shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

I’m always happy to bust myths about technology and the 50-plus set and here’s another one. New studies out today find those who are 65 plus are willing to embrace technology to allow them to age at home. This makes perfect sense, since 90 percent of people want to live at home as long as possible. Technology can monitor a person’s physical condition, dispense medicines, or even provide a social outlet for folks who may be stuck at home.

While there are concerns about cost (as always when it comes to health care), people clearly recognize the value of technology in caregiving. Sounds like a new way to have some peace of mind and grapple with aging family members.

Finally, the moment I know you’ve all been waiting for. Today I am posting on the first place video from the U@50 YouTube Competition, submitted by Iyla Polyakov. Ilya is a film studies major from Emerson. His video, entitled “When I’m 50…” beat out a field of creative and exciting entries to win the competition’s grand prize of $5,000. Make sure to take a look at this video to see its great imagery and hear its uplifting message:

USA Today: Advice On How To Stay Out Of Death Debt

"John Waggoner writes that "if you're carrying a lot of credit card or other debt, your best investment is to pay down that debt." And "even if you pay down your debts gradually, you'll free up money for investing later. Just be careful not to dig yourself a bigger hole than you started with." Waggoner lists five ways to "get out of debt - and five traps that would probably bury you even deeper."

AP: Democratic Candidates Unveil Plans For The Economy

Clinton and Obama said Sen. John McCain "isn't ready or willing to handle an economic emergency." Clinton "focused on job insecurity and said the government needed to take more responsibility for helping displaced workers." Clinton said, "Our government is more focused on how you lost your job than how you can find a new one."

US News And World Report: Labor Unions Are Adapting To Health Care Problems

Michelle Andrews writes that "with organized labor representing only about 15 percent of workers in the United States today, it's worth asking what role it plays in protecting healthcare benefits or setting the agenda for healthcare reform. Are labor unions still relevant?" Yet, last year's agreement between Wal-Mart and the SEIU "to work together toward universal healthcare put paid to the notion that the interests of management and labor are necessarily opposed on this issue." While "unions may have less clout at the bargaining table,...in the political arena organized labor is still a force to be reckoned with, say experts. Labor unions buy advertising and invest in public education campaigns that can influence public opinion."

Congress passed an economic stimulus package, but you gotta fill out a tax form. Confused? Check out AARP’s new tool to help with the economic stimulus payment application process. It’s easy and you might even get a few bucks from the feds for doing it.

It’s coming… in June, Congress will decide whether to increase Medicare premiums yet again to cover the cost of paying doctors more. Jacking up Medicare premiums on seniors because Congress has repeatedly failed to fix a flawed system just doesn’t sound very fair.

Since 2000, the monthly premiums people on Medicare pay has more than doubled and most of these folks have no other option for health care coverage. And paying monthly Medicare premiums is just the tip of the iceberg. .. overall skyrocketing health care costs sting people who are on fixed incomes the most. This typically includes those who are receiving Medicare, with the 65 plus population having an average income of just $25,000 a year. Not much when you have to not only pay premiums, but for things like prescription drugs, deductibles, co-payments, hospital visits.

At the end of the day, 44 million Americans rely on Medicare for affordable health coverage. Excessive premium increases could price people on Medicare out of getting the care they need most.

Washington needs to start tackling the core of the problem, the outrageous cost of health care. But in the interim, they shouldn’t put excessive costs onto seniors because of Congress’ failure to act.

Forbes: Businesses Find Ways To Address Health Care Concerns

"What is the solution for...runaway" health care "costs? Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton propose universal coverage -- effectively nationalization. Clinton further wants mandatory U.S. citizen enrollment under penalty of law, an idea that practically begs us to see Hillary as the hated Nurse Ratched." Yet, "John McCain and most Republicans say little about health care costs. And they are right, to a point. Nothing would be preferable to Hillary Care." Karlgaard writes he spoke recently with Clayton Christensen, professor at Harvard Business School, who said that "American businesses are already solving the problem," by hiring "staff doctors whose main role is to use advanced technology to diagnose employee ills," and then send them to "to the right specialty clinic or hospital--a heart hospital or hernia hospital."

AP: Treasury Secretary Suggests More Regulation For Wall Street

"If big Wall Street investment houses are allowed to run to the Federal Reserve for emergency lending, they must face stepped-up regulation, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson declared Wednesday. The demise of once-mighty Bear Stearns proves 'the world has changed,' underscoring a need for the government to adapt, too, he said." Paulson, in a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce, said the Administration "will soon put forth an oversight blueprint in an effort to promote smoother functioning of financial markets."

