shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

Full confession: I love “weird” news. I check Yahoo! Odd News daily, sometimes hourly (shh! don't tell my boss!). I came across these two tidbits: protesting nuns and French spiderman.

Now, there are a lot of causes I’m passionate about – access to health care and financial security chief among them – but I don’t know that I’d chain myself up, much less scale a skyscraper. Signing a pledge is more my style. What about you – what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to support an issue you care about?

Sorry everyone for the light day yesterday. We were all taking part in AARP's Day of Service. I was lucky enough to spend part of my day yesterday at the National Arboretum in Washington DC mulching in their herb garden. We worked until the early afternoon when the rain and the mud just became too much. It was a really rewarding experience. What about you? Who volunteered yesterday and what did you do?

Hi everyone, I’m Jennie Chin Hansen, AARP’s new soon to be new President. While my tenure is filled with firsts – I am a boomer, a gerontologist and an Asian American – I also will be the first AARP President to blog. I will be posting twice monthly here at shAARPsession, so check back to hear the latest on what we’re doing.

As you might imagine, AARP has a full agenda. Between our work on Divided We Fail, our new and engaging website (with social networking), as well as our growing membership, as well as our recognition of our 50th anniversary I am honored to be a part of what will be occurring in these next two years. I also know, however, that many Americans are concerned about their future and the future of their children and grandchildren. People are anxious about their finances and about their health care.

Our founder, the first female principal in the California, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, left us an important saying: what we do, we do for all. I hope you all know that is still at the core of what we believe and do.

Along these lines, each year on the second Thursday in May, we launch AARP’s Day of Service to lend a hand to our local communities. Last year, more than 33,000 people gave back and this year we expect even more. We'd like to invite you to join us!

Visit AARP's Make a Difference site where you can choose a Day of Service activity, connect with others, suggest ideas or let us know what you think about giving back to your community.

We’re here to support you. Whether you need resources on how to care for an aging parent or loved one, need to figure out how much you will need to retire, or even if you just want to kick back and make a new acquaintance online, AARP has all of this for you.

I look forward to hearing and connecting with you. You can leave comments here or send me an email.

Business Week: Study Finds "No Real Revolution" In Prescriptions For Medicare Part D

"A new report from the Harvard Medical School has found that "the Medicare Part D benefit has resulted in some improvements for seniors but no real revolution in prescription drug adherence," noting that while "Medicare beneficiaries are less likely to forego basic needs such as food to pay for medicine...the sickest patients are still skipping meds due to burdensome costs."

Baltimore Sun: President Expected To Sign Fall Prevention Act

"President Bush is expected to sign a measure this week sponsored by Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski and passed by Congress that aims to raise awareness - through education and research - of how falls affect seniors and what can be done to protect them."

Marketwatch: Pundit Sees Americans Saving More, Spending Less

"Spending wisely usually means not spending as much. And that is exactly what's occurring throughout the country: People are spending smart." A survey "conducted by Harris Interactive for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) finds that 25% of U.S. adults are spending wisely or not spending as much as a means of saving money"

Washington Times: Study "Blows The Lid Off" Boomer Misconceptions

"Baby boomers are not a bunch of annoying, self-absorbed, aging hippies with too much money and a penchant to call attention to themselves," according to a "report released yesterday by AARP meant to dispel persistent 'boomer myths' about the 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964." AARP spokesman Anthony DeLuise said, "The label of being self-centered is grossly exaggerated. It's very convenient to lump boomers together as a monolith, and this really misses the mark. This generation is really very diverse.'"

Associated Press: Clinton Plans SCHIP Expansion In First 100 Days

"Clinton's 100-day agenda included the start of a troop withdrawal from Iraq and submitting a budget to Congress that rolls back some of Bush's tax cuts. She also promised to sign bills he has vetoed to expand federal embryonic stem-cell research and broaden government-supported health care to millions of lower-income children who now go without."

USA Today: Foreclosures Projected To Increase Throughout Rest Of Year

"The "nation's already alarming pace of home foreclosures is poised to accelerate through the rest of the year, according to RealtyTrac, which reported Tuesday that foreclosure filings jumped 57% in March from March 2007." The report "painted a grim picture of growing numbers of people unable to make their mortgage payments."

Associated Press: Economic Woes Shake Confidence In Ability To Retire

"Rising health care costs and the faltering economy are making consumers worry that they won't be able to save enough for a comfortable retirement. The Employee Benefit Research Institute's annual survey, released Wednesday, showed the weakest worker confidence in seven years with just 61 percent saying they were "very confident" or "somewhat confident" of having enough money for retirement."

Washington Post: WPost Voices Caution On DC Universal Health Care Plan

"The District of Columbia is "pushing a plan to achieve universal health care. The initiative holds promise, but city officials should be cautious as they scrutinize a plan that could contain hidden risks. The brainchild of council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), the far-reaching program targets...the intractable middle of the uninsured."

