Medicare & Medicaid News
Patient-Centered Medical Homes Reduce Costs for Medicare Patients
Medicare costs for patients
receiving care from PCMHs grew slower than for
other Medicare patients, rates for emergency
room visits, acute care hospitalizations lower,
too
By Stephanie Stephens, HBNS Contributing
Writer
|
Learn more about PCMH care below news
report. See video, too. |
Aug. 1, 2014 - The
patient-centered medical home (PCMH), introduced
in 2007, is a model of health care that
emphasizes personal relationships, team delivery
of care, coordination across specialties and
care settings, quality and safety improvement,
and open access. As the number of PCMHs has
increased, a new report in the journal Health
Services Research finds the model offers a
promising option to reduce health care costs and
utilization of some health care services.
More...
Medicare & Medicaid News
Medicare Drug Plan Premiums Up $1 Next Year, More
Reports on Low Medicare Costs
Unprecedented low levels of growth in Medicare
spending, continued savings for seniors citizens
Aug. 1, 2014 - The average premium for a basic
Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in 2015 will increase by about
$1, to an estimated $32 per month, continuing its historically low
growth rate. This projection by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) comes on the heels of the 49th anniversary of
the signing of Medicare and Medicaid into law.
More...
Features for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens 75 and Older Can Now
Board Airlines a Lot Easier
Transportation Security
Administration helping elderly free but others can move through check-in
lines even faster… but it cost money.
By
Tucker Sutherland, editor,
SeniorJournal.com
July
31, 2014 – Most of us senior citizens who fly on commercial airlines
wish for the good old days – the days before 9-11 - when airline
boarding and travel was simple. Those days are gone forever but the
Transportation Security Administration has taken steps recently to make
air travel at least a little bit easier for senior citizens age 75 and
older.
More...
Health
and Medicine for Seniors
New Long-Term Treatment for COPD Approved by FDA
One of
nation’s biggest killers is most often found in
senior citizens, current or former smokers,
women
July
31, 2014 - A new long-term treatment for the
third largest killer of U.S. citizens - chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – was
approved today by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. Striverdi Respimat (olodaterol),
an inhalation spray, is for the treatment of
patients with COPD, including chronic bronchitis
and emphysema that are experiencing airflow
obstruction. Striverdi Respimat can be used once
daily over a long period of time.
More...
|
 "The
decline of stem-cell function is a big
part of age-related problems. Achieving
longer lives relies in part on achieving
a better understanding of why stem cells
are not able to maintain optimal
functioning."
Emmanuelle Passegué, PhD
|
Health
and Medicine for Seniors
Aging Immune System May Get Kick-Start from Discovery of Molecular
Defect
‘Old stem cells are not just
sitting there with damaged DNA ready to develop
cancer, as it has long been postulated’
July 31, 2014 - There's a
good reason seniors over 60 are not donor
candidates for bone marrow transplantation. The
immune system ages and weakens with time, making
the elderly prone to life-threatening infection
and other maladies, and a UC San Francisco
research team now has discovered a reason why.
More...
Medicare & Medicaid News
Medicare
Celebrates 49th Birthday Today
Links below the news report
to information, images, recordings on history of
the program that are kept by Social Security and
Medicare
July 30, 2014 - It was
forty-nine years ago that President Lyndon B.
Johnson went to the Truman Library in
Independence, Missouri to have the former
president, Harry Truman, join him for the
signing of the bill establishing Medicare, or as
the record shows then, the “Supplementary
Medical Insurance Program Under the Social
Security Act.” The information and downloads
below report or from Social Security and
Medicare.
More...
Senior Citizen Politics
Planning Kicks Off for White House Conference on
Aging 2015
Note: The first
meeting was held yesterday to begin preparing for the White House
Conference on Aging, which will take place in 2015 – the
50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older American Act, as
well as the 80th anniversary of Social Security.
On the
Horizon: The 2015 White House Conference on Aging
Blog by
Cecilia Muñoz,
Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council.
July 29,
2014 - Today at the White House, I was delighted
to host a roundtable discussion with leaders
from across the aging community who came
together to discuss the White House Conference
on Aging, which will take place in 2015 – the
50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid, and the
Older Americans Act, as well as the
80th anniversary of Social Security.
More...
Features for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens at Risk of Financial Abuse, Most Often by Family Members
Financial exploitation of
elderly is a common and serious problem; adult
children most likely suspects
July
30, 2014 -
Nearly one in twenty elderly
Americans is being financially exploited – often
by their own family members. This burgeoning
public health crisis especially affects poor and
black people. It merits the scrutiny of
clinicians, policy makers, researchers, and any
citizen who cares about the dignity and
well-being of older Americans, says Dr. Janey
Peterson of Weill Cornell Medical College.
More...
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Simple Telephone Support a Great Relief for Caregivers of Dementia
Patients
Program
potentially less expensive than in-person
treatment options, more convenient for many
caregivers
July 30, 2014 – Caregivers
for dementia patients must deal with enormous
stress and many suffer depression. A new study
has found, however, that a support program
simply by telephone can significantly reduce
depression and other problems for informal
caregivers, such as family or friends, and is as
effective as face-to-face intervention programs.
Read more...
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Medicare Experiment Could Signal Sea Change for Hospice Care
What is hospice care? How
does it differ from palliative care? And.
curative care? Being changes in
care for oldest and sickest Americans
By Michelle Andrews, KHN
Writer
July
30, 2014 - Diane Meier is the director of the
Center to Advance Palliative Care, a national
organization that aims to increase the number of
palliative care programs in hospitals and
elsewhere for patients with serious illnesses.
Meier is also a professor of geriatrics and
palliative medicine at the Icahn School of
Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. We
spoke about a recently
launched pilot program under the health law that
allows hospice patients participating in the
pilot to continue to receive life-prolonging
treatment.
More...
Medicare & Medicaid News
Obamacare Helping Medicare Fight Fraud in Several States
CMS extends
moratoria for enrolling ground ambulance
suppliers, home health agencies in targeted high
risk areas; regular service uninterrupted
July
30, 2014 – Obamacare is coming in handy for the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
again, but this time it is in the unusual area
of helping the agency fight fraud, waste,
or abuse. CMS announced yesterday it is
extending its enrollment moratoria on new grand
ambulances in the Houston and Philadelphia
metropolitan areas and new home health agencies
in the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Fort
Lauderdale, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, and Miami.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Early Life Experiences Influence Cognitive Ability in Senior Citizens
Challenges earlier research pointing to
importance of demographic characteristics such
as race and ethnicity
July
29, 2014 - An association between an increased
risk of late-life cognitive impairment and
dementia and the person’s race and ethnicity, is
challenged by new research with senior citizens
that finds early life experiences, such as
childhood socioeconomic status and literacy, may
have greater influence on the risk of cognitive
impairment late in life.
More...
Health
and Medicine for Seniors
Surgeon General Issues Call to Action to Prevent Increase in Skin Cancer
|
 Surprisingly,
melanoma skin cancer can occur in
strange places, like the bottom of your
foot. |
Skin cancer
rates are rising, major reason is it primarily
strikes seniors and that population group is
increasing rapidly - see graph of melanoma
deaths by age
July 29,
2014 - Skin cancer, the most commonly diagnosed
cancer in the U.S., is a major public health
problem that requires immediate action,
according to a new Call to Action released today
by the U.S. Surgeon General. Melanoma, the
deadliest skin cancer, primarily strikes and
kills senior citizens. The damage that causes
the cancer, however, is usually done by
ultraviolet radiation exposure while victims are
younger.
More...
Medicare & Medicaid News
Senior Citizens, Medicare Reaping Big Benefits from Obamacare, $11.5
Billion Saved on Drugs
New report
says per capita Medicare spending growth
averaged 2% over 2009 – 2012, and nearly 0% in
2013
July
29, 2014 - More than 8.2 senior citizens and
people with disabilities covered by Medicare
have saved $11.5 billion since 2010 as a result
of the Affordable Care Act, according to data
released by the Department of Health and Human
Services. Obamacare was just yesterday credited
with extending the life of Medicare benefits.
This news also comes on the heels of continued
historic low levels of growth in Medicare
spending.
More...
Senior Citizen Politics
Social Security, Medicare Trustees Call for Legislative Action Now to
Save Programs
‘Lawmakers
should address the financial challenges facing
Social Security and Medicare as soon as
possible’
July
28, 2014 – The annual report on Medicare and
Social Security by the trustees is no small
matter – these two programs accounted for 41
percent of U.S. government spending in 2013. The
trustees also issued a summary on the reports
that – as they say – told it like it is! Things
may look okay for now but neither program can be
sustained without legislative changes. They
emphasize sooner than later for these action.
More...