US News and World Report: Tips On Avoiding Retirement Mistakes

"A few bad moves can cost you dearly" in retirement. US News cites six "common missteps," including neglecting to create a "comprehensive plan that includes asset allocation and estate planning," and "underestimating life expectancy" and "rising healthcare costs." US News writes, "A 65-year-old couple retiring this year will need about $225,000 just to cover medical costs in retirement, according to Fidelity Investments," and that amount represents a "whopping 41 percent jump from 2002."

It’s early, so I will rain on your parade and get it over with. Yesterday, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees report brought us some not very good news. The Cliff Notes version is that Medicare is facing a tough future, one that's not likely to get any easier if we contine to ignore the elephant in the room: skyrocketing heatlh care costs.
And Social Security also faces a tough outlook. It is a reminder that it’s time for our political leaders to get to work on our nation’s problems. Bottom line, the sooner we tackle these problems, the more feasible the solutions.

People say they are ready for the solution – a new survey out this week by the AFL-CIO on health care says it all. According to U.S. News and World Report:

Among those surveyed, 95 percent said health care in America needed fundamental change or a complete overhaul. Seventy-four percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said health care was a very important election issue, as did 80 percent of 50- to 64-year olds.”

Sounds like pretty much everyone is ready for a change.

Bloomberg News: Entitlement Reform Seen As Unlikely Despite Dire Report

"Spending on Medicare, the U.S. health-care program for the elderly, will reach a legal limit by 2014, requiring the next president to propose changes" to protect the program's financing." The trustee's report "'reaffirms the need to move beyond partisan politics to address the longer term reforms of our health care system and the financial challenges in retirement,' said David Sloane, senior vice president of AARP, the lobbying group for older Americans, in an e-mailed statement."

Washington Times: Times Warns Social Security Will Have To Be Raided To Reach Surplus

"While the CBO predicts the US economy will avoid a recession and that President Bush's budget projects to reach a surplus by 2012, the figures used to reach those assumptions are questionable because, "In addition to defunding the terror war and unleashing the AMT, Congress would have to reduce the explosive growth projections for Medicare and Medicaid that the president has recommended. And legislators would also have to slash inflation-adjusted annual outlays for non-security discretionary spending by more than 20 percent between now and 2013."

USA Today: Candidates Views On Health Care Reform Differ

"Health care consultant Robert Laszewski and Drew Altman, president of the non-partisan Kaiser foundation, and others describe three major areas in which the candidates and their two parties split: The Democratic candidates want to cover all or nearly all people, often by expanding government programs. McCain says worry about costs first and expand coverage later."

Angie’s List, an online tool for consumers to rank painters, plumbers and the like is now creating forums for their users to rank physicians, dentists, pharmacies and health insurers. According to the Indianapolis Star, the founder of the company said this came from customer demand, with nearly three quarters of the website’s customers requesting the information. While Angie’s List is not the only group in the health care ranking business, this new venture is certainly taking a new approach to health care by lumping it in with other types of consumer providers.

Information is power and can help consumers make smarter choices about their health care. That being said, as we all know an experience whether with a doctor or an electrician is certainly a subjective process. Caveat emptor!

There’s been quite the buzz in the blogosphere on Ms. Curtis since Friday, so I thought I would share:

Over at Pink is the New Blog, Trent voices his approval. Va Voom!

Celebrity Mound discusses the pressure women face to look a certain way, regardless of age.

Women’s Voices for Change is grateful that AARP the Magazine is not Penthouse.

Inspiration 365 Days is just that – Inspired!

BusinessWeek: Health Care Industry No Longer Seen As Immune To Recession

It is "accepted wisdom in the financial world that health care, the largest sector of the economy, is the most recession-proof. The thinking is that people get sick no matter what's happening to the economy. That premise holds true to an extent for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, whose drugs are always in demand. But health-care providers are far more vulnerable to economic malady." If there is a recession, "4.2 million people" could lose "health coverage, predicts the Center for Economic & Policy Research, a Washington think tank," and "without insurance, many patients won't be able to pay, leaving hospitals and doctors to absorb the resulting bad debt."

