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…
This week the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Braidwood v. Kennedy, a case challenging the requirement for private health insurers to cover certain recommended preventive health services with no cost-sharing. AARP previously examined the implications of the case, finding that more than…
Access to an employer-based, payroll-deduction retirement savings plan plays a key role in allowing people to save for the future. Yet nearly half of American workers, or about 56 million, do not have access to such a plan. To address this challenge, in recent years a growing number of states have…
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…
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.
If you look at the 2017 Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Scorecard, you may notice that something is different in this third edition– housing and transportation indicators are included for the first time. Affordable and accessible housing and transportation options are key components of a…
Approximately 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 every day. Half of them will one day find themselves needing a high level of help with basic daily activities like walking, eating, getting out of bed in the morning, and bathing—assistance known as long-term services and supports (LTSS).