Medicare & Aging: 121621
Medicare
West Virginia Sen. Manchin Takes the Teeth Out of Democrats’ Plan for Seniors’ Dental Care
Phil Galewitz
In West Virginia, older residents often go without dental care, and a quarter of people 65 and older have no natural teeth, the highest rate of any state in the country. But a powerful senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin, has rebuffed efforts to add a dental benefit to Medicare.
Oncology Doctors Say the Build Back Better Act Will Slash Cancer Care Funding — A Skewed Argument
Julie Appleby
The Community Oncology Alliance is targeting the prescription drug provisions of the Build Back Better Act, saying they will trigger deep cuts in oncologists’ pay, causing clinics to close and health care costs to rise. But it leaves out some important details.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott Off Base in Claim That Rise in Medicare Premiums Is Due to Inflation
Phil Galewitz
The Republican senator says President Joe Biden’s “inflation crisis” caused Medicare to raise monthly premiums, which will add hundreds of dollars to beneficiaries’ costs. But Medicare experts say inflation was not to blame and most beneficiaries will shoulder a much smaller increase than what Rick Scott claims.
Researcher: Medicare Advantage Plans Costing Billions More Than They Should
Fred Schulte
Some insurers pocketed ‘eye-popping’ overpayments, billing records show.
Post-Pandemic, What’s a Phone Call From Your Physician Worth?
Julie Appleby
Medicare billing codes for audio-only follow-up check-ins lead to new reimbursement battles.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Much Ado About (Vaccine) Mandates
The fight over covid vaccines continues to intensify, with Republicans on Capitol Hill pushing — with some success — to cancel President Joe Biden’s “test regularly or vaccinate” requirement for private employers. Meanwhile, abortion is not the only health issue before the Supreme Court this term. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Boosting Confusion
Federal health officials appear poised to extend a recommendation for covid boosters to all adults, following moves by some governors and mayors to broaden the eligible booster pool as caseloads rise. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration finally has a nominee to head the agency: former FDA chief Robert Califf. And Medicare premiums for consumers will likely rise substantially in 2022, partly due to the approval of a controversial drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Tami Luhby of CNN, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann, host of the “An Arm and a Leg” podcast.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Why Health Care Is So Expensive, Chapter $22K
Congress is making slow progress toward completing its ambitious social spending bill, although its Thanksgiving deadline looks optimistic. Meanwhile, a new survey finds the average cost of an employer-provided family plan has risen to more than $22,000. That’s about the cost of a new Toyota Corolla. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rebecca Love, a nurse academic and entrepreneur, about the impending crisis in nursing.
Journalists Offer Primers on Medicare Open Enrollment and Death Benefits Amid Covid
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
From ‘Physician Assistant’ to Medicare, Readers and Tweeters Mince No Words
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Aging
Wartime Trauma Hits Close to Home for Scholar of Dementia
Grace Galletti
The federal government is putting up $7.2 million for a study into the correlation between war trauma and dementia in Vietnamese immigrants. Oahn Meyer, an associate professor at the University of California-Davis who is leading the study, wonders whether her mother’s dementia is linked to trauma she suffered during the Vietnam War.
New California Law Eases Aid-in-Dying Process
Bernard J. Wolfson
Nearly 2,000 terminally ill Californians have used a 2015 law to end their lives with a doctor’s assistance. A revision of the law will make it easier to do so.
For Older Adults, Smelling the Roses May Be More Difficult
Judith Graham
The loss of smell is a common issue for many seniors and is often overlooked. Yet it can have serious consequences.
It Takes a Team: A Doctor With Terminal Cancer Relies on a Close-Knit Group in Her Final Days
Judith Graham
Dr. Susan Massad created a “health team” after learning she had metastatic breast cancer. These friends and family members help her make difficult decisions and lead the most fulfilling life possible.
When the Eye on Older Patients Is a Camera
Sofie Kodner
High-tech tools ease caregivers’ stress but can raise sticky privacy questions and concerns about cost.
As Big Pharma and Hospitals Battle Over Drug Discounts, Patients Miss Out on Millions in Benefits
Sarah Jane Tribble and Emily Featherston, InvestigateTV
The number of pharmacies dispensing 340B discounted drugs soared to more than 31,000 this year. Drugmakers struck back by halting some discounts. Hospitals say they are losing millions of dollars — and cutting back services to patients — as a result.
En Espanol
La inscripción de Medicare es temporada abierta para estafadores
Susan Jaffe
Funcionarios federales dicen que están aumentando las quejas de personas mayores engañadas para que compren pólizas sin su consentimiento, o atraídas por información cuestionable, que pueden no cubrir sus medicamentos ni incluir a sus médicos.
Nueva ley de California facilita el proceso de ayuda para morir
Bernard J. Wolfson
Una modificación a la ley vigente reduce el tiempo entre las peticiones necesarias para obtener los medicamentos para terminar con la vida. También protege más a los pacientes.
Grandes farmacéuticas y hospitales pelean por los descuentos en medicamentos, y los pacientes pierden millones en beneficios
Sarah Jane Tribble and Emily Featherston, InvestigateTV
Fabricantes de medicamentos se niegan a ofrecer descuentos a miles de farmacias contratadas por los hospitales, diciendo que el programa ha crecido más allá de su uso previsto.