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Senate gridlock hurts seniors' health: Medicare physician payment down to the wire

“Medicare physician payment comes down to the wire today as the Senate scrambles once again to delay the 21 percent Medicare cut before physicians feel the impact in their payments this week and a Medicare meltdown begins. Congress’ failure to stave off the Medicare physician payment cut leaves physicians in limbo and puts seniors’ access to care and choice of physician in serious jeopardy. This continued uncertainty coupled with the fact that Medicare payments, even without the 21 percent cut, have not kept up with the cost of providing care to seniors demonstrates the need for a permanent solution to this annual problem.

15 Apr 2010

GE and U.S. Army to evaluate deployed soldiers for TBI and PTSD symptoms

As part of GE's continuing efforts to support U.S. troops, GE Global Research, the technology development arm of the General Electric Company, is engaged in a two-year research study with the U.S. Army to evaluate soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD).

15 Apr 2010

People with disabilities may be unable to afford Medicare Advantage plan under healthcare provisions

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 are the most powerful developments in decades affecting healthcare coverage for people with disabilities, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

15 Apr 2010

North Carolina lawmakers consider medical tax; Georgia insurance commission says state should reject high-insurance pools

The North Carolina legislature "socked it to retail customers, smokers, drinkers and big earners with higher taxes last year to help close a budget gap calculated by Democrats at more than $4 billion. Could hospitals or doctors' offices be next? Legislative leaders are returning to Raleigh early to begin adjusting the second year of the state's two-year budget and they're intrigued by a hospital or provider tax or fee because it could draw down three times as much extra money in federal matching funds for Medicaid.

15 Apr 2010

Yearly flu shots recommended for adults in 50-64 age group

The proportion of Americans with diabetes ages 18 to 64 who reported getting flu shots the previous year rose from 40 percent to 50.5 percent between 2000 and 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

13 Apr 2010

SCAN Health Plan honors Monarch HealthCare of Orange County with Wave award

Monarch HealthCare of Orange County has been named this year's recipient of SCAN Health Plan's "Wave" award, presented annually to a medical group that combines "high levels of performance or improvement in the field of geriatrics" with a "strong commitment to care for seniors and SCAN members."

13 Apr 2010

NAFC holds free educational webinar for seniors who live with incontinence

The National Association For Continence is holding a free educational webinar, Nocturia: Risk Factors for Falls & Fractures and Nighttime Fall Prevention Strategies, on Tuesday, April 20 at 8 p.m. (EST). This event will benefit seniors who live with incontinence and their caregivers.

13 Apr 2010

Tips to prevent heat-related injuries among seniors

The dog days of summer are fast approaching, and while we cannot control the rising temperatures on the streets, we can control the heat index of our bodies.

13 Apr 2010

Aetna hit with penalty, suspended from signing up new Medicare members

The Wall Street Journal: Medicare officials have suspended the Aetna insurance company from enrolling new members for "its Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription-drug plans because the insurer didn't comply with rules about changing drug-plan designs, the government said." The sanctions come after the government says the Connecticut-based insurance company did not "meet requirements to make sure seniors could continue on their medications during changes to the Aetna plans in 2009 and those offered this year."

12 Apr 2010

Medicare Supplement changes with introduction of Modernized Medicare Supplement Plans

Medicare Supplement, the insurance millions of seniors buy to help cover their out-of-pocket medical expenses, is undergoing dramatic changes with the introduction of Modernized Medicare Supplement Plans, which become effective June 1, 2010.

12 Apr 2010

Free Medicare education seminars for Hispanic-American seniors

This month, UnitedHealthcare will offer two free Medicare education seminars aimed at helping Hispanic-American seniors understand the basics of Medicare. Following the seminar, seniors are encouraged to take a free Zumba Gold class, a Latin-infused fitness program that blends the rhythms of merengue, salsa, cumbia, rumba, and tango.

