KHN Medicare & Aging: April 18, 2019
Making Smarter Decisions About Where To Recover After Hospitalization
By Judith Graham
Older adults — and their families — often find it challenging and stressful to find the best facility. And they often end up in the wrong spot, new research shows.
Economic Ripples: Hospital Closure Hurts A Town’s Ability To Attract Retirees
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio
Celina, Tenn., has long lured retirees, with its scenic hills and affordability. These newcomers help fuel the local economy. But a recent hospital closure makes the town a harder sell.
Lethal Plans: When Seniors Turn To Suicide In Long-Term Care
By Melissa Bailey and JoNel Aleccia
In a nation where the suicide rate continues to climb, such deaths among older adults are often overlooked. A six-month investigation by KHN and PBS NewsHour finds that older Americans are quietly killing themselves in nursing homes, assisted living centers and adult care homes.
Doughnut Hole Is Gone, But Medicare’s Uncapped Drug Costs Still Bite Into Budgets
By Michelle Andrews
Beneficiaries pay 25 percent of the price of their brand-name drugs until they reach $5,100 in out-of-pocket costs. After that, their obligation drops to 5 percent. But it never disappears.
More Older Adults With Joint Replacements Recover At Home, Not Rehab
By Judith Graham
Research shows that going home after elective hip and knee replacements is a safe alternative for many patients.
States Push For Caregiver Tax Credits
By Samantha Young
Families often spend thousands of dollars caring for ailing loved ones at home. Lawmakers in California and at least seven other states want to provide some financial relief with state income tax credits.
Health Plans For State Employees Use Medicare’s Hammer On Hospital Bills
By Julie Appleby
Some plans are experimenting with the idea of closely tying hospital reimbursement rates to what Medicare pays. The approach could be a game changer in their effort to control health costs.
Costly Confusion: Medicare’s Wellness Visit Isn’t The Same As An Annual Physical
By Michelle Andrews
Medicare doesn’t pay for an annual physical, but it does cover an annual wellness visit focused on preventing disease and disability by coming up with a “personalized prevention plan” for future medical issues. It is important to use the correct term when scheduling a doctor’s visit.
Nursing Home Fines Drop As Trump Administration Heeds Industry Complaints
By Jordan Rau
Inspectors are citing nursing facilities for violating health and safety more often than during the Obama administration. But the average fine is nearly a third lower than it was before President Donald Trump took office.
Understanding Loneliness In Older Adults — And Tailoring A Solution
By Judith Graham
New research shows that older adults want close relationships with the people they care about and meaningful social roles.
How To Zero In On Your Final, Forever Home While Skirting Disaster
By Janice Lloyd
Confronting changing health care needs, fixed incomes and problems created by climate change can be overwhelming when trying to pinpoint that dream location, but taking time and doing research makes it a dream come true, say these seniors.
Patients Experiment With Prescription Drugs To Fight Aging
By Marisa Taylor
Doctors and patients say they’re compelled to use off-label meds as research goes unfunded.
Medicare Trims Payments To 800 Hospitals, Citing Patient Safety Incidents
By Jordan Rau
The penalties are part of a program set up by the Affordable Care Act to prompt hospitals to pay more attention to safety issues that can lead to injuries, such as falls or hospital-acquired infections.
Listening To Older Patients Who Want To Stop Dialysis
By Judith Graham
Older adults with advanced kidney disease sometimes want to stop dialysis but often meet resistance from doctors, new research shows. We explore options available to these patients, including conservative care.
Is New App From Feds Your Answer To Navigating Medicare Coverage? Yes And No
By Rachel Bluth
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched this month the “What’s Covered” app, designed to provide yes-or-no answers about what services are covered under traditional Medicare. KHN took it for a test drive with real consumers.