Faced with growing pressures from payors, rising costs, the need to replace old buildings, increased competition from other forms of residential care, and shrinking demand from older adults who prefer to age at home, nursing homes are shutting their doors at a rapid pace. There still are more than 15,000 nursing facilities in the US—more, in fact, than McDonald’s franchises. [...]
No, PDGM is not a new disease. It is, instead, the way Medicare now pays for home health care. Shorthand for The Patient-Driven Groupings Model, PDGM is the Trump Administration’s latest effort to reduce Medicare costs. And it appears to be making it much harder for some patients living at home to receive occupational, physical, and speech therapy. PDGM is [...]
Most major Democratic presidential hopefuls have proposed new government assistance for those receiving long-term supports and services and their families. Mayor Pete Buttigieg has proposed public catastrophic long-term care insurance. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders would make home-based care a Medicare for All benefit. And former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Amy Klobuchar would create new tax credits [...]
Most of the major Democratic presidential hopefuls have proposed ways for government to support frail older adults and their families. But they have chosen three very different models: tax credits; universal government-funded benefits; and public long-term care insurance. Which design makes the most sense? Here’s a first look. Tax credits: Former vice president Joe Biden’s plan includes a $5,000 non-refundable tax [...]
All the major Democratic presidential hopefuls have proposed significant plans to support those receiving long-term supports and services and their families. While this amount of attention to long-term care is unprecedented, the candidates are taking three broadly different approaches to the problem: tax credits; universal government-funded coverage; and public long-term care insurance against catastrophic costs. Most also support higher pay [...]
Family members and friends are the bedrock of our system of personal care for frail older adults and younger people with disabilities. Without their support, the nation’s hospitals and nursing homes would be filled to the rafters with very sick, frail seniors. And many of those older adults would die before their time. Those family caregivers often provide assistance with [...]
You are turning 65. But-- like 40 percent of other 65-year-olds-- you have not yet claimed your Social Security benefits. For many older adults, that choice makes good financial sense. Except for one problem: You may find yourself getting hit with big penalties for failing to enroll in Medicare. Why? Because you probably didn’t know you had to. Congress could [...]
As 2020 dawns, the US is about to reach a critical, historic tipping point in its need to care for frail older adults. And we are tragically unprepared. In just five years, the first of the 77-million strong Baby Boom generation will reach age 80—the time when people’s frailty increases dramatically and they begin to need high levels of long-term [...]
Growing old is not easy. And it also is not simple. There is a lot of learn about how you can care for your changing body, how to keep and grow social connections, and how to manage your legal and financial life. But where can an older adult learn these things? The Woodbury Senior Community Center in Litchfield County Connecticut, [...]
Timed to show that they are not just about impeaching President Trump, House Democrats released a far-reaching plan to redesign the Medicare drug benefit. But the measure, which the House plans to vote on next week, goes well beyond an attempt lower drug prices. It would redesign Medicare Part D cost-sharing and add key core benefits to fee-for-service Medicare Part [...]