USA Today: Fed Minutes Suggest Rate Cut Campaign Might Be Over

"According to the minutes of a March 18th meeting of Federal Reserve officials, "officials raised the specter of a 'prolonged and severe economic downturn,'" illustrating "the stark situation facing Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues, including what appears to be a growing consensus at the central bank that recession is likely."

Associated Press: Senate Leaders Break Procedural Deadlock Over Housing Bill

"A legislative effort to address the nation's home foreclosure crisis moved forward in the Senate Tuesday as Democratic and GOP leaders defused a potential filibuster." Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell "agreed to bring a bipartisan bill to the floor instead of a Democratic plan that stalled a month ago." The AP adds "Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and the panel's top Republican, Richard Shelby of Alabama, were instructed to forge a compromise that could come to the floor as early as Wednesday."

CNNMoney: Columnist Offers Advice On How To Maintain Retirement Lifestyle

"Want to be sure you won't run out of money in retirement? The standard advice that you'll hear from planners (or find on the pages of Money Magazine) is to follow the 4% rule: Withdraw no more than 4% of your portfolio the first year of retirement and then increase that amount for inflation each year." While a good general rule, it "can't cover all of the surprises that life - and the markets - may have in store for you."

Washington Post: OPM Says RetireEZ Computer Modernization System Working Effectively

"The RetireEZ "computer system, which began operating in February, is allowing the Office of Personnel Management to pay full pension benefits on time, instead of only partial benefits to new retirees, the office said yesterday. The OPM said it compared 34 pensions awarded by the new computer system with those based on paper records and concluded that the technology upgrade provided the right amount within 30 days of an employee's retirement."

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."

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."

Washington Times: "Radical" Mortgage Aid Proposal

"The Bush administration "is considering a radical approach to alleviate the foreclosure crisis by helping homeowners refinance homes that have fallen in value while protecting the government against losses on the loans." HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson "said a proposal he sent to the White House would enable the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure 80 percent of a loan's face value in markets where home prices are falling, instead of providing the usual 100 percent guarantee."

Washington Post: Most Retirees Will Qualify For Stimulus Checks

"This year's economic stimulus law does not count income from pensions for determining eligibility for rebates, and the law's omission of the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System has created some confusion for government retirees." The Post adds, "Most federal retirees, though, should be able to qualify for a rebate under this year's stimulus package."

USA Today: RV Industry See Boom Times With Boomer Retirements

"Sales of RVs, which run the gamut from humble folding camping trailers to luxury motor homes, peaked at 400,000 in 2006," and "with the first wave of 79 million baby boomers poised for retirement, industry experts are betting that boom times are on the horizon." Mike Schneider, president of Affinity, sponsor of the RV Rally 2008 and owner of RV-related clubs and publications, said, "As baby boomers age, they clearly want more than their parents had." Schneider adds, "Their parents were do-it-yourselfers. They're the do-it-for-me generation"

Washington Post: AMA Protests Medicare Cuts

"Cuts in Medicare payments to doctors have eight out of 10 Americans concerned about access to care for seniors and baby boomers, according to a survey released Wednesday by the American Medical Association. On July 1, there will be a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors. Over the next decade those cuts will grow to about 40 percent, while medical practice costs increase by 20 percent, according the AMA."

Bloomberg News: Harvard Survey Shows Public Concerned About Healthcare Affordability

"The majority of Americans say U.S. private health care may not be better than national systems in Canada, France and the U.K., according to a poll by the Harvard School of Public Health. The survey, co-sponsored with Harris Interactive Inc., a Rochester, New York, research and polling company, found that 45 percent of Americans thought the U.S. medical system generally was the best. The remaining 54 percent either didn't know or thought other countries' systems were better."

USA Today: 'Smart' pillbox helps patients remember

"Doctors and pharmacists say patients and caretakers are increasingly turning to tech-based, drug-tracking tools, including a throng of interactive, consumer-friendly websites, to help keep medication regimens running smoothly and reduce errors. According to Forrester Research, the market for home health monitoring technologies is expected to reach $5 billion by 2010 — and $34 billion by 2015."

Associated Press: Allscripts-Misys Merger Could Change Landscape Of Medical Information Technology

"The merger "is expected to create a market leader in the U.S. electronic health record market, forecast at $5 billion by 2015," according to the two companies. The corporations "expect to achieve annual pretax cost savings of up to $25 million to $30 million within three years, with job cuts part of the merger."

US News and World Report: Health Blogger Objects To Certain Trends In Doctor-Rating Sites

"Avery Comarow writes, "I've been following the proliferation of doctor-rating sites." Comarow asserts that although he "can see theoretical value in them," he us "bothered...by the viral spread of these sites and by how thin and potentially misleading they are." Comarow emphasizes, "I don't think doctors should be rated as if they were restaurants or plumbers. ... I'm not a client or customer of a doctor; I'm a patient."

