“health care”

What Can We Do to Help Veterans?

Posted on 05/24/2013 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

PoliticsAs we head into the long Memorial Day weekend, we honor those who sacrificed their lives for our country. Let’s also remember the veterans who fought alongside those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They made sacrifices of their own while fighting for our country, to secure our safety. They left their families, often for long periods of time. Many were injured and continue to have health care needs. Today, let’s think about helping those veterans — and their families — …

These Doctors Are Transforming Medicine. Is Yours Keeping Up?

Posted on 05/15/2013 by | Health | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthBy Ankita Rao, Kaiser Health News Dr. Thomas Bellavia transformed his traditional medical practice in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., into a so-called medical home where patients are seen by teams of doctors and nurses.  He says it has paid off in better, more coordinated care for his patients and healthier income for the nurse practitioners and physicians in his group. Dr. Mark Holthouse took a different tack — limiting his El Dorado, Calif., clinic to 400 patients a year, and adding services such as …

5 Reasons to Care About Medicaid Expansion

Posted on 05/15/2013 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

PoliticsNine states have passed Medicaid expansion this year, with another 15 on the brink of extending health coverage to more hard-working citizens. Why is Medicaid expansion, which would extend Medicaid health coverage to people who earn about $15,000 a year (138% of the federal poverty level), so important? Here are the top 5 reasons: 1. 50- to 64-year olds: Medicaid expansion will provide health care coverage to tens of thousands of hard-working Americans between the ages of 50 to 64. Many …

Responsible Solutions That Protect and Preserve Medicare

Posted on 05/13/2013 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

Personal HealthThis is a guest post by Sean Voskuhl – State Director, AARP Oklahoma Growing up in rural Oklahoma, I saw first-hand the importance of Medicare.  Finding accessible and affordable health care was always very difficult.  Many folks had no choice but to purchase a catastrophic/high deductible plan, or they relied on a spouse to get coverage by taking a job in town, or they went without health insurance at all. Simply put, most people gambled and prayed, trying to hold …

GOP Won’t Play Ball on Obamacare Advisory Panels

Posted on 05/9/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal Health | PoliticsBy Jim Abrams, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House and Senate Republican leaders told President Barack Obama Thursday that they will refuse to nominate candidates to serve on an advisory board that is to play a role in holding down Medicare costs under the new health care act. House Speaker John Boehner, who joined Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell in boycotting the Independent Payment Advisory Board, also said that the House next week will vote again to repeal the …

Applying for Obama Health Care Plan Not Easy

Posted on 03/13/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthBy Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar of The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Applying for benefits under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul could be as daunting as doing your taxes. The government’s draft application runs 15 pages for a three-person family. An outline of the online version has 21 steps, some with additional questions. Seven months before the Oct. 1 start of enrollment season for millions of uninsured Americans, the idea that getting health insurance could be as easy as shopping online …