Aging Archives - Page 19 of 66

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Funding for the Next Pandemic

In his proposed budget, President Joe Biden called for a boost in health spending that includes billions of dollars to prepare for a future pandemic. But that doesn’t include money he says is needed immediately for testing and treating covid-19. Also this week, federal regulators authorized a second booster shot for people 50 and older yet gave little guidance to consumers about who needs the shot and when. Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post, Jennifer Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times, and Rachana Pradhan of KHN join KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Julie Rovner interviews KHN’s Julie Appleby, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a very expensive air ambulance ride.

March 31, 2022

A digital illustration in watercolor and pencil. Three figures are seen with their sleeves rolled up for vaccination. The first two are colored yellow, while the third (right) fades into the background. Overlayed over them, from left to right, are two green check marks and one red question mark.

COVID-19

‘The Danger Is Still There’ ― As Omicron Lurks, Native Americans Are Wary of Boosters

Federal data shows that vaccination rates for American Indians and Alaska Natives were some of the highest in the nation, but tribes say resistance has slowed efforts to boost members.

By Rachana Pradhan

March 31, 2022

Doctor preparing a vaccine to inject into a patient

COVID-19

Senators Ask GAO to Examine Medicaid’s Low Covid Vaccination Rates

Sens. Robert Casey Jr. and Ron Wyden want a probe into what barriers are keeping Medicaid plans from reaching enrollees.

By Phil Galewitz

March 25, 2022

On the left side of the image, a Black woman with short, white dreadlocks leans over a senior man, her father, to help button his shirt. The woman wears a turquoise shirt, while the man sits in a red recliner. They are in their home living room.

Navigating Aging

To Families’ Dismay, Biden Nursing Home Reform Doesn’t View Them as Essential Caregivers

Relatives who often provide vital caregiving for nursing home residents say the lockdowns during the covid pandemic showed the need for family members to visit in person with their loved ones. About a dozen states have passed laws guaranteeing that right, and California is considering one.

By Judith Graham

March 22, 2022

Tim Barrage stands next to Gloria Bailey outside her home in Akron, Ohio.

Medicare Advantage Plans Send Pals to Seniors’ Homes for Companionship — And Profits

Many Medicare Advantage plans send caregivers to the homes of seniors periodically to help with housework and provide companionship. But the workers may also prod seniors into activities that boost the plans’ Medicare ratings and federal reimbursements.

By Phil Galewitz

March 15, 2022

Navigating Aging

Despite Seniors’ Strong Desire to Age in Place, the Village Model Remains a Boutique Option

Membership-based villages help arrange services for seniors — such as handyman help or transportation to appointments — and provide social connections through classes, leisure opportunities, or community events. Despite great promise, they have been slow to expand because of difficulties raising funding and keeping people interested.

By Judith Graham

March 14, 2022

A gloved hand uses a pipette to divide liquid into test tubes. A screen shows a series of brain scans behind the lab equipment.

Patients Divided Over Alzheimer’s Drug: Is It a ‘Risk I’m Willing to Take’ or Just a ‘Magic Pill’?

Medicare has proposed limiting coverage of Aduhelm, the costly new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and several prominent groups representing patients and their families are pressing the program to make it more widely available. But among individuals facing the disease, the outlook is more nuanced.

By Judith Graham

March 7, 2022

Seeking to Shift Costs to Medicare, More Employers Move Retirees to Advantage Plans

Private and public employers are increasingly using the government’s Medicare Advantage program as an alternative to their existing retiree health plan and traditional Medicare coverage. As a result, the federal government is paying the “overwhelming majority” of medical costs, according to an industry analyst.

By Susan Jaffe

March 3, 2022

Young care assistant helps an elderly gent put on his jumper

Biden Pledges Better Nursing Home Care, but He Likely Won’t Fast-Track It

CMS chief Chiquita Brooks-LaSure says the agency reserves its power to quickly institute new regulations for “absolute emergencies.” On staffing, nursing home residents might need to wait years to see any real change.

By Rachana Pradhan and Harris Meyer

March 3, 2022

Blond female healthcare worker wearing scrubs, gloves and a red fabric face mask approaches a patient on oxygen sitting in a wheelchair to begin a speech therapy session amid the corona virus COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden’s Promise of Better Nursing Home Care Will Require Many More Workers

The president wants to set minimum staffing levels for the beleaguered nursing home industry. But, given a lack of transparency surrounding the industry’s finances, it’s a mystery how facilities will shoulder the added costs.

By Jordan Rau

March 2, 2022

COVID-19

Watch: Seniors Share How They’ve Made It Through the Pandemic

Nine seniors from across the country talk frankly about feeling alone and constrained, missing church, and family routines. They also share newfound hope and discoveries that arose from the crisis.

Feb. 24, 2022

Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Have Mental Health Care on Their Minds

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Feb. 24, 2022

Navigating Aging

As Covid Slogs On, Seniors Find Fortitude Waning and Malaise Growing

The spread of the omicron variant has dashed the hopes of many older adults that the country was exiting the worst of the pandemic, leaving them anxious while their patience wears thin.

By Judith Graham

Feb. 18, 2022

Inside the Tactical Tug of War Over the Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug

An epic battle is playing out behind the scenes over whether the government should pay for Aduhelm, an FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drug that scientists say has not been proven to work.

By Arthur Allen

Feb. 16, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: FDA Takes Center Stage

Congress is set to start its once-every-five-years review of the law that authorizes user fees to finance the hiring of personnel to speed the FDA review of drugs. The periodic renewals of “PDUFA” also give lawmakers a chance to make other changes to the agency at the hub of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the FDA could also find itself at the center of the abortion debate and a controversial new medication to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Feb. 10, 2022

Navigating Aging

Pandemic-Fueled Shortages of Home Health Workers Strand Patients Without Necessary Care

Home health and hospice agencies are experiencing extreme worker shortages, which means they can’t provide services to all the patients seeking care.

By Judith Graham

Feb. 3, 2022

COVID-19

At Nursing Homes, Long Waits for Results Render Covid Tests ‘Useless’

As omicron surges, more nursing homes are facing a double whammy: Lab tests are taking too long, and fast antigen tests are in short supply.

By Rachana Pradhan

Feb. 2, 2022

COVID-19

In California Nursing Homes, Omicron Is Bad, but So Is the Isolation

Omicron infections are surging in residential care facilities, causing massive sickouts among staff members and an uptick in hospitalizations and deaths. The latest visitor restrictions and testing requirements are also compounding the isolation that residents have suffered for almost two years.

By Linda Marsa

Jan. 31, 2022