Medicare and Aging: Dec. 14, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News: Democrats See Opportunity in GOP Threats to Repeal Health Law 
Sensing that Republicans are walking into a political minefield by threatening once again to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Biden administration is looking to capitalize by rolling out a series of initiatives aimed at high drug prices and other consequences of “corporate greed in health care.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court hears a case that could determine when and how much victims of the opioid crisis can collect from Purdue Pharma, the drug company that lied about how addictive its drug, OxyContin, really was. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann of KFF Health News’ sister podcast, “An Arm and a Leg,” about his investigation into hospitals suing their patients over unpaid bills.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: Trump Puts Obamacare Repeal Back on Agenda
Although Republicans have never united behind a replacement for the Affordable Care Act, 2024 GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump said this week he wants to put the issue back on the national agenda. That delights Democrats, who have won at least two elections partly by defending the now-popular health law. Meanwhile, the Texas Supreme Court takes up a case brought by women who say their pregnancy complications further endangered their health due to the vagueness of Texas’ near-total ban on abortions. Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Victoria Knight of Axios News join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Rachana Pradhan, who reported and wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.

A Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance
By Jordan Rau Deciding when, or whether, to buy long-term care insurance can be complex. Here’s what to know.

What to Know About Assisted Living
By Jordan Rau The facilities can look like luxury apartments or modest group homes and can vary in pricing structures. Here’s a guide.

Why Long-Term Care Insurance Falls Short for So Many 
By Jordan Rau and JoNel Aleccia The private insurance market has proved wildly inadequate in providing financial security for millions of older Americans, in part by underestimating how many policyholders would use their coverage.

Extra Fees Drive Assisted Living Profits
By Jordan Rau The add-ons pile up: $93 for medications, $50 for cable TV. Prices soar as the industry leaves no service unbilled, out of reach for many families.

People With Disabilities Hope Autonomous Vehicles Deliver Independence
By Tony Leys A pilot project in northern Minnesota aims to pave the way for fully autonomous vehicles to offer independence for people who can’t drive.

Dodging the Medicare Enrollment Deadline Can Be Costly
By Susan Jaffe As open enrollment ends, many people are tuning out. They could wind up with a surprise next year: higher costs and less access to health care providers.

Social Security Clawbacks Hit a Million More People Than Agency Chief Told Congress
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group More than 2 million people a year have been sent notices that Social Security overpaid them and demanding they repay the money. That’s twice as many as the head of Social Security disclosed at a congressional hearing in October.

Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home Care
By Reed Abelson, The New York Times Facing a severe shortage of aides and high costs, people trying to keep aging loved ones at home often cobble together a patchwork of family and friends to help.

What to Know About Home Care Services
By Reed Abelson, The New York Times Finding an aide to help an older person stay at home safely takes work. Here’s a guide.

In Congress, Calls Mount for Social Security to Address Clawbacks
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group In the wake of a KFF Health News-Cox Media Group investigation, U.S. lawmakers are asking what Social Security will do about its demands on their constituents to repay money already distributed — and sometimes in error. Sen. Rick Scott called the agency’s actions “unacceptable.”

New Social Security Report Shows Growing Overpayment Problem Tops $23B
By Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group and KFF Health News Staff Social Security has been overpaying recipients for years, then demanding the money back, leaving people with bills for up to tens of thousands of dollars or more.

She Once Advised the President on Aging Issues. Now, She’s Battling Serious Disability and Depression.
By Judith Graham Coping with disability — and the cost of coping with disability — is an enormously important issue for older adults. Nora Super, an expert on aging, shares her personal story.

Back Pain? Bum Knee? Be Prepared to Wait for a Physical Therapist
By Mark Kreidler Physical therapists left the field en masse during the covid-19 pandemic, even as demand from aging baby boomers skyrocketed. While universities try to boost their training programs to increase the number of graduates, patients seeking relief from often debilitating pain are left to wait.

Uncle Sam Wants You … to Help Stop Insurers’ Bogus Medicare Advantage Sales Tactics
By Susan Jaffe The Biden administration wants to crack down on deceptive or misleading Medicare Advantage and drug plan sales tactics. It’s counting on beneficiaries to help catch offenders.

Medicare Advantage Increasingly Popular With Seniors — But Not Hospitals and Doctors
By Julie Appleby Some hospitals and physician groups are rejecting Medicare Advantage plans over payment rates and coverage restrictions, causing turmoil for patients.

Readers Slam Hospital Monopolies and Blame the Feds for Understaffed Nursing Homes
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Watch: The Long-Term Care Crisis: Why Few Can Afford to Grow Old in America
By Jordan Rau Long-term care options in the U.S. are costly, complex, and often inadequate. KFF Health News' Jordan Rau and Reed Abelson of The New York Times host a Zoom panel to explore the challenges of providing — and affording — care.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: Congress Kicks the (Budget) Can Down the Road. Again.
Congress narrowly avoided a federal government shutdown for the second time in six weeks, as Democrats came to the rescue of divided House Republicans over annual spending bills that were supposed to be finished by Oct. 1. But the brinksmanship is likely to repeat itself early in 2024, when the next temporary spending patches expire. Meanwhile, a pair of investigations unveiled this week demonstrate how difficult it still is for seniors to get needed long-term and rehabilitation care. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Adultos mayores, detectives contra avisos engañosos de Medicare Advantage
By Susan Jaffe Funcionarios de los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid le han pedido a las personas mayores y a otros miembros de la comunidad que sean detectives contra el fraude, denunciando tácticas de venta engañosas al 800-MEDICARE.