Washington Post: Bush Maintains Cautious Optimism on Economy

"The President also "urged Americans on Tuesday to keep in mind the 'anchors' of low unemployment and flexibility in the US economy." Bush "continued to sound a theme of measured concern amid the events that have shaken financial confidence in recent days. He acknowledged 'challenging' times but insisted that 'we're going to be just fine' in the end."

USA Today: Pending Alzheimer's Epidemic Among Aging Boomers To Strain Medicare

"Around "14 million, or roughly 18%, of the USA's 79 million baby boomers can expect to develop Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia in their lifetime, a newly released report shows. ... The report, '2008 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures,' states that one out of eight boomers will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the most common type of dementia, at some point." The pending "Alzheimer's epidemic will, if left unchecked, put a huge strain on the health care system, including Medicare."

USA Today: CDC Says Falls Leading Cause Of Injury Deaths Among Seniors

"Adults 65 and older are often susceptible to falls, with often grave consequences. Falls "are much more common -- and devastating -- than many people realize, a point driven home by recent news of prominent older people falling." Falls "are the leading cause of injury deaths among people 65 and older, according" to the CDC. In 2005, "15,800 people 65 and older died from injuries related to falls, and about 1.8 million were treated in emergency rooms for such injuries, the CDC says."

Associated Press: Social Security Numbers, Direct Deposit Status Affect Stimulus Mailing

"If you want to be the first on your block to get your $600 economic stimulus payment, the IRS has a tip: Sign up to get your 2007 tax refund via direct deposit." Recipients with "Social Security numbers whose last two digits are low" will get their checks first, and those who selected direct deposit "begin receiving payments by May 2, with all such deposits expected to be made within two weeks." The IRS expects the "last of the rebate checks" to "be mailed by July 11."

Washington Post: New Task for a Budget Straight-Talker

"David Broder writes, "As the head of the Government Accountability Office, the auditing arm of Congress," David Walker "has been perhaps the most outspoken official in Washington warning of the fiscal train wreck that awaits this country unless it mends its ways." In a recent speech, Walker warned that "largely due to the aging of the baby boomers and rising health care costs, the United States faces decades of red ink. ... Over time, the U.S. government could be reduced to doing little more than mailing out Social Security checks to retirees and paying interest on the massive national debt."

Associated Press: AHIP Spent $6.9M Lobbying For Health Care Legislation

"America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), "the trade group that represents the health insurance industry, spent $6.9 million to lobby the federal government last year." The "group lobbied on legislation to continue" SCHIP. But President Bush "twice has vetoed efforts to add up to 10-million children to the program over the next five years." AHIP "also lobbied for legislation that would allow the marketing of generic biotech drugs."

Washington Times: Digital TV Switch May Lead To Hazardous Electronics Disposal

"Millions of analog TV sets could be discarded before the digital TV transition next year as Americans upgrade to high-definition flat panels. Chances are most of them will end up in ditches in the developing world." These discarded electronics are "toxic, containing heavy metals such as mercury and lead, as well as flame retardants that give off harmful fumes when burned."

USA Today: Home Equity Below 50% Level

"Home equity for the average American has dropped below 50% for the first time since World War II, reflecting a widespread decline in home values and relatively loose mortgage practices during much of this decade. The average homeowners' equity — the mortgage balance as a proportion of the home's market value — fell to 47.9% at the end of 2007, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday."

US News and World Report: GAO Report Seen As Inflaming Criticism Against Medicare Advantage

"A new report finds that there may not be much advantage after all in Medicare Advantage plans over traditional Medicare, at least for certain seniors. The managed-care plans offered by private insurers are touted for offering extra benefits—vision, hearing, and dental coverage, for example—despite having lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs. What's not to like? Some 9 million seniors, about a fifth of all Medicare beneficiaries, have signed up. But last week the Government Accountability Office announced that seniors in some plans might actually pay more for certain services."

Associated Press: AARP Finds Drug Prices Increase Faster Than Inflation

"Drugmakers increased prices by an average of 7.4 percent last year for the brand-name medicines most commonly prescribed to the elderly, according to the advocacy group AARP. The increase far exceeded inflation, continuing a longtime trend. AARP said prices charged to wholesalers have been slightly higher since the Medicare drug benefit started on Jan. 1, 2006. Since then, the outcry over prices has diminished, with the government picking up much of the tab."

Marketwatch: Think You Know Medicare?

"With all the planning people go through to make sure their money won’t run out after they exit the work force, one important detail still seems hazy to many of them: health insurance. A small but revealing study of 377 U.S. baby boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964) shows there’s much confusion about Medicare, the federal health program for people 65 and older and the disabled. Access to coverage figures prominently in retirement timing decisions, but only 36% of boomers surveyed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners correctly identified 65 as the age at which people become eligible for Medicare."

