Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Medicare Pay Cuts Will Hurt Seniors’ Care, Doctors Argue
New reductions in Medicare payments in 2023 will drive more doctors away from accepting Medicare patients, physicians say. They are again pushing back on efforts largely designed to control government spending.
Are You an Optimist? Could You Learn to Be? Your Health May Depend on It.
Multiple studies show a strong association between higher levels of optimism and healthy aging. We ask some dedicated optimists what might explain the connection.
To Attract In-Home Caregivers, California Offers Paid Training — And Self-Care
Turnover ails a program that allows low-income people who are older or disabled to age in place. To attract new workers and improve retention, the state is paying caregivers to develop new skills.
A Family Death During the Holidays Prompts Questions and Reflection
The death of a sharp but frail patriarch just days before Thanksgiving casts a shadow on a family’s holiday season.
Assisted Living Facilities Pressed to Address Growing Needs of Older, Sicker Residents
Assisted living was meant to be a home-like setting where older adults could interact with other residents while receiving help with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing. But as the concept has become more popular, residents are now older and sicker than in the past, and a panel of experts is calling for more focus on their medical and mental health needs.
Rural Colorado Tries to Fill Health Worker Gaps With Apprenticeships
A Grand Junction program is training and retaining nurse and personal care aides in areas where the aging population is creating a need for them. But challenges remain for these workers.
¿Deberían los adultos mayores someterse a cirugías invasivas? Nueva investigación ofrece guía
Casi 1 de cada 7 adultos mayores muere dentro del año después de someterse a una cirugía mayor, según un nuevo estudio que arroja luz sobre los riesgos que enfrentan las personas mayores cuando tienen procedimientos invasivos.
Should Older Seniors Risk Major Surgery? New Research Offers Guidance
An important new study offers much-needed data to inform older Americans of the risks and benefits they must weigh when facing major surgery.
Medicare Plan Finder Likely Won’t Note New $35 Cap on Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs
In August, Congress approved