Medicare and Aging: Dec. 19, 2024
Readers Embrace ‘Going It Alone’ Series on Aging and Chastise Makers of Pulse Oximeters
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
TV’s Dr. Oz Invested in Businesses Regulated by Agency Trump Wants Him To Lead
Darius Tahir
Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz recently held broad investments in health care, tech, and food companies. Were he confirmed to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, his job would involve interacting with giants of the industry that have contributed to his wealth.
Trump’s Nontraditional Health Picks
Not only has President-elect Donald Trump chosen prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Trump also has said he will nominate controversial TV host Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees coverage for nearly half of Americans. Meanwhile, the lame-duck Congress is back in Washington with just a few weeks to figure out how to wrap up work for the year. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Riley Ray Griffin of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Sarah Varney, who has been covering a trial in Idaho challenging the lack of medical exceptions in that state’s abortion ban.
California Sets 15% Target for Primary Care Spending Over Next Decade
Vanessa G. Sánchez
The state Office of Health Care Affordability has set a goal for insurers to direct 15% of their spending to primary care by 2034, part of a push to expand preventive care services. Health plans say it’s unclear how the policy will mesh with the state’s overarching goal to slow spending growth.
Readying for Republican Rule
With Republicans now set to control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives starting in January, their health agenda remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that just about anything could be on the table, from Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, to drug prices and public health. Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups are preparing to fight the implementation of abortion rights ballot measures just passed by voters in seven states. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.
Watch: ‘Going It Alone’ — A Conversation About Growing Old in America
Judith Graham, KFF Health News' "Navigating Aging" columnist, talks with older adults who live alone by choice or circumstance. They share what it means to thrive in later years.
A Centenarian Thrives Living Alone, Active and Engaged
Judith Graham
Many older adults living alone, isolated and vulnerable, struggle with health issues. But a noteworthy slice of this growing group of seniors maintain a high degree of well-being. Meet Hilda Jaffe, age 102.
Resources Are Expanding for Older Adults on Their Own
Judith Graham
Aging alone, without a spouse, a partner, or children, requires careful planning. New programs for this growing population offer much-needed help.
Nursing Homes Fell Behind on Vaccinating Patients for Covid
Sarah Boden
Last winter, only 4 in 10 nursing home residents got an updated covid vaccine. The low uptake leaves a fragile population vulnerable. Some industry watchdogs say it could be a sign of eroding trust between nursing home residents and providers.
Nursing Home Industry Wants Trump To Rescind Staffing Mandate
Jordan Rau
A Biden administration rule that imposed minimum rules on nursing levels may not survive, even though many homes lack enough workers to maintain residents’ care.
Homebound Seniors Living Alone Often Slip Through Health System’s Cracks
Judith Graham
There is a large population of older adults with physical problems that prevent them from leaving home. Many have significant medical and practical needs that go unmet.
Social Security Tackles Overpayment ‘Injustices,’ but Problems Remain
David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group
With his term soon to expire, Social Security chief Martin O’Malley’s efforts to address the agency’s overpayments to beneficiaries remain incomplete.
Centenaria vive sola en Nueva York, y se mantiene comprometida y activa con su comunidad
Judith Graham
Entre las cualidades asociadas a la resiliencia en los mayores se incluyen el optimismo y la esperanza, la capacidad de adaptarse a circunstancias cambiantes, las relaciones personales relevantes, las conexiones con la comunidad y la actividad física.
Expanden los recursos para las personas mayores que viven solas
Judith Graham
Todos estos recursos abordan la necesidad de estos adultos mayores de relacionarse con otras personas, evitar el aislamiento y prepararse para un futuro en el que podrían tener menos energía, más problemas de salud y necesitar más ayuda.