AARP Eye Center
)
A new study published in the British medical journal Lancet says a host of factors, such as Medicare reimbursement, location and the availability of hospital beds, weigh more heavily on a doctor's decision to operate than a patient's needs, wants or whether surgery will improve their quality of life. And a growing number of 401(k) plan participants are bringing lawsuits against their employers (who administer the plans) for allowing poorly-performing and/or overly-expensive funds into their retirement portfolios.
Death of a Visionary: Steve Jobs, the iconic Apple co-founder who's influenced 21st century technology, computing, gadgetry and culture in inestimable ways, has died. He was 56.
I wouldn't compare 'vigorous exercise' to a ray of sunshine in very many circumstances, but it turns out there's one thing a good workout and a sunny day may have in common: Upping your levels of Vitamin D ... Reassuring the retirement community crowd, Mitt Romney explained, "Social Security is not going to change for anyone in this room."�
After two years with no increase in Social Security cost-of-living allowances (COLA), benefits are expected to rise as much as 3.5 percent in 2012 ... For the 14th year in a row, Congress missed the deadline for passing a budget bill for the upcoming fiscal year (is there a better way?).
Rooney's Last Address: Andy Rooney, the notorious curmudgeon who has been working in television for more than six decades, delivered his final weekly broadcast on CBS' '60 Minutes' yesterday night. Rooney, 92, has been with the news show for the past 33 years and delivered 1,097 commentaries-and he…
An Australian study finds 'humor therapy' decreases agitation in nursing home dementia patients as well as antipsychotic medicines ... Middle-aged women who engage in moderate-intensity exercise more likely to enjoy and stick with it then intense exercisers.
The Takeaway: DOJ Asks Supreme Court to Weigh Health Care Law; Federal Pensions Face Major Shortfall
U.S. Department of Justice asks Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the individual health insurance mandate, a key part of Barack Obama's health care reform law ... Retirement plans for veterans, members of Congress and other federal employees cost the U.S. government almost as much as the Social Security system.
What Goes Up ... Must Go Up? Health insurance premiums may be slated to rise less next year than they have in over a decade, but perhaps that's because 2011 saw unprecedented surges. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, annual premiums for some employer-sponsored family health insurance…
Vitamin B12 is good for your brain; exercise and weight loss could negate need for knee replacement surgery.
Medicare, Social Security Cuts Unpopular: Red, blue or purple, Americans of all political stripes object to using Medicare and Social Security cuts to reduce the deficit. In a new national poll, 82 percent of Democrats, 73 percent of Independents and 58 percent of Republicans rejected such cuts.…