Believe it or not, there is a chance President Trump and congressional Democrats can reach an agreement this year to limit the growth in Medicare drug prices. It certainly won’t be easy, given the toxic relationship the president and Democrats have built up in just the past few weeks. But both sides have good reasons to make a deal, and [...]
Last week, President Trump signed into law the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, a measure aimed at building a public health model to fight Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The law would authorize up to $100 million over five years to improve public education, support health and social service agencies’ dementia initiatives, and collect and disseminate data about cognitive decline. [...]
No issue generates more anger and confusion among Medicare recipients than observation status—that hospital stay that really isn’t a hospital stay. Over the holidays, I got an earful from three people who had been treated at a hospital by hospital staff yet not admitted to the hospital. A typical case goes like this: A person comes to a hospital emergency [...]
Are family caregivers—and care recipients--getting younger? Are men more likely to care for parents and other relatives than in the past? Perhaps, according to a recent survey by the long-term care insurance company Genworth. The survey found that about half of family caregivers now are men. That’s significantly higher than the 40 percent in other studies. At the same time, [...]
US District Judge Reed O’Connor’s Friday night decision to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act would damage the well-being of older adults, those 50-64 nearing Medicare, and frail elders and younger people with disabilities who are receiving long-term care benefits under Medicaid. Many lawyers believe the ruling is poorly reasoned and likely would be reversed on appeal. However, it [...]
Would you buy a term life insurance policy that automatically converts to long-term care coverage once you reach retirement age? How about paying a modest additional premium to add some home care benefits to your Medicare Supplemental (Medigap) insurance or your Medicare Advantage plan? Minnesota, a state that has been a leader in long-term care delivery reform, may soon experiment [...]
The long-predicted shortage of personal care aides is here. And it is creating enormous challenges for frail older adults and people with disabilities living at home as well as for operators and residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This shortage inevitably will drive up costs for services that already are unaffordable for many consumers. They will increase financial [...]
After the new Congress is sworn in next January it may address several issues that directly affect the well-being of older adults as well as younger people with disabilities. The House, which will be controlled by Democrats, and the Senate, still run by Republicans, will have very different perspectives on these issues but both chambers are likely to confront the [...]
Mom fell. Those are two words we never want to hear, but if you have an aging parent, there is a good chance you will. What do you do? Falls are the leading cause of injury and death among older adults in the US. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that in 2014, older adults fell 29 million times, resulting [...]
The Democrats won control of the House, largely on the back of health policy. And many members of the caucus have gone on record in favor of what’s come to be known as “Medicare for all.” The idea is hugely popular, backed by 58 percent of Americans in some polls and up to 70 percent in others. But what does [...]