Editor's Notebook

July 10, 2002 - The Associated Press has filed a story today by David Espo that declares, “The pace is quickening in the Senate on senior citizens' issues, from a new entry in the Medicare prescription drug sweepstakes to fresh election-year emphasis on access to lower-cost generic medicine.” How many times has the AP and other leading news sources filed a similar story over the last three years? Click to rest of story

Medicare Helps You Check Out Nursing Homes Online

We get many E-mails from readers requesting information on how to find nursing homes for their elderly relatives. Most states offer some type of online assistance in choosing a safe home but we are glad to see the federal government helping, too.

This new service by Medicare is named Nursing Home Compare. The primary purpose of this tool is to provide detailed information about the performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country. To check on any nursing home in the country click here - Nursing Home Compare.

Important Information on Nursing Home Compare and other resources, including the Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home, and Nursing Home Checklist are also available from Medicare/Medicaid to help you with your nursing home choice.

Crisis In Medicaid Poses Serious Threat To Senior Citizens

Social Security and Medicare receive a lot of media coverage related to reforms that can make these programs better and safer. Almost ignored is the most critical crisis facing senior citizens - the economic pressures forcing states to cutback on Medicaid funding, which pays nearly two-thirds of all nursing home and long-term care bills. Click to Story 3/15/2*

Aging Brain Offers Encouragement

There was encouraging news about advances in the battle against Alzheimer's and to help people recover from strokes presented on the PBS television show, "The Aging Brain," which aired Feb. 12. 2002.

This was part five in the PBS series "The Secret Life of the Brain." It is extremely well done and appears to be right on top of the latest research.

It opens with some of the work that is being done to restore body functions for stroke victims - even years after the damage. It had long been assumed that recovery was impossible, because dead brain cells were gone forever. Now, we know, the brain has the ability to rebuild cells, even in senior citizen brains.

It also reported on real progress in Alzheimer's research, including the vaccine, which has proven successful in test rats.

Much of the information presented in this aging-brain episode - including some video clips - can be found on the PBS Web site. To go directly to the Aging Brain information - Click Here. 2/13/02***

Drug Discount Cards - Don't Get Excitied!

The announcement by Pfizer of their new Share Card program that allows low-income seniors to get all their prescription drugs (as long as Pfizer makes them) for $15 a month (see link to story at "Medicare") has attracted new attention to drug discount cards for senior citizens. A recent government study, however, says they are not saving us much… if anything.

The General Accounting Office found that prices were on average slightly lower for card program users, but not always, according to a report by Reuters Health. And most of the programs have enrollment fees of $12 to $25 a year. One card, which appeared to provide users with the lowest drug prices, charged members a basic fee of $11.95 a month.

``This report further documents there are no savings for seniors,'' said John Rector, general counsel for the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). ``It's smoke and mirrors,'' Rector told Reuters Health, adding that, ``it's at best a wash.''

A spokeswoman for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) said the GAO results were similar to its own study conducted last year. The NACDS and NCPA sued the federal government to block the Bush drug discount card plan, claiming it would illegally transfer regulatory authority to private organizations. The groups also said that pharmacies would bear the financial burden of the discounts while pharmacy benefit management companies would receive a boon.

``The reality is, these programs shift people to higher-priced brand name drugs to benefit the pharmacy benefit management companies that are operating them, because they get a rebate,'' said Larry Kocot, NACDS senior vice president and general counsel.

The agency surveyed Merck-Medco Managed Care; Advance PCS; Express Scripts; Wellpoint Health; Citizens Energy, a nonprofit company offering discounts through pharmacies in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island; and a mail order pharmacy. GAO sought prices for the 10 most frequently prescribed prescription drugs and the 10 drugs whose price and use made them the highest expenditure drugs bought by participants in a program offered by AARP.

To read the pdf version of the GAO report - Click Here 1/23/2***

Seniors Turn to Killers

Senior citizens are usually thought of as the victims of crimes but this may be changing as increasing numbers are charged with vicious crimes.

