In the first national assessment of nursing homes since 2004, researchers have found a significant difference in health information technology use between nursing homes in urban and rural communities which may have an impact on patient care. The study by the University of Missouri found that nursing homes located in metropolitan areas had greater IT laboratory capabilities for resident registration and admission along with having a better ability to conduct and verify medical tests than their rural counterparts. “Previous studies demonstrate that IT sophistication can improve health outcomes for patients, such as reducing hospitalizations,” Greg Alexander, professor at the Sinclair…
The Obama administration has scrapped one of its most significant efforts to rein in spending on prescription drugs: a plan for a nationwide experiment in which Medicare would have reduced payments for many drugs given to patients in doctors’ offices and hospital clinics. Federal health officials withdrew the proposal after it was criticized by pharmaceutical companies, doctors, patients and members of Congress from both parties. One of the sharpest critics was Representative Tom Price, Republican of Georgia, who has been chosen by President-Elect Donald J. Trump to be his secretary of health and human services. Ben Wakana, a spokesman for…
Burial is expensive. So expensive, in fact, that people routinely buy life insurance specifically for the purpose of paying for it. Because Hampton Roads has such a strong military presence, we at the Hook Law Center often meet with Veterans. Relatively few, however, seem to know about all of the burial benefits available to them – and their spouses and dependents – through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Burial benefits available to Veterans and their families depend on whether the Veteran is to be buried in one of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ 134 national cemeteries or in a…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin related to the 2017 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Spousal Impoverishment Standards. It can be accessed here. The 2017 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Spousal Impoverishment Standards can be viewed on Medicaid.gov. David Wingate is an elder law attorney at the Elder Law Office of David Wingate, LLC. The elder law office services clients with powers of attorneys, living wills, Wills, Trusts, Medicaid and asset protection. The Elder Law office has locations in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, Maryland.
Baby boomers are getting high in increasing numbers, reflecting growing acceptance of the drug as treatment for various medical conditions, according to a study published Monday in the journal Addiction. The findings reveal overall use among the 50-and-older study group increased “significantly” from 2006 to 2013. Marijuana users peaked between ages 50 to 64, then declined among the 65-and-over crowd. Men used marijuana more frequently than women, the study showed, but marital status and educational levels were not major factors in determining users. The study by researchers at New York University School of Medicine suggests more data is needed about…
The Administration on Aging, part of the Administration for Community Living, is pleased to announce the theme for Older American’s Month 2017. The theme, Age Out Loud, is intended to give aging a new voice—one that reflects what today’s older adults have to say about aging. The 2017 theme offers an opportunity to shine a light on many important issues and trends. More than ever before, older Americans are working longer, trying new things, and engaging in their communities. They’re taking charge, striving for wellness, focusing on independence, and advocating for themselves and others. They expect to continue to live…
A sprawling health bill expected to pass the Senate and become law before the end of the year is a grab bag for industries that spent plenty of money lobbying to make sure it happened that way. Winners and losers respecting the 21st Century Cures Act: Winners Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies. The bill will likely save drug and device companies billions of dollars bringing products to market by giving the Food and Drug Administration new authority and tools to demand fewer studies from those companies and speed up approvals. Medical schools, hospitals and physicians. The bill provides $4.8 billion…
An increasing number of seniors are choosing to get their Medicare benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. But do they understand what they’re signing up for? A recent report suggests they may not, especially when it comes to which hospitals are included in the plans’ networks. Medicare Advantage plans are typically health maintenance organizations or preferred provider organizations that offer seniors hospital and medical coverage (Medicare Part A and Part B), and sometimes prescription-drug coverage (Medicare Part D), dental care or benefits such as gym memberships. These plans typically offer lower out-of-pocket costs than traditional government-run Medicare in exchange for members…
Paul Ryan’s dream of privatizing parts of Medicare is running up against resistance among Senate Republicans. Interviews with more than a dozen GOP lawmakers reveal they’re not planning to pursue big changes to the popular health care program for seniors — at least not in the first year of the Trump administration. That hesitation starts with the chairman who would lead any overhaul in the Senate. “We’ll have to see,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), head of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees Medicare. “We’re going to have a whole new look at a lot of things. … It depends…
A new study finds that the prevalence of dementia has fallen sharply in recent years, most likely as a result of Americans’ rising educational levels and better heart health, which are both closely related to brain health. Dementia rates in people over age 65 fell from 11.6 percent in 2000 to 8.8 percent in 2012, a decline of 24 percent, according to a study of more than 21,000 people across the country published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. The decline in dementia rates translates to about one million fewer Americans suffering from the condition, said John Haaga, director of behavioral…
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