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.
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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.
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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.
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Certified Senior Advisors
Hurricane Fay Impact on Southeastern Coastal Florida Senior Housing Communities
Aug. 21, 2008
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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