This is a serious problem that needs the attention of all of us who have elderly family members or friends. As society focuses on how to keep more elderly people living at home, rather than in nursing homes, we will need to increase our vigilance on monitoring their rational thought and behavior.

Check these two stories and see if they alert any warning signs.

Gonzales TX - With jurors barely settled into their padded oak courtroom chairs, Charlie Bell pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering an old nemesis at the Smiley One Stop Café some 15 months ago. A frail and pale old man using a walker, Bell, 80, is asking to be spared any prison time. Click 1/17/2

San Marco TX - Jury deliberations will continue this morning to determine whether Melvin Hale is competent to stand trial on murder charges in the slaying of Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Randall Vetter. Hale, 74, a retired crane operator and rancher, is accused of shooting Vetter during a traffic stop on the Interstate 35 access road, south of Kyle, in August 2000. Click 1/17/2

No Call List Are Important to Seniors

Hurray, Texas, where I live, has just started a "No Call List," which will impose heavy fines on telemarketers who call you, if you have signed up with the state's "No Call List" program. Some states even include E-mail addresses that are off limits.

About half the states now have programs and it is senior citizens that are leading the charge to add more and strengthen the ones in place.

Over 90,000 Texans have signed up since Jan. 1, according to a Jan. 10, 2002, story in the San Antonio Express-News (Click). This link will take you to a video about the Texas program (Click)

The Texas Website is here (Click) and this is the news release on their program (Click)

This is a good summary of state programs by the Direct Marketing Association - Click.

This Website is devoted to pushing "no call lists" for each state. On his site you will find a U.S. map and you can click your state to find your "no call list" or, if none is available, sign a petition to get one. It may not be totally up-to-date, since it still shows Texas has no program. Click

And, this has created a new business - "no call list scrubbing." Companies like Red Clay Media (Click) will take company customer list and check them against the "no call list" in each state, to help them avoid fines by the states.

If your state does not have a program, call or E-mail your state representative right now! 1/10/2***

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Certainly, the biggest event of 2001 is one that we will not want to often remember. Almost 3,000 people died at the hands of terrorists who place no value on human life - be it a man, woman or child.

Let's hope that in 2002 we will see an end to this senseless killing.

And, for seniors, let's hope the Congress can turn its attention back to adding a meaningful drug program to Medicare and securing the future of Social Security.

We did see some very significant advances in medicine and science in 2001, and we hope this continues in 2002.

And, finally, I hope you all live to be healthy centenarians, like the two San Antonio women mentioned on this Front Page. 1/1/2***

Medicare Users May Get Surprise!

The news media has been reporting that changes to Medicare and Social Security have been pushed aside by the Sept. 11 crisis. But, very important things are happening in both programs and they are not receiving the media attention seniors need.

Julie Rovner of National Public Radio is the exception. She has been particularly focused on the changes in Medicare, which may come as a shock to many.

Medicare beneficiaries in December usually choose how they will get their health care the next year. They can stay in the traditional, government-run program, or opt for a private plan, like an HMO. Until now, making the wrong choice was no big deal. Unlike most of those in the working world, Medicare beneficiaries could switch plans every month, but, that's about to end.

About 6 million Medicare beneficiaries get their care from private health plans, mostly HMOs. Those who get use private health plans, like HMOs, will be the most affected by a new rule known as "lock-in."

Next year, beneficiaries will be allowed to change plans only once between January and the end of June. After that, they won't be able to change again until January 2003.

• Click her to Julie's coverage on NPR 12/12/01***

Now They Say Vitamin E Won't Help Heart

Okay, I want to live a healthy life as a senior citizen and I try to follow the best medical advice I can get on how to do that.

One thing I do - as do millions of seniors - is try to take the recommended vitamins. I have been taking my daily Vitamin E after several research reports said it is helpful in several areas, including keeping your heart healthy. Now, new research says it doesn't help. Click below to the AP story.

• AP Story

It is frustrating and one of our goals is to continue to pursue answers to the questions about vitamins. 12/1/01***