Medicare&Aging051921

Aiding Her Dying Husband, a Geriatrician Learns the Emotional and Physical Toll of Caregiving
By Judith Graham
When the covid pandemic hit, Dr. Rebecca Elon was thrust into a new role, primary caregiver for her severely ill husband and her elderly mother. “Reading about caregiving of this kind was one thing. Experiencing it was entirely different,” she says.

Biden Boasts About Equitable Senior Vaccination Rate by Race Without Data to Back It Up
By Victoria Knight
There is no public national data source that tracks vaccination rates based on a combination of race or ethnicity as well as age. Most state-level data shows that disparities exist in vaccine rates between white people and people of color.

Trouble Managing Money May Be an Early Sign of Dementia
By Michelle Andrews
Long before they receive a dementia diagnosis, many people begin to mismanage their finances as their memory, organizational skills and self-control falter.

In Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta, Millions Face Long Drives to Stroke Care
By Aneri Pattani and Hannah Recht and Jamie Grey, InvestigateTV
Across Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta, where death rates from stroke are above the national average, routing patients from rural areas to the right level of care can be an intricate jigsaw puzzle. The closest hospital might not offer the full scope of stroke treatments, but hospitals with more advanced care could be hours away.

The Vulnerable Homebound Are Left Behind on Vaccination
By Jenny Gold
Even as the nation has moved on to vaccinating everyone 16 and older, the vast majority of people homebound due to frailty or age — and among the most vulnerable to covid’s devastation — have not yet been vaccinated. California offers a sharp lens on the challenges.

Covid Forces Cohousing Communities to Examine Shared Values and Relationships
By Judith Graham
How do dozens of people living communally decide what to do during a public health crisis when members have varying tolerance for risk and different opinions about safe practices?

You’ve Added Your Kids to Your Health Plan. What About Mom?
By Samantha Young
A bill in the California legislature would require state-regulated health plans to cover policyholders’ dependent parents. Advocates say the measure would reduce the number of uninsured people, while business groups warn of premium increases.

Covered California dice que el seguro de salud se ha vuelto demasiado barato como para ignorarlo
By Bernard J. Wolfson
Una nueva ley federal podría hacer que sea mucho más barato comprar tu propio seguro si no tienes cobertura a través de un empleador o un programa del gobierno como Medicare o Medicaid.

Covered California Says Health Insurance Just Got Too Cheap to Ignore
By Bernard J. Wolfson
Californians who passed up health coverage in the past may be pleasantly surprised by the lower prices available thanks to the new federal relief act.

Time to Say Goodbye to Some Insurers’ Waivers for Covid Treatment Fees
By Julie Appleby
Insurers voluntarily set the charges aside earlier in the pandemic — but that means those same health plans can decide to reinstate them.