Business Week: DWF Pushes Candidates To Address Pocketbook Issues

"Powerful interests are pushing candidates to pay more attention to financial issues and investing. AARP, the Business Roundtable, the Service Employees Union (SEIU), and the National Federation of Independent Business -- four often antagonistic groups -- have formed the 'Divided We Fail' coalition to push discussion of issues of both health care and long-term financial security." While espousing no specific policies, "Divided We Fail recruits volunteers, tracks candidates' statements, and has broadcast TV ads to promote discussion of changes to America's health and retirement systems. 'Clearly Americans are not saving enough for retirement,' says Nancy LeaMond of AARP. 'We believe the candidates have started to address these issues," she adds. But, 'we don't feel they've talked about them enough.'"

USA Today: Americans Ask Doctors About Prescription Drugs In Ads

"Prescription-drug ads prompt nearly one-third of Americans to ask their doctors about an advertised medicine, and 82% of those who ask say their physicians recommended a prescription. The findings in a national survey by USA TODAY, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health come as drug advertising hit a record $4.8 billion in 2006, up from $2.6 billion in 2002."

Associated Press: FCC Commissioner Suggests Test Run Of Digital To Analog Switch

"The transition to digital broadcasting is the biggest thing to hit television since color. To make sure it goes smoothly, the Federal Communications Commission wants to do a test run." Commissioner Michael Copps "suggested a test run in certain markets, prior to the national shift, would be a good idea. He explained his idea Monday in a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin." The FCC has "released its long-awaited plan to educate consumers about the digital shift. The plan requires broadcasters to air public service announcements and 'crawls' that run across the bottom of the screen informing consumers of the shift."

Los Angeles TImes: Aging In Place Recommended As Alternative to Traditional Care

"Today's older Americans are increasingly adamant in their desire to avoid nursing homes or assisted living. And they now have a movement to back them up. Called "aging in place," it has a beautifully simple premise: Keep seniors safe, well-cared for -- and in their homes..."We have an image in our heads that as soon as you retire you sell your home and move to Florida," says Elinor Ginzler, director of livable communities for AARP. "But according to census data, less than 10% of people 60 and older had moved in a five-year period. We're connected to the house we're living in and the neighborhood we're living in." In fact, 90% of adults 60 and older say they want to stay in their home or community rather than uproot themselves late in life, a 2006 AARP study found."

Washington Post: District Of Columbia Fails To Regulate Assisted Living Centers

"Most assisted living centers in the District have not been licensed or inspected eight years after the D.C. Council mandated government oversight of the facilities and set standards for such matters as dispensing medication, training staff and providing adequate bathrooms. As a result, consumer advocates say, some of the District's most vulnerable residents have been left at greater potential risk for abuse and neglect as an industry that offers housing and daily care for the elderly has taken root in the city...Consumer advocates criticized the delay in government action. "Eight years is a long time. . . . I'm just puzzled," said Susan Reinhard, director of the AARP Public Policy Institute. "It's important to have regulations. That should be a consumer protection, a consumer right."

Washington Times: Primary Day Care For Preschoolers Still Relative

"When it comes to caring for babies, toddlers and preschoolers whose mothers work, 'Nanas' and 'Pop-Pops' are still tops." Amy Goyer, national coordinator of the AARP Foundation Grandparenting Program, noted, "Historically, grandparents have stepped in and helped raise grandchildren and done a lot of care," adding, "As mothers have gone to work more and more, I think grandparents have stepped in even more." Besides "being primary caregivers for young children, grandparents are often pinch-hitters: When parents were asked to list all providers for their children in the past month, the portion of children cared for by grandparents rose to 30 percent."

Washington Post: Candidates Said To Agree With Others In Their Party About Healthcare

"Eugene Robinson writes, "I'm not saying that coverage of the campaign thus far has been flawless." However, "the issues haven't been neglected." It may seem that way "because on matters of real substance, such as health care "neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have seen much internal disagreement." An example is that in Tuesday's debate, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton argues "over the possible contours of a [health insurance] program that does not exist." The difference between their health-care plans is "not as important as the fundamental issue of whether to aim for universal health insurance (the Democrats' position) or not (the Republicans')," which is "why personality, with all its components, is so important this year."

USA Today: Consumers Paying Off Credit Cards, Car Bill Instead Of Mortgages

"Across the nation, credit counselors are reporting the same trend." In "a striking reversal from the norm," credit bureau analyses of consumer payment data found "that financially squeezed borrowers have begun paying their credit card and car bills before their mortgages." This "reflects rising desperation" and "suggests that some people essentially have given up trying to stay current with their mortgages and instead are focused on using credit cards to squeak by."

Fox Business: Boomers Look To City Life In Retirement

"According to AARP, people usually choose to stay put after retirement. And if they do move, it's usually to be closer to family. But this isn't your grandmother's retirement...'People like the idea that they can walk out their door or hop on public transportation to get to a theater, museum, restaurant or shopping mall,' said Elinor Ginzler, director of livable communities at AARP."

