Medicare

Budget Gridlock Feeds Pessimism at Annual Fiscal ‘Summit’

Posted on 05/8/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsBy Andrew Taylor, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — On this, some of Washington’s highest-ranking budget players can agree: A “grand bargain” this year to close the nation’s chronic budget deficits seems like a long shot. That was the consensus at an annual Washington “fiscal summit” thrown by billionaire deficit hawk Pete Peterson, who’s staked $1 billion of his fortune on a foundation aimed at raising public awareness of the dangers of the government’s growing debt. But barely 100 days into …

People Try to Put Us Down – Talking About All Generations

Posted on 05/6/2013 by | AARP Media Relations Team | Comments

Home & Family | Money & Savings | PoliticsIn Nancy Altman’s 2005 book The Battle for Social Security: From FDR’s Vision to Bush’s Gamble, she opens with the story of how after 9/11 “the families of virtually every worker who perished that day were entitled to benefits under the program.” In millions of conversations AARP held in 2012, Americans said they want Social Security and Medicare to be there for their children and grandchildren.  And for millions of children, Social Security is the only thing that stands between …

Will Surprise Hospital Costs Be Outlawed?

Posted on 05/3/2013 by | Health | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal Health | PoliticsBy Susan Jaffe This Kaiser Health News story produced in collaboration with USA Today After Lois Frarie, a 93-year-old retired teacher from Monterey, Calif., spent four days at a local hospital while being treated for a broken elbow and pelvis, she went to a nearby nursing home to build up her strength. But her family was stunned to find out that they would have to pay thousands of dollars up front since two of the days she spent in the …

Congress Nibbles at Obama’s Budget

Posted on 04/18/2013 by | Washington Watch | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsNow it’s Congress’ turn. Last week President Obama made his budget proposal, and lawmakers on Capitol Hill already have begun trying to bend it to their will. On April 18, in fact, the House Ways and Means Committee will take up one of the most controversial pages in the budget book: the proposal to change the way that benefits under Social Security and other federal programs are adjusted for inflation. The “chained consumer price index,” or chained CPI, would mean …

States Move to Coordinate Care for Medicare, Medicaid

Posted on 04/17/2013 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

Public Policy InstituteBy Wendy Fox-Grage I have been studying long-term services and supports (LTSS) across the nation for nearly 20 years, so it is hard to surprise me. However, whenever 34 states take on major new initiatives aimed at cutting costs and  improving care, I take notice, especially given that most of these efforts will occur within the next two years! A recent study shows two-thirds of states have or are planning initiatives to better coordinate care for people who are eligible …

4 Ways Obama’s Budget Would Change Medicare

Posted on 04/15/2013 by | Health | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal Health | PoliticsAdapted from an article by Mary Agnes Carey, Senior Correspondent, Kaiser Health News President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget includes a variety of what he says are “manageable” changes for Medicare’s 54 million beneficiaries as well as for the hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers that serve them. That assessment has drawn concern from some patient and provider groups that, although recognizing the need to address the nation’s rising health care costs, say seniors shouldn’t bear the brunt …

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »