Medicare and Aging: Feb. 15, 2024

Do We Simply Not Care About Old People?
By Judith Graham Illustration by Oona Zenda Recently, thousands of older Americans have been dying weekly of covid. But most Americans aren’t wearing masks in public, a move that could prevent infections. Many at-risk seniors aren’t getting antiviral therapies, and older adults in nursing homes aren’t getting vaccines. Why?

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': To End School Shootings, Activists Consider a New Culprit: Parents
For the first time, a jury has convicted a parent of a school shooter of charges related to the child’s crime, finding a mother in Michigan guilty of involuntary manslaughter and possibly opening a new legal avenue for gun control advocates. Meanwhile, as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a case challenging the FDA’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, a medical publisher has retracted some of the journal studies that lower-court judges relied on in their decisions. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.

Senate Probes the Cost of Assisted Living and Its Burden on American Families
By Jordan Rau In the wake of a KFF Health News-New York Times series, members of the Special Committee on Aging are asking residents and their families to submit their bills and are calling for a Government Accountability Office study.

Preparing to Hang Up the Car Keys as We Age
By Judith Graham As cognitive skills erode with age, driving skills weaken, but an aging driver may not recognize that. Advance directives on driving are one way to handle this challenge.

What’s Indoor Air Quality Like in Long-Term Care Facilities During Wildfires? Worse Than You’d Think.
By Kylie Mohr As climate change-driven wildfires increasingly choke large parts of the United States with smoke each summer, new research shows residents in long-term care facilities are being exposed to dangerously poor air, even those who don’t set foot outside during smoke events.

In Fight Over Medicare Payments, the Hospital Lobby Shows Its Strength
By Phil Galewitz and Colleen DeGuzman Medicare pays hospitals about double what it pays other providers for the same services. The hospital lobby is fighting hard to make sure a switch to "site-neutral payments” doesn't become law.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Struggle Over Who Gets the Last Word
As science skepticism pervades politics, the Supreme Court will soon consider two cases that seek to define the power of “experts.” Meanwhile, abortion opponents are laying out plans for how Donald Trump, if reelected as president, could effectively curtail abortion even in states where it remains legal. Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Samantha Liss, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature about a husband and wife who got billed for preventive care that should have been fully covered.

New Eligibility Rules Are a Financial Salve for Nearly 2 Million on Medi-Cal
By Bernard J. Wolfson Nearly 2 million Medi-Cal enrollees, mainly people who are aged, disabled, or in long-term care, can now accumulate savings and property without limitations and still qualify for the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents. They join an additional roughly 12 million enrollees who already had no asset limits.

Where Are the Nation’s Primary Care Providers? It’s Not an Easy Answer
By Rae Ellen Bichell Politicians keep talking about fixing primary care shortages. But flawed national data leaves big holes in how to evaluate which policies are effective.

With Trump Front of Mind, New Hampshire Voters Cite Abortion and Obamacare as Concerns
By Phil Galewitz New Hampshire’s primary election was dominated by voters’ feelings about Donald Trump. But health care remains a concern — and for Democrats, preserving abortion access is a priority.

Medicare Advantage Is Popular, but Some Beneficiaries Feel Buyer’s Remorse
By Sarah Jane Tribble Medicare Advantage plans are booming — 30.8 million of the 60 million Americans with Medicare are now enrolled in the private plans rather than the traditional government-run program. But a little-known fact: Once you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may not be able to get out. Traditional Medicare usually requires beneficiaries to pay 20 […]

Watch: Older Americans Say They Feel Stuck in Medicare Advantage Plans
By Sarah Jane Tribble You’ve probably seen advertising about Medicare Advantage plans. KFF Health News' Sarah Jane Tribble explains the pros and cons of this insurance option as enrollment in these plans increases.

Readers Weigh Downsides of Medicare Advantage and Stick Up for Mary Lou Retton
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

¿Dónde están los proveedores de atención primaria del país? La respuesta no es fácil
By Rae Ellen Bichell Expertos en el tema sienten una frustración persistente: es difícil saber si alguna política está funcionando porque los datos que recopila el gobierno federal sobre las áreas de escasez de atención primaria no han sido fidedignos durante mucho tiempo.

Una decisión difícil: cuando los adultos mayores tienen que dejar de conducir
By Judith Graham Los riesgos para los conductores mayores aumentan con la edad y el desarrollo de afecciones como la artritis, el glaucoma y el Parkinson. Y cuando ocurren accidentes, son más propensos a sufrir heridas graves o morir porque son físicamente más vulnerables.