Marketwatch: Columnist Answers Questions On Social Security

"Week in and week out, readers email questions about Social Security in hopes of learning how to maximize this most basic of benefits." Powell responds to "some of the more common and not so-common questions that have crossed the transom."

Washington Post: Supreme Court Sides With Worker In Age Discrimination Case

"The Supreme Court yesterday gave the benefit of the doubt to a FedEx worker who claimed age discrimination, and said her case should not be thrown out because of mistakes made by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission."

Washington Post: Clinton, Obama Debate Healthcare In Cleveland

"Clinton and Obama "traded accusations over campaign tactics and engaged in a detailed dissection of their rival health-care plans in the opening moments of a critical debate." Clinton used "the opening moments of the debate" to "delve into health care, repeating her assertion that Obama's plan would leave 15 million people uncovered. She interrupted Obama and the debate moderators repeatedly to press her points and complained briefly that she had been repeatedly subjected to the toughest questioning in this and previous debates."

USA Today: Even As Consumers Lose Heart, Prices Rise

"Consumer confidence plunged to the lowest since the onset of the Iraq war in 2003, while wholesale inflation surged to the highest yearly rate in a quarter-century, according to Tuesday reports offering fresh evidence the economy is teetering near recession."

The Hill: Commerce Secretary Touts Digital Transition Efforts

"Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. secretary of commerce, writes, "The good news is that the public education campaign to alert consumers about this dramatic change is well underway and the word is getting out." In addition, "we are proactively working to reach and address specific concerns of consumers most likely to be impacted by the transition, such as seniors, minority communities, people with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged and those in rural areas."

Associated Press: Existing Home Sales Decline

"Sales of existing homes fell for the sixth straight month in January, dropping to the slowest sales pace on record. Median home prices were also down and many analysts predicted further price declines in the months ahead given high levels of unsold homes."

Washington Times: Collegial Hand For Seniors

"Assisted living's "rapid expansion -- and the need for trained administrators -- is predicted to continue as baby boomers age." In response, George Mason University set up its "program in assisted living/senior housing administration," the "only one of its type in the United States."

US News and World Report: Senators Seek Increased Transparency In Nursing Home Industry

"A "controversial" new proposal by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Herb Kohl "seeks to force nursing homes to provide more information about ownership and accountability. If it passes, the legislation will trigger the largest reform of nursing home care in 21 years. 'More transparency, enforcement, and staff training are all needed,' Grassley said."

Marketwatch: Housing Industry Sees New Market In Green Homes

"Housing developments that target baby boomers may be the next big push for the green housing market and statistics indicate this could be a good marriage...In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated there were approximately 78.2 million baby boomers in America. A December 2007 survey by AARP found that roughly half of all boomers see themselves as environmental stewards, or 'green boomers.'"

Washington Times: NFIB Reiterates Support For Health Care Reform

"Amanda Austin, senior manage of legislative affairs for the National Federation of Independent Business, writes that the Times "editorial 'Health care and the GOP' reiterates the importance of health care in this year's presidential race and underscores the fact that the candidates are not doing enough to address the rising cost of health care."

Washington Post: Post Columnist Sees Few Ramifications In 401(k) Ruling

"The Supreme Court's ruling on the mismanagement of a 401(k) plan last week isn't likely to have broad ramifications for investors saving for retirement. But it does highlight ongoing efforts to expand protections for investors managing their own retirement accounts."

TV Technology: AARP Finds Faults In Preparation For DTV Switch

"AARP Federal Affairs Consultant Debra Berlyn on the digital TV switch...TV Technology writes, "Despite funding to subsidize analog-to-digital converter boxes, and an array of educational campaigns, AARP thinks some legislative loopholes could leave the most vulnerable seniors without their TV services." Debra Berlyn says, "Television provides an essential information tool in the home for older Americans, with important safety and weather information, and local news, and we simply can't risk allowing any households to lose this vital access."

USA Today: USA Today Columnist Recommends Social Security Strategy

"Sandra Block writes, "A little-known Social Security option...gives early retirees a way to have their cake and eat it, too." Senior citizens "who receive early-retirement benefits from Social Security can withdraw their application, repay the benefits they've received and refile for higher benefits at a later date," which in some cases, can give "the equivalent of an inflation-indexed annuity...for about 40% less than the lowest-cost annuity available on the private market."

USA Today: States Want To Tap Boomers' Skills

"The wave of baby boomers hitting retirement age threatens to create such a void in the workforce that states are crafting policies and programs to keep older Americans working and volunteering." Five states have already done so and eight more are "working with the National Governors Association to study ways to keep boomers in the labor market as volunteers or part-time workers." USA Today writes that the laws are "a major shift in public policy in a nation that has treated the aging of 79 million boomers as a likely drain on social and entitlement programs."

