Medicare&Aging 081121

Why Doesn’t Medicare Cover Services So Many Seniors Need?
By Julie Rovner When the program began half a century ago, backers believed the benefits would expand over time, but politics and concerns about money have stymied most efforts. Now congressional Democrats are looking to add vision, dental and hearing care.

2+2=? Senate Uses Murky Math as It Shelves Drug Pricing Rule to Fund Infrastructure
By Michael McAuliff The Medicare rule, designed by the Trump administration to take money away from drug industry brokers and provide refunds to patients, has not been implemented. But budget analysts say if it were, it would cost the government money. So senators are pushing the rule aside and claiming to save billions of dollars, which they want to use instead on new projects.

Pfizer Court Fight Could Legalize Medicare Copays and Unleash ‘Gold Rush’ in Sales
By Jay Hancock Pharmaceutical companies routinely cover the cost of patient copays for expensive drugs under private insurance. A federal judge could make the practice legal for millions on Medicare as well.

Though Millions Are at Risk for Diabetes, Medicare Struggles to Expand Prevention Program
By Harris Meyer Medicare has proposed revamping its payment rules to get more people into a diabetes prevention plan that helps them eat better, exercise more and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Out of an estimated 16 million Medicare beneficiaries whose excess weight and other risk factors make them eligible, only 3,600 have participated since 2018.

California Makes It Easier for Low-Income Residents to Get and Keep Free Health Coverage
By Rachel Bluth State lawmakers aim to expand Medicaid enrollment by dedicating billions of dollars in coming years to simplifying paperwork, extending pregnancy coverage and opening the program to thousands of new enrollees, including older unauthorized immigrants and people who need nursing home care.

Sen. Wyden: $3.5T Budget May Have to Trim but It Can Set a Path to ‘Ambitious Goals’
By Michael McAuliff Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who is helping to negotiate the health care spending framework for the Democrats' budget plan, said lawmakers may have to settle for very basic versions of programs deployed in the package. But the key, he added, is to get the "architecture of these changes, bold changes," started and show people what is possible.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Here Comes Reconciliation
Democrats in Congress reached a tentative agreement to press ahead on a partisan bill that would dramatically expand health benefits for people on Medicare, those who buy their own insurance and individuals who have been shut out of coverage in states that didn’t expand Medicaid. Meanwhile, controversy continues to rage over whether vaccinated Americans will need a booster to protect against covid-19 variants, and who will pay for a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Rachel Cohrs of Stat and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Rae Ellen Bichell, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a mother and daughter who fought an enormous emergency room bill.

‘Wisdom and Fear’ Lead 90% of U.S. Seniors to Covid Vaccines
By Phil Galewitz The success in getting shots to older adults is likely due to states prioritizing that effort when the vaccines became available and motivation among the elderly after the virus killed so many in their age group.

Restoring a Sense of Belonging: The Unsung Importance of Casual Relationships for Older Adults
By Judith Graham Relationships with people you know only superficially can help develop a sense of belonging and provide motivation to engage in activities. Research has found that older adults who have a broad array of “weak” as well as “close” ties enjoy better physical and psychological well-being and live longer than people with less diverse social networks.

Amid Covid Booster Debate, West Virginia to Check Immunity of Vaccinated Nursing Home Residents
By Phil Galewitz The state says it will look at the levels of disease-fighting antibodies among nursing home residents vaccinated against covid, which could help indicate whether they need a booster shot.

Facing Headwinds on New Alzheimer’s Drug, Biogen Launches Controversial Campaign
By Julie Appleby The makers of Aduhelm, a drug approved last month despite concerns raised by experts about its effectiveness, have launched a website and ads designed to urge people who are worried about their memory to ask doctors about testing. But some health advocates say it is misleading because some memory loss with aging is normal.

A Chilling Cure: Facing Killer Heat, ERs Use Body Bags to Save Lives
By JoNel Aleccia Doctors in Washington state used human body bags filled with ice and water to rapidly cool the sickest patients affected by record heat last month.

Clarity on Covid Count: Pandemic’s Toll on Seniors Extended Well Beyond Nursing Homes
By Judith Graham The latest research shows that although deaths in nursing homes received enormous attention, far more older adults who perished from covid lived outside of institutions. People with dementia and other severe neurological conditions, chronic kidney disease and immune deficiencies were hit especially hard.

California facilita que residentes de bajos ingresos obtengan y mantengan una cobertura de salud gratuita
By Rachel Bluth El acuerdo sobre el presupuesto estatal para 2021-22 incluye varias disposiciones que facilitarán el acceso y la permanencia en Medi-Cal. Todas las personas mayores de 50 años serán elegibles, independientemente de su estatus migratorio.

“Sabiduría y miedo” llevan al 90% de los adultos mayores de EE.UU. a vacunarse contra covid
By Phil Galewitz La pandemia ha sido especialmente cruel para los adultos mayores. Casi el 80% de las muertes ocurrieron entre personas de 65 años y más. Millones estuvieron aislados en residencias y en sus casas por meses.