Senior Citizen Politics
AARP Response to Trustee Reports Cautions Medicare on Health Costs,
Praises Social Security Strength
Cites wasteful spending
throughout health care system; modest changes on
Social Security can ensure current and future
generations of Social Security beneficiaries
July
28, 2014 – While most seemed to be joyous over
the report of the Medicare Trustees today, AARP
pointed out the challenges facing the program
and complained about the high cost of health It
was more cheerful about the Social Security
report, saying “Social Security remains
strong as seen in today’s long term projected
outlook.” Both statements were made by Executive
Vice President Nancy LeaMond.
More...
Medicare & Medicaid News
Medicare’s Hospital Trust Fund Flush Until 2030: Good News for Boomers,
Seniors
News
not so good on Social Security: projected to run
out of disability benefit money in 2016, just
two years from now, unless Congress intervenes
By Julie
Rovner, KNH Staff Writer
July 28,
2014 - Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Trust Fund,
which finances about half the health program for
seniors and the disabled, won’t run out of money
until 2030, the program’s trustees said Monday.
That’s four years later than projected last year
and 13 years later than projected the year
before the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
How Senior Citizens Function So Well Despite Declining Cognitive Ability
Can they really think well
when they focus real hard? Psychology prof says
it is ‘selective engagement’
July 28, 2014 - Senior
citizens almost universally show decline in
their cognitive ability as they age, but they
often do not seem to suffer in their ability to
cope with decisions in their work or daily life.
A psychology researcher at North Carolina State
University thinks it is something he calls
“selective engagement.”
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Alzheimer’s, Other Diseases a Step Closer to Treatment with New Protein
Structure
Stops harmful changes of
body’s normal proteins into state linked to
diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart
disease, Type 2 diabetes and Lou Gehrig’s
disease
Michelle
Ma, University of Washington
July 28, 2014 -
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s
disease and other forms of dementia, but
University of Washington bioengineers are one
step closer to finding a treatment. They have
designed a peptide structure that can stop the
harmful changes of the body’s normal proteins
into a state that’s linked to widespread
diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart
disease, Type 2 diabetes and Lou Gehrig’s
disease.
Read more...
Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, & Mental Health
Six New Genetic Risks Found for Parkinson’s Disease that Targets Seniors
Study shows power of
combining big data analysis with cutting-edge
genomic techniques
July
28, 2014 - Using data from over 18,000 patients,
scientists have identified more than two dozen
genetic risk factors involved in Parkinson's
disease, including six that had not been
previously reported. The biggest risk factor
long established for PD is age: it usually
attacks people at about age 60 and the risk
factor continues to increase with age.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Senior Citizens Who Walk Slowly Can Expect Dementia to Catch Up with
Them
Series of research reports in
recent years have dire predictions for slow
walking seniors, including a shorter life
July
25, 2014 – If you are a senior citizen and you
walk very slowly, you have some things to worry
about. The latest is a report from a study of
27,000 seniors age 60 or older that declares it
can predict dementia in the future of those who
walk slowly and have cognitive complaints.
Another study early this year says slow walking
seniors are less happy and have shorter
longevity. In fact, a study of seniors in 2011
says how fast they walk is a better gage of how
long they will live than trying to do a more
complicated analysis of their medical condition
and history.
More...
Features for Senior Citizens
How Can I Get Health Coverage for My Grandchildren?
When an adult
child is out of work, grandparents may need to
step up to help the grandchildren
July
25, 2014 – A reader of the Insuring Your Health
column has come up with an unusual question, or
maybe it is not that unusual. The question is,
“How can I get health coverage for my
grandchildren?” Michelle Andrews has the answer
and it may be one many grandparents need.
More...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Coffee-Loving Seniors, Others Warned by FDA to Avoid Powdered Pure
Caffeine
FDA
says at least one death reported from use of
pure caffeine sold in bulk over internet
July
24, 2014 – Say the word caffeine and the heads
of senior citizens usually pops up. It makes
them think of their favorite drink – coffee.
But, this time it is a message from the
Food and Drug Administration warning about
powdered pure caffeine being marketed directly
to consumers.
More...
Aging News & Information
Where You Live, Income May Play Significant Roles in Falls by Senior
Citizens
Elderly living in
lower-income neighborhoods at highest risk of
injury on on sidewalks, streets and curbs
July
23, 2014 – A bit of good news for senior
citizens about falling is that you are twice as
safe from tumbling to the ground when you are
walking for recreation or exercise that as you
are when you a walking for some necessity – like
shopping, or going to an appointment. The not so
good news is that it is elderly with lower
incomes who are most often walking because they
have to.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
False Memories May Be Result of Not Getting Enough Sleep
Findings raise questions
about reliability of eyewitnesses who may have
experienced long periods of restricted or
deprived sleep
July
23, 2014 - Numerous recent studies have grabbed
the attention of senior citizens with results
showing that lack of adequate sleep can cause
people – seniors in particular – numerous
problems with cognition, memory and even
disease. Now the scientist say lack of sleep can
even cause us to create false memories. The
possible good news for seniors is this study was
with college students.
More...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Rosemary and Oregano Herbs May Pack Punch to Stop Type 2 Diabetes
Study reveals
diabetes-fighting compounds and that how they
are grown makes a difference
July
23, 2014 - The popular culinary herbs oregano
and rosemary are packed with healthful
compounds, and now lab tests show they could
work in much the same way as prescription
anti-diabetic medication, scientists report in
ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Potential Found for Cancer Drug as Oral Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease
Previous work with mice found
cognition improved, nerve cell loss was reduced
when microtubule protein stabilized
July
23, 2014 - Scientists are reporting new progress
on a set of compounds initially developed for
cancer treatment that shows promise as a
potential oral treatment for Alzheimer's
disease. Currently, no cure exists for the
devastating neurological disease that affects
more than 5 million Americans – primarily senior
citizens.
More...
Senior Citizen Politics
Senior
Citizens Leading the Charge for Medical Marijuana in Florida
Vote comes in November for
recreational and medical purposes; most say
senior citizens will decide the outcome, which
could make this the 23rd state to
approve it for medical use
July 22, 2014 - The
campaign to legalize marijuana use – especially
for medical purposes – is riding the winds of
victory that are blowing from the west coast to
Florida, where a vote in November seems poised
to make its use legal there. What is becoming
obvious in the Sunshine State is that senior
citizens may be the key to victory, making
Florida the twenty-third state, plus the
District of Columbia, allowing some form of
marijuana use for medical purposes.
More...
Features for Senior Citizens
Pew
Finds Christians, Jews Rated Higher by Senior Citizens Than by Younger
People
New Pew survey looks at how U.S. citizens feel
about religious groups, atheists
July 21, 2014 – Senior citizens – citizens age 65
or older – are more likely than younger Americans to view Christian
groups and Jews favorably, according to a new survey by Pew Research
Center. The survey also found Jews, Catholics and evangelical Christians
are viewed warmly by the American public - atheists and Muslims, not so
hot.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Fish Oil May Help Protect Alcohol Abusers from Dementia
Up to 90% less inflammation,
death in brain cells of drinkers after exposure
to omega-3 DHA
July
21, 2014 – Anything that reduces the risk of
dementia is of high interest to most senior
citizens. New research says one way – at least
for those who drink alcohol regularly - is to
take omega-3 fish oil. The researchers
discovered it will protect against inflammation
and neuronal cell death that damages the brain
in alcohol abusers and can lead to dementia.
More...
Social Security News
Social Security Benefit Verification Available Online but Also in Local
Offices
‘We
recognize that some members of the public may
require in-person assistance and we will have a
presence in local communities’
July
17, 2014 – Despite a hard push to encourage
seniors and others who need benefit verification
letters from the Social Security Administration
to obtain them online, the agency today issued a
news release confirming that local Social
Security offices will continue to provide
benefit verification letters.
More...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Study
of Seniors Shows Niacin Too Dangerous for Routine Cholesterol Therapy
|
New Research
> Niacin
does not reduce heart attacks or strokes
> Niacin
linked to increase in death risk, excess
bleeding and diabetes
> Statins
remain best choice to reduce heart
attack and stroke risk |
Mainstay drug for many
seniors now linked to death risk, dangerous side
effects and no benefits in large study of older
adults
July 17, 2014 - After 50
years of being a mainstay cholesterol therapy
for many seniors, niacin should no longer be
prescribed for most patients due to potential
increased risk of death, dangerous side effects
and no benefit in reducing heart attacks and
strokes, writes Northwestern Medicine preventive
cardiologist Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., in a
New England Journal of Medicine editorial.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health - Opinion
Alzheimer's
Conference Offers Signs of Hope in Battle Against Mind-Crushing Disease
Below are some of the
highlights from the Alzheimer's Association
International Conference that are important to
every senior citizen
By Tucker Sutherland, editor,
SeniorJournal.com
July 16, 2014 – For the
first time in the almost-20-years that I have
closely followed the battle against Alzheimer’s
disease, I am encouraged about our odds. As the
Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
for this year wraps up in Copenhagen, the
researchers and other experts who made
presentations convinced me we are finally
getting our arms around this cruel killer, and
have a chance to - someday - bring it under
control. Below are the highlights and every
senior citizen, the primary victims of the
disease, needs to read them.
More...
Health
and Medicine for Seniors
Diabetics with Heart Disease Can
Live Longer by Taking Statins Says Researcher
Patients taking statins at beginning of study had a 50% increase of
being alive as compared to those who didn’t
July 16, 2014 – Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death
and disability among people with Type 2 diabetes. In fact, at least 65
percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or
stroke, according to the American Heart Association. The good news is
that it appears they may add years to their lives by taking statins.
More...
Health
and Medicine for Seniors
One Injection Stops Diabetes in Its Tracks Report Salk Scientists
FGF1 treatment reverses
symptoms of type 2 diabetes in mice without side
effects
July
16, 2014 - In mice with diet-induced diabetes -
the equivalent of type 2 diabetes in humans - a
single injection of the protein FGF1 is enough
to restore blood sugar levels to a healthy range
for more than two days. The discovery by Salk
scientists, published today in the journal
Nature,
could lead to a new generation of safer, more
effective diabetes drugs.
More...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Scams Targeting Grandparents Get Attention from Senate Committee on
Aging
Goal today is
to identify solutions to help authorities better
detect and prosecute such crimes, and encourage
retailers, phone companies to help protect
consumers
July 16,
2014 – The U.S. Senate Special Committee on
Aging will hold a hearing today at 1:30 p.m. to
seek solutions to the increase in scams
targeting grandparents. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
and Susan Collins (R-ME), the committee’s
chairman and ranking member, called for the
hearing after receiving complaints from victims
through the committee’s fraud hotline.
More...
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Ten Questions About End-of-Life Care to Ask Your Aging Parents
May seem downright frightening, but it is important to
know your parents' preferences at the end of life; may also be questions
for discussion with a spouse
By Amy Tucci, President, CEO,
Hospice Foundation of America
July
15, 2014 - If you have aging parents, now is the
time to discuss what's important to them as they
near the end of their lives. Too many adult
children wait to have end-of-life conversations
when their parents are dying or in the midst of
a crisis.
More...
Medicare & Medicaid News
HHS Funds to Enhance Ability of States to Improve Medicaid Reform
HHS also
announces $11 Million to integrate HIV services
in Community Health Centers
July
15, 2014 - A new collaboration with states to
improve care for Medicaid beneficiaries by
accelerating efforts in reforming their health
care systems to improve health and care, while
also reducing costs, was announced yesterday by
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M.
Burwell, who called the program “innovative.”
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Exciting Glimmer of Hope in Fight Against
Alzheimer’s in U.S. but World Epidemic Grows
New data on fewer new cases in U.S. and other
developed nations suggests possibility of prevention and risk reduction;
reports from Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
July 15, 2014 – Older Americans have become
accustomed to assuming that Alzheimer’s disease in becoming more common
among senior citizens and is destined to increase rapidly due to the
increased incidence rate and the explosion in longevity. New reports
today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2014
suggest the possibility of reducing risk and maybe even preventing the
disease most feared by most seniors. Some of the best news was found in
studies from the United States.
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Patients Moving from Hospital to
Hospice Often Prescribed Questionable Antibiotics
About 27% of
hospice patients still taking antibiotics for infection in the final
week of their life
July 14,
2014 - New research suggests that use of antibiotics is still prevalent
among terminal patients who have chosen hospice care as an end-of-life
option, despite little evidence that the medications improve symptoms or
quality of life, and sometimes may cause unwanted side effects.
More...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Seniors Almost Twice as Likely to Have Memories Affected By
Environmental Distraction
‘Almost any type of memory
test administered reveals a decline in memory
from the age of 25 on’
July
14, 2014 - Seniors are nearly twice as likely as
younger people to have their memory and
cognitive processes impaired by environmental
distractions (such as irrelevant speech or
written words presented along with target
stimuli), according to a new study from
psychologists at Rice University and Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine.
More...
Health
and Medicine for Seniors
Stroke Risk in Seniors, Middle-Age Adults Jumps with Stress, Hostility,
Depression
Psychological
characteristics equally important to
cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking other
traditional risk factors
July 11,
2014 - Higher levels of stress, hostility and
depressive symptoms are associated with
significantly increased risk of
stroke or transient
ischemic attack (TIA)
in middle-age adults and seniors, according to
new research in the American Heart Association
journal Stroke. Interestingly,
anger was not seen to cause a significant
increase in stroke risk.
More...
Nursing Home Abuse?