Washington Post: Economy Remains Key Issue In Democratic Presidential Race

"Hillary Clinton "launched a tough new offensive against Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday, asserting flatly that her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination is not prepared to serve as commander in chief." The Post suggests she launched the new attacks because, "Exit polls in Wisconsin suggested that Clinton's economic message -- a populist-tinged pledge to restore the policies of the 1990s boom -- may be falling flat. Obama held a big advantage over her among Wisconsin voters who rated the economy as their top concern. He edged her out among those naming health care, her signature issue, as the country's single biggest problem."

Associated Press: Government Plan Does Little to Help "Jumbo" Loans

"The piece of the government's economic stimulus plan aimed at bolstering the housing market may not work out as planned." While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac "can now purchase and guarantee home loans of up to $729,750, they won't be traded in a key secondary market, limiting the prospect for sharply lower rates on 'jumbo' mortgages." Therefore, the interest rates on these loans "will need to be higher to attract investors. And that's less-than-ideal for consumers looking to take out or refinance jumbo home loans."

Associated Press: States Looking To Expand Age Mandates For Health Plans

"Almost all states, when regulating insurance plans for small- and medium-sized employers, set a maximum age for coverage of dependent children," but now states are "looking at this group of young people as they seek to reduce the number of uninsured." An organization of "lawmakers who specialize in insurance regulation, the National Conference of Insurance Legislators, will vote on a policy recommendation in two weeks that supports increasing the availability of dependent benefits up to age 25. The endorsement would be important because legislators around the country look to the organization for guidance on insurance issues."

Associated Press: More Americans Turning To 401(k) Loans

"As home prices fall and banks tighten lending standards, more people are doing the same thing: raiding their retirement savings just to get by." But the withdrawals "are taxed as income and are subject to a 10 percent penalty if the worker is under 59 1/2 years old," increasing the risk of "coming up short on retirement savings or may have to rely on an overburdened Social Security system." Financial planners are warning that 401(k) borrowers "may have to work longer and shorten their 'golden years' of retirement," if they "didn't save enough"

Washington Post: Samuelson Criticizes Obama's "Sanctification Of The Status Quo"

"Robert Samuelson writes, "The trouble, at least for me, is the huge and deceptive gap between [Barack Obama's] captivating oratory and his actual views." While promising "change," Senator Obama "pledges not to raise the retirement age and to 'protect Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries.' This isn't 'change'; it's sanctification of the status quo." Further, his proposal to "exempt all retirees making less than $50,000 annually from income tax," would shift "more of the tax burden onto younger workers."

Newsweek: McCain Advisor Plans Big Changes To Health Care System

"Douglas Holtz-Eakin, senior policy adviser on economics for the McCain campaign, said, "We have a big health-reform plan that includes changes in the Medicare payment system," which "taken as a package,...will address the growth in health-care spending, which is really the driving issue." Later, Holtz-Eakin says, "You have to change the practice of medicine so it's not based on fee-per-service, but instead spending on making people well. That's step one. Step two, you have to improve the insurance market. The current individual insurance market is terrible."

Washington Post: AARP Backs Age Discrimination Suit Before Supreme Court

"The Supreme Court will hear "allegations of age discrimination in five cases this term. While the sheer number of cases probably can be explained away as coincidence, the topic is one of growing importance as more people work longer because of economic necessity or by choice. 'The importance of protecting older workers as the work force ages is enormous,' said Stu Cohen, AARP's director of legal advocacy. 'More older workers remain in the workforce and projections are that the percentage will continue to expand.'"

Fox Business: AARP's Ginzler Offers Advice On Caring For Elderly Parents

"Baby boomers increasingly are having to assess their parents' medical needs and ability to live alone," and boomers need to be aware of "signs that their parents might need more care than they are currently receiving, said Elinor Ginzler, director of livable communities at AARP and co-author of Caring for Your Aging Parents." If boomers "notice some of these problems the best way to approach a conversation, according to Ginzler, is to start out with something like 'Mom, I couldn't help but notice that...'"

Associated Press: Boomers Living Standards Threatened By Health Care Costs

"Many baby boomers are not going to be able to maintain their standard of living in retirement, not only because they're not saving enough but also because they face skyrocketing health care costs. A study being released Tuesday by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that health care expenses could take a big bite out of retirees' budgets."

Jill is back in the house - tan, rested and ready from her visit to warmer climes. It's been a fun week blogging with you all. If she let's me guest blog in the future, I'm demanding my own avatar! Even I don't drink that much coffee!

- Tammy

USA Today: Falling home sales problem spreads to 45 states

"Underscoring the breadth of the real estate recession, sales of existing homes fell in 45 states and Washington, D.C., in the last quarter of 2007, and prices dropped in more than half the metro areas it tracks, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday."

Washington Post: Clinton, Obama Offer Similar Economic Visions

"Hillary Rodham Clinton slammed Barack Obama during an appearance at a General Motors plant here on Thursday for what she charged was a lack of a record of achievement on the economy. But as both Democratic presidential candidates announced comprehensive economic plans this week, they advocated similar visions for what has become the single biggest issue for voters in the 2008 campaign."

Washington Times: FTC Finds Consumer Fraud On The Rise

"American consumers reported 20 percent more cases of consumer fraud last year than the previous year, and nearly a third of their complaints related to identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission reported yesterday. The federal agency, in an annual report on consumer-fraud complaints, revealed that out of around 810,000 cases of consumer fraud reported, more than 258,000 involved identity theft, the top complaint for the eighth year in a row."

CNN Money: Rebates for Seniors - Next Steps

"The IRS has said it will make a special effort - working with the Social Security Administration - to reach out to seniors living on Social Security to make sure those who are eligible know what they will need to do. The IRS outreach will be echoed by the AARP, which is planning a campaign to increase awareness about the rebates among seniors through its publications and Web site as well as on its TV and radio shows, said AARP spokesman Jim Dau."

Washington Post: AARP Honors McKinley Tech

"McKinley Tech High School is the recipient of a $100,000 award from AARP. The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award, named after the organization's founder, recognizes a public high school in the city that has an innovative program that connects generations or fosters greater civic engagement among the community"

Washington Times: 401(k) Debit Card Draws Criticism

"A new debit card that lets consumers use ATMs to withdraw money from their 401(k) plans is drawing a sharp reaction from financial planners. The debit cards allow cardholders to take out loans from their employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement funds. Normally, restrictions on the funds discourage account holders from making withdrawals before they are 59½ years old. Early withdrawals from 401(k) plans come with taxes and fees, which could deprive account holders of their nest eggs if they fail to replace the money promptly."

Associated Press: Older Population to More Than Double

"Future immigrants and their descendants will account for most of the increase among working-age adults through 2050, but growth in the older population will outpace all other groups, the Pew Hispanic Center reported Monday. The faster growth in the older population means costs per worker for programs that help seniors and young children, under 17 years old, will go up, according to the center's researchers."

Washington Post: Top Voter Concerns for DC Residents

"As Washington area residents head to the polls, months into a heated primary campaign, health care remains a top voter concern. A recent Washington Post-ABC national survey showed health care ranked third (after the economy and the war in Iraq) among Democratic voters; among Republicans, health care ranks among the top 10 issues."

Chicago Tribune: New Social Security Card on the Way?

"In an effort to help combat identity theft and fraud, two Illinois congressmen are expected to introduce legislation Tuesday they hope will enhance the security features of Social Security cards. The proposed cards would feature a photograph and fingerprint, as well as a computer chip, bar code and magnetic strip."

Washington Post: Easy Stimulus

"The Washington Post in an editorial wrote that the economic stimulus bill "could have been worse. But it could have been a lot better, too. Politically, checks for the elderly and veterans were a no-brainer; as economic stimulus, however, they were not clearly preferable to extended unemployment benefits and increased food stamps, both of which Congress rejected."

Los Angeles Times: Shift In Retiree Costs To Medicare Advantage

"Many large employers are struggling with the obligation to cover the rising medical costs of retirees, but last year officials in Michigan found a way to save at least $40 million on care for retired teachers and other public-school workers: Send the bills to Washington...Some lawmakers of both parties have begun to question whether the Medicare Advantage program needs an overhaul. "It's a runaway train," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.). Seniors lobby AARP and the American Medical Assn. want to curtail payments to private plans."

Congress Daily: Leavitt To Face Questions About Medicare "Trigger"

...Under the Medicare Modernization Act, the White House is required to give lawmakers a plan because Medicare spending has exceeded 45 percent of general revenues two years in a row. There is a debate within the administration about whether President Bush is required to send a Medicare plan to Congress. Referring to constitutional concerns Bush raised when he signed the MMA, OMB officials say they do not believe the administration is required to do anything. HHS Secretary Leavitt has said the administration will respond to the 45 percent "trigger," but he has not indicated how detailed the White House plan will be or whether it will go beyond the president's budget proposal. Leavitt will likely be peppered with questions about the administration's plans for the "trigger bill" when he appears before the Ways and Means Committee Wednesday..."

Washington Post: Congress Approves Revised Stimulus Plan

"The legislation would provide $600 payments for individuals -- $1,200 for couples -- plus $300 for each child younger than 17. It would begin to phase out eligibility at $75,000 in adjusted gross income for individuals and at $150,000 for couples...On a 91 to 6 vote, the Senate added a provision to grant $300 payments to seniors, disabled veterans and veterans' widows who could show $3,000 in Social Security or veterans' disability benefits last year."

Forbes: Trade In Your Social Security Check

"Millions of retired Americans could substantially raise their living standards throughout retirement by sending checks for tens of thousands of dollars to the Social Security Administration." Professor Laurence Kotlikoff notes that "a recipient can 'undo' his decision to take Social Security retirement benefits early simply by paying back -- without any interest or inflation adjustment -- the benefits he's received."

Washington Times: Most Americans Aware Of Digital TV Switch

"Seven out of 10 consumers know about the transition to digital television. The rest have 375 days to get the message," according to a Consumer Electronics Association survey. The result is "up from 41 percent a year ago."

Congress Daily: Senate Stimulus Bill Blocked Despite Intense Pressure From AARP

"The Senate blocked a Finance Committee economic stimulus package, 58-41, Wednesday, just shy of the 60-vote margin needed for approval. "We're disappointed by tonight's vote and we expect the Senate to fix this," said David Sloane of the AARP."

Washington Post: Social Security Advocate Emphasizes Importance Of Social Security Disability

"In a letter to the editor, Nancy Altman, author and chair of the board of directors of the Pension Rights Center, writes that a recent Washington Post Magazine article on disabled football players "exemplifies why Social Security is so important to working Americans, why the benefits it provides should not be cut and, indeed, why those benefits should be increased."

Money: What's Next for Boomers?

"In their cover story for their March 2008 Issue, Money Magazine publishes a series of articles on what the next 25 years hold for baby boomers, focusing on "five key trends that will dominate your financial life."

Congress Daily: Senators Push For Rebates For Seniors In Stimulus Bill

"The bipartisan Senate Finance Committee leadership and the seniors lobby AARP unveiled a poll today that says about 90 percent of likely voters say senior citizens who depend on Social Security should also be eligible for tax rebate checks in an economic stimulus measure."

Los Angeles Times: AARP Presents Movies For Grownups Awards

"For movie fans who still prefer the big-screen experience, this year marks the 80th year of the Academy Awards -- and AARP's seventh annual Movies for Grownups Awards. Nominees for the AARP awards are chosen on the basis of their appeal to older audiences. Winners receive La Chaise d'Or (the Golden Chair), a trophy in the shape of a vintage theater. Winners included: "The Savages" for best movie for grown-ups, while best actor 50 and older went to Chris Cooper for "Breach." Julie Christie picked up the award for best actress 50 and older for "Away From Her."

UPI: Older Voters Still Have Barriers To Voting

"Elderly voters -- especially those living in long-term care settings -- are at the mercy of others when it comes to exercising their right to vote, said Dr. Jason Karlawish of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Geographical distance, the lack of transportation to polling sites and the lack of assistance to absentee ballot applications are barriers for older Americans to vote, Karlawish said."

The Hill: AARP Pushes for Passage of Senate Stimulus

"Buoyed by an all-out lobbying blitz from key allies, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) predicted Monday that the chamber would be able to push through his panel's economic stimulus package." Over the weekend, the "influential senior's lobby, AARP, and groups representing homebuilders, union employees and war veterans" called on "wayward senators to support the Finance Committee measure."

Associated Press: Bush Unveils $3.1 Trillion Budget

President Bush officially unveiled his final budget yesterday to largely negative media reviews and vocal Democratic criticism. The AP reports, "Bush took his proposals to slow Medicare and Medicaid spending to a new scale in his proposed 2009 budget even though previous, more modest efforts to trim the entitlement programs went nowhere." They "would continue to grow -- just not as quickly."

Marketwatch: Consumer Reports Releases Health Care Reform Poll

Just in time for Super Tuesday, Consumer Reports has a new poll on what results Americans want to see from an overhaul of the U.S. health-care system. There are six basic outcomes that more than 80% of the 1,200 adults in a national sample said they want to have guaranteed: Coverage for all uninsured children; Protection against financial ruin due to a major illness or accident; The ability to obtain coverage regardless of a preexisting condition; Coverage that continues even when people are laid off, changing jobs or starting their own business; Premiums, deductibles and out of pocket expenses that are affordable relative to family income; The ability to keep current health coverage if desired.

CQ Today: AARP LOBBYING HELPS MAKE SENIORS A PRIORITY IN SENATE STIMULUS PLAN

AARP CEO William Novelli wrote in a letter to all Senators last week, "warning senators that the coming vote would be scored by the group's political arm." CQ noted, "Respect for the clout of such voters has helped AARP win an impressive array of political trophies in recent years, including the 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit (PL 108-173) and the successful campaign to kill Bush's proposal to restructure Social Security in the last Congress."

Roll Call: DIVIDED WE FAIL CAMPAIGNS IN SUPER TUESDAY RUN-UP

"Divided We Fail -- a health care-focused effort of the Business Roundtable...is stepping up its grass-roots work in the 24 Super Tuesday states, AARP spokesman Drew Nannis wrote in an e-mail." Divided We Fail has "activated its volunteers at campaign events, with some perched on busy street corners waving signs during the morning and evening rush hours and 'bird-dogging' candidates and their surrogates at rallies and events.</