AP: Fed Injects More Cash Into Market Full Of Delinquent Loans

The move's aim "is to inject liquidity into a market that has seized up amid a global credit crunch sparked by rotten U.S. subprime loans." Separately, Fannie Mae reported Monday that "its serious delinquency rate for home loans jumped in January to 1.06% of the $2.9 trillion in mortgages it holds." Mortgages "are deemed seriously delinquent when the borrower has missed three or more consecutive monthly payments or the loan has been referred for foreclosure."

Money: Health Care Costs Increasingly Viewed As Employees' Responsibility

"For better and for worse, in a few years your insurance plan might" cost you more as "employers are desperate to curtail the ever-mounting cost of health care, and they are turning to high-deductible insurance plans to push more of the burden of paying back onto your shoulders." Money offers a series of tips for holding down costs, such as "You can get more out of Medicare," since "the system began offering prescription drug coverage - the catch is that you have to choose from among dozens of privately run plans." Money notes that you "can also opt out of traditional Medicare coverage and join a private Medicare Advantage plan. 'There's a lot of choice now, and that's a good thing,' says Medicare expert Sarah Thomas of AARP. 'But it may be a little overwhelming.'"

Bad News - the Supreme Court today declined a request to review a federal rule that would allow employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they reach 65 and become eligible for Medicare. AARP has challenged the rule in lower federal courts, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finalized and published it late last year.

Aside from being age discrimination, the EEOC rule ignores the skyrocketing cost of health care. It shifts costs onto older retirees who often have limited incomes and have been facing higher premiums and out of pocket costs in Medicare. And don’t forget, this just puts further strain on a health care system that is struggling because of exploding costs. Pretty lame.

Concerns about the economy are not just for those 50 plus. Check out this story in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette about how college students see the economy as the top issue facing the country. Students are talking about the price of gas, the price and quality of health care. Sounds familiar? I guess it doesn’t matter where you are in life… we are all feeling the pain. And more importantly, we are all looking for action on these issues from our political leaders.

The latest from the Sunshine State from AARP Florida's Carmel Perez-Snyder:

What's big and purple and soon coming to your town in Florida? It's the Champmobile! The CM is an interactive, educational vehicle that will travel around Florida between now and the November election. It's hard to miss the purple 57-feet vehicle and truck that is named after Champ, the Divided We Fail mascot. The Champmobile made its debut at the Miami Gardens Jazz Festival March 15 and 16 at Dolphin Stadium. The "official" unveiling will be held this Friday, 10 am at the State Capitol plaza in Tallahassee.

So what does a Champmobile do? Glad you asked. The CM is equipped with satellite - great for debate watching and election night watch parties, two television screens (42" on the outside and 21" on the inside), and is its own "wi-fi" hot spot. Visitors will be able to watch DWF videos and ads, surf DWF sites, including the Champmobile's own Facebook page, or share their story online. Sitting inside the Champmobile, visitors feel as if they are on a park bench in the Capitol Mall in D.C. Visitors can even give their own "presidential" speech on the stage at the back of the Champmobile. The Divided We Fail Florida team is super excited about this new tool and ready to hit the road!

Washington Post: Workers, Firms See Productivity Gains Eclipsed By Surging Healthcare Costs

"Recent history has not been kind to working-class Americans, who were down on the economy long before the word recession was uttered." This is primarily because of "spiraling health-care costs that have absorbed increases in worker productivity. The result, adjusted for inflation, is that "median family income has dipped 2.6 percent -- or nearly $1,000 annually since 2000."

Associated Press: Recessionary Vibe Echoes 70's Rather Than Great Depression

"As economists and Wall Street types grope for historical perspective - which is another way of saying a road map out of" the foreclosure and credit "mess - Americans are nervously wondering about retirement savings, interest rates, jobs that had seemed safe." Analysts "say that more than ever, parents are calling for advice on how to deal with grown children who have moved back in with Mom and Dad after losing a job or just to save money." Rather than a revisiting of the Great Depression, a "better comparison might be the economic downturn that gripped the United States in the early 1970s, a time now widely remembered for long lines at the pump."

Washington Times: Columnist Outraged At Government Waste

"Cal Thomas writes that the federal government "now resembles an irresponsible parent, spending the children's wages and inheritance as if there were no tomorrow. Republicans lost the spending issue - and their congressional majority - because they behaved like overspending Democrats," who are promising "to increase spending if they win the White House and maintain their congressional majority."