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Thinking Policy
Surveys illuminate people’s preferences for aging in place and reforms that promote more supply
A recent report by the influential Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) — the independent agency that advises Congress on Medicare policy — finds that Medicare pays 20 percent more per enrollee in a private Medicare Advantage (MA) plan than it would if that same individual was instead…
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 includes many provisions designed to address high prescription drug prices and related out-of-pocket costs. One of the most notable changes allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain high-cost prescription drugs, which is expected to save Medicare…
A late-breaking attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) threatens to weaken critical federal consumer protections and raise costs for older Americans ages 50-64 who purchase health insurance coverage in the individual market. Tucked into the sweeping legislation known as the…
The latest Senate health reform bill, known as Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson, puts Medicaid back on the chopping block. The proposal would change the way the federal government currently funds Medicaid by limiting federal funding and shifting cost over time to both states and Medicaid enrollees,…
Well-designed, transit-rich neighborhoods provide many benefits to residents of all ages, as I document in, “ Independence Found in Downsizing to a Transit Rich Neighborhood.” These neighborhoods also provide dividends to the larger community, generating higher property values, rents, and revenue…
In 2011, some widely used implantable heart defibrillators, designed to correct potentially fatal irregular heart rhythms, developed cracked insulation on their high-voltage electrical wires. The result was that in some cases they caused severe shocks, and even deaths.
Implantable devices, such as hip replacements and heart valves, are a central part of medical treatment today. Americans receive about 370,000 cardiac pacemakers and about 1 million total hip and knee replacements per year. Despite how common the use of implantable devices is, little information is…
Employment overview
Employment overview
Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing public health issue in the United States. While media attention and policy efforts often focus on younger populations, older adults are not immune to the problem. A new AARP Public Policy Institute report finds that while the prevalence of…
Most of us take our mobility for granted. We grab our keys and head out to work, buy groceries, and shuttle our kids to movies and soccer practice—all without a second thought. But for the one-third of Americans who don’t drive and many others who lack access to a working vehicle, transportation…
Many perceive Washington, DC as being a livable community. It has plenty of shops, interesting neighborhoods, fun destinations, lively streets, and transit options.
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