Older adults in the US may be making nearly one-third more, on average, than commonly thought, according to an important new study by two US Census Bureau researchers. Their report, published last month, finds that the median household income for those 65 and older was about $44,400 in 2012, significantly higher than the $33,800 previously reported by Census. The implications [...]
Have you seen the stories about new tests for Alzheimer’s Disease that supposedly are just around the corner? The claims: A simple blood test, an eye test, even a smell test that could show that you are at high risk for Alzheimer’s decades before you develop symptoms. They are promising, scary, and--so far--premature. Sadly, we’ve seen this movie before. Like [...]
Older adults in the US are better off, on average, than those in other countries, according to a new index developed by researchers at Columbia University and the University of Southern California. However, while US seniors do relatively well by quality of life measures such as social connections at work and across generations, they fall in the middle of the [...]
Two of the greatest sources of frustration for Medicare recipients and their families are observation status and the government’s incredibly complex appeals process. On Monday, a federal judge in Hartford CT, certified a class action lawsuit aimed at addressing both. The judge’s eventual decision in the case (Alexander v. Price) could have far-reaching effects on both the burgeoning use of [...]
For seven years, “repeal and replace” worked as a great glib political alliteration (see, I can do it too). It was key to Republicans winning control of Congress in 2012 and helped Donald Trump take the White House in 2016. But actually doing it, well, nobody knew it could be so hard. But why is it so tough? In short, [...]
Congress took two big steps this week that could have a major impact on seniors and younger people with disabilities. The one that got the most attention, of course, was the Senate’s failure to pass a replacement for the Affordable Care Act. The second, which was barely noticed, was a series of key decisions by House Republicans on how much [...]
The Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington (DC) based group that develops consensus policy solutions, has proposed a series of reforms aimed at helping families finance long-term care for themselves and their loved ones. The proposal aims to encourage more people to buy private long-term care insurance, including through Medicare, and would provide a new Medicare respite benefit for family caregivers. [...]
The uberization of senior services is all the rage. You can download an app and order up a home visit from a doctor. You can get home delivered groceries or prepared foods. And, of course, you can get a ride. While these services were designed primarily for the young and overworked, there are real potential benefits for older adults and [...]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health care plan would substantially increase costs for people age 50-64 who buy insurance in the individual market and for the frail elderly and younger people with disabilities who receive Medicaid long-term care benefits. In some ways, the Senate plan would be marginally better than the House-passed health bill. In others, it would be much [...]
The Senate’s version of the House-passed American Health Care Act will almost certainly include a fundamental change in the way the federal government contributes to Medicaid. Over time, that new structure would result in deep cuts in the federal contribution to Medicaid and ultimately reduce long-term care benefits for frail older adults as well as younger people with disabilities. These [...]