deductible plans; Many neglect doctors medication directions

More than 44% Canadian seniors living in residential care homes diagnosed with depression: CIHI study

Ariz. tax hike only a band-aid, and other state tales of budget woes

Safeway Step receives 2010 Caregiver Friendly Award

Seniors, low-income earners more likely to be long-term users of benzodiazepines: Study

Non-adherence to medication increases risk of falling in older adults

Health care high school to open in Chicago

Use of life-ending drugs without explicit patient request occurs in hospital, among elderly patients

Physicians opting out of some insurance create two-tiered medical system

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

Latest News