KHN periodically shares readers’ comments on recent original stories.
Q&A: How Are Retired Military Personnel Affected By The Health Law?
KHN’s “Insuring Your Health” columnist Michelle Andrews answers that question from a reader, noting that the Affordable Care Act does affect some retired members of the military over age 65.
Some Patients Can Choose To Be Hospitalized At Home
These innovative programs — available in only a few areas — allow some chronically ill patients to skip the hospital and opt instead for similar care at home.
States Encounter Obstacles Moving Elderly And Disabled Into Community
Some states are moving faster than others in getting people out of nursing homes and institutions as part of an ambitious federal program.
Second Guessing Medicare’s Star Rating System
Supporters say the bonus system is improving care for millions of seniors, but critics say it can be a clumsy measure of value and rewards mediocrity.
Health On The Hill: Competing Prescriptions For Medicare’s Financial Health
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Marilyn Werber Serafini join Jackie Judd to preview this week’s House hearings on Medicare and to dig into the details of the Medicare trustees’ report.
If The Health Care Overhaul Goes Down, Could Medicare Follow?
A growing number of health experts are warning of potential collateral damage if the Supreme Court strikes down the entire 2010 Affordable Care Act: potential chaos in the Medicare program.
Connecticut Weighs Its ‘Nurses Only’ Medication Policy For Homebound Seniors
Gov. Malloy has proposed letting supervised home health aides give medication to Medicaid patients.
Oregon Emphasizes Choices At Life’s End
The state has been at the forefront of trying to make sure a person has as much control over the end of life as possible with a detailed directive that has been adopted by 14 other states.
Handle With Care: Helping Seniors Move On
Robert Ray of Silver Spring is in the business of helping the elderly move. He’s president of Caring Transitions in Silver Spring, a company that manages everything from packing boxes to finding a real estate agent.
Seniors Need To Reevaluate Their Needs For Popular Medical Treatments: The KHN Interview
Dr. Nortin Hadler argues in a new book that older Americans need to be more aggressive about challenging doctors on prescribed procedures. “People should want to know the likelihood that death will be postponed by doing something,” he says.
The National Alzheimer’s Plan: An Opportunity For Action
Alzheimer’s expert Dr. Rachelle Doody writes that the recently released draft framework for a national Alzheimer’s plan is somewhat vague even as it contains excellent goals and begins to focus the minds and resources of key stakeholders on these issues.
Taking Steps To Overcome Alzheimer’s Disease
Robert Egge, the Alzheimers Association vice president of public policy, offers his take on why the current push to develop a national plan to combat Alzheimer’s represents a historic opportunity to strengthen the federal government’s efforts to overcome this disease.
Different Takes: The National Plan To Address Alzheimer’s Disease
Kaiser Health News talked to two experts about current efforts to craft a national plan to overcome Alzheimer’s disease.
Controversial Amendments Injected Into Florida Vaccine Bill
Some Florida lawmakers want to allow pharmacists to administer shingles and pneumonia vaccines to seniors. Physicians are pushing back.
Tips For Buying Long-Term Care Insurance
Consumer advocates say if you decide to get the coverage, be careful about the details.
The coverage is expensive and often restrictive, but it offers vital protection and flexibility for some consumers facing a nursing home stay.
Lawsuit Accuses Company Of Fraudulently Cycling Patients Through Nursing Homes, Hospice Care
Whistleblowers allege that AseraCare improperly channeled people to gain maximum Medicare reimbursements. In a separate suit, federal attorneys say the company pressured employees to enroll patients in hospice who weren’t dying.
Case-by-Case, California Examines Adult Day Care
Martha Norris, 62, depends on Napa Valley Adult Day Services in Napa, Calif. The program and others like it throughout the state have narrowly escaped elimination due to state budget cuts.
How Lawsuits Can Stymie Some Automatic Cuts
Advocates for the elderly and disabled have been able to thwart budget cuts in California by challenging them in federal court.