9 Apr 2010

Research roundup: The effects of health IT, doctor-owned treatment centers, long-term care issues

Physician-Ownership Of Ambulatory Surgery Centers Linked To Higher Volume Of Surgeries - The authors analyzed data from Florida, using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's State Ambulatory Surgery Databases, revealing "a significant association between physician-ownership of surgicenters and greater use" of certain outpatient procedures.

9 Apr 2010

Ten loopholes and problem areas in new federal health reform law

Consumer Watchdog called on President Obama and Congress in a letter sent today to fix ten problem areas in the new federal health reform law that, if not addressed, will be exploited by health insurers and drug companies looking to charge more for less health care.

9 Apr 2010

Democrats, Republicans using health reform votes to plot November strategies

The Associated Press: Vulnerable Democrats around the country are "tiptoeing" during the recess as they prepare for midterm elections. "Tough votes for Obama's health care plan have further complicated the re-election prospects of dozens of already vulnerable freshman and second-term Democrats. There's even a chance the party could lose control of one or both houses in the midterm elections."

9 Apr 2010

Political controversies surrounding healthcare reform law may continue

A comprehensive review of national opinion polls taken before and after Congressional voting and when President Obama signed into law a major healthcare reform bill last month has found that the law's signing did not lead the country to come together in support of this landmark legislation. Partisan differences are stark, according to researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) who analyzed 33 independent opinion polls in an effort to gauge public support for healthcare change.

8 Apr 2010

HHS Secretary to discuss benefits of health reform for America's seniors in a webchat

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Assistant Secretary for the Administration on Aging Kathy Greenlee will host a webchat tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, to discuss the benefits of the new health reform law as it relates to America's seniors.

8 Apr 2010

Sebelius promises help to confused Americans on health law, says to beware of scammers

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that Americans can expect help from her department as health reform is implemented. She also cautioned consumers to watch out for scammers using the new health bill to try to defraud people.

8 Apr 2010

Arizona's hospital industry decides not to push tax to help poor, Maryland health programs struggle financially

"Arizona's hospital industry has decided not to push for an income tax increase on the state's wealthy to help the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System," the Medicaid program in the state.

8 Apr 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

From an economic perspective, health reform will fail if we can't sometimes push back against the try-anything instinct (David Leonhardt, 4/6).

8 Apr 2010

Health care reform: Clarification for seniors

From the time presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt first discussed health care reform in 1912, the topic has been a precedent-setting issue in the U.S. The 2010 passage of health care legislation is no different, but has many Americans in a quandary about how it will affect them. This is especially true of senior citizens.

7 Apr 2010

Seniors News and Research

Senate gridlock hurts seniors' health: Medicare physician payment down to the wire

GE and U.S. Army to evaluate deployed soldiers for TBI and PTSD symptoms

People with disabilities may be unable to afford Medicare Advantage plan under healthcare provisions

North Carolina lawmakers consider medical tax; Georgia insurance commission says state should reject high-insurance pools

Yearly flu shots recommended for adults in 50-64 age group

SCAN Health Plan honors Monarch HealthCare of Orange County with Wave award

NAFC holds free educational webinar for seniors who live with incontinence

Tips to prevent heat-related injuries among seniors

Aetna hit with penalty, suspended from signing up new Medicare members

Medicare Supplement changes with introduction of Modernized Medicare Supplement Plans

Free Medicare education seminars for Hispanic-American seniors

Research roundup: The effects of health IT, doctor-owned treatment centers, long-term care issues

Ten loopholes and problem areas in new federal health reform law

Democrats, Republicans using health reform votes to plot November strategies

Political controversies surrounding healthcare reform law may continue

HHS Secretary to discuss benefits of health reform for America's seniors in a webchat

Sebelius promises help to confused Americans on health law, says to beware of scammers

Arizona's hospital industry decides not to push tax to help poor, Maryland health programs struggle financially

Today's opinions and editorials

Health care reform: Clarification for seniors

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

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