Top Stories
from Aging Opportunities News Online
Next Stimulus Package May Hike Senior Meals
Aug. 1, 2008
A second stimulus package that Congress may consider after the August recess
might appropriate supplemental funding for senior meal programs.
A draft Senate version contains $40 million for senior meals — enough to
cover 12 million additional meals. The Senate plan is also expected to include
additional funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
The House has not yet drafted a proposal.
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Trends in Health and Aging Website Merger
The National Center for Health Statistics has
announced the forthcoming merger of the Trends in Health and Aging (www.cdc.gov/nchs/agingact.htm)
and Health Data for All Ages (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/health_data_for_all_ages.htm)
websites. The new website, Health Data Interactive (HDI), will incorporate
information on aging as well as on the health of children and younger adults.
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Older Americans Have Limited Access to Home and Community-Based Services
under Medicaid
July 11, 2008
A new report by AARP’s Public Policy Institute finds promising signs and mixed
results among state government efforts to balance long-term care (LTC) options
under Medicaid. Unfortunately, according to the report, only four states spent
more than 50% of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people providing home and
community based services (HCBS). The remainder of the states continues to spend
the majority of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people on institutional
care, such as nursing homes.
The report examines Medicaid spending on long-term care for older people and
adults with physical disabilities, separate from other LTC users such as people
with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD).
Nationally, 75% of Medicaid LTC spending for older people and adults with
physical disabilities pays for institutional care in nursing homes. In
contrast, states have done a much better job balancing Medicaid LTC for people
with MR/DD, spending just 39 percent on institutional care. The majority of
funds now supports people in home and community-based settings.
"What states have accomplished for people with mental
retardation/developmental disabilities is remarkable," said Susan
Reinhard, Senior Vice President AARP Public Policy Institute. "It proves
that balancing long–term care is achievable and should be used as a model to
help states provide home and community based services for older
adults.""
Medicaid's bias remains a major barrier to leveling the playing field between
options for institutional care and HCBS for older adults, according to the
report. Medicaid is required to provide nursing home care for older adults who
are impoverished and require care, but is not required to provide HCBS.
"This is backwards. People are entitled to costly nursing home care, but
not to often more cost- effective services in their homes. Clearly home and
community-based services are preferred by older residents," said Reinhard.
"Our research shows that older people want to remain in their homes as
they age. They want independence, choice and control over every day decisions.
However, public funds continue to steer older people into institutions."
Also highlighted in the report are best practices from states that are making
progress balancing LTC options. Alaska, Oregon, Washington
and New Mexico
spent more than 50% of their Medicaid LTC budget for older people and adults
with physical disabilities in 2006 on HCBS.
The report, “A Balancing Act: State Long-Term Care Reform,” is online at http://www.aarp.org/research/longtermcare/programfunding/2008_10_ltc.html
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AARP
Launches Four Online Health Tools To Empower Consumers To Make Informed
Choices In Care
August 22, 2008
AARP announced today that it has added four new health tools to its Web site,
to help consumers get trusted, reliable online health information.
View
release
Gerontological Society of America
Research Finds America's Elderly Suffering Abuse
Aug. 22, 2008
A new study concludes that nearly 13 percent of America's aged citizens suffer
some form of abuse. Specifically, nine percent of adults reported they have
suffered from verbal mistreatment, 3.5 percent suffer financial mistreatment,
and 0.2 percent suffer physical mistreatment.
View release
AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
Releases Comprehensive ‘Geriatrics Syndromes’ Tip Sheet for Older
Americans
Aug. 21, 2008
Many older adults will eventually develop one or more of a group of related
medical problems known as "geriatric syndromes." … The American
Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) has released a
comprehensive and easy-to-understand tip sheet.
View
release
Certified Senior Advisors
Hurricane Fay Impact on Southeastern Coastal Florida Senior Housing
Communities
Aug. 21, 2008
View
stats
Kaiser Family Foundation
The Medicare Part D Coverage Gap: Costs and Consequences in 2007
Aug. 21, 2008
This study quantifies, for the first time, the number of Medicare Part D plan
enrollees in 2007 who reached a gap in their prescription drug coverage known
as the "doughnut hole," as well as the changes in beneficiaries' use
of medications and out-of-pocket spending after they reached that gap. … This
study of Part D prescription drug utilization finds that one in four (26%) Part
D enrollees who filled any prescriptions in 2007 reached the coverage gap.
View release
Gerontological Society of America
The Gerontological Society of America Appoints New Executive Director
Aug. 20, 2008
James Appleby, RPh, MPH, has been named the next executive director of The
Gerontological Society of America, effective October 1, 2008.
View release
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicare Enhances Consumer Information on Hospital Care
August 20, 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced
important additions to the Hospital Compare consumer Web site (http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/)
that will give consumers even better insight into the quality of care provided
by their local hospitals.
View
release
AARP
Millions of People with Low or Fixed Incomes Could Still Benefit from
Economic Stimulus
August 15, 2008
Only two months remain for the 5.2 million low-income individuals across the
nation to file a simple tax form and receive $300 to $600 dollars from the
Economic Stimulus program. In conjunction with National Council on Aging
(NCOA), AARP has created a tool that helps individuals fill out the tax form
they’ll need to submit to receive a payment if they are eligible. This online
tool and other materials can be found at www.aarp.org/stimulus.
View
release
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Physician Groups Earn Performance Payments for Improving Quality of Care
for Patients With Chronic Illnesses
Aug. 14, 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that all
physician groups participating in the Physician Group Practice (PGP)
Demonstration improved the quality of care delivered to patients with
congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus during
performance year 2 of the demonstration.
View
release
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Lower Medicare Part D Costs Than Expected in 2009
Aug. 14, 2008
As Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program enters its fourth year,
beneficiary satisfaction rates remain high, program costs remain lower than
originally expected, and Medicare prescription drug plan bids reflect
nationwide drug price trends, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
announced today.
View
release
Census Bureau
An Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury
Aug. 14, 2008
The nation will be more racially and ethnically diverse, as well as much older,
by midcentury, according to projections released today by the U.S. Census
Bureau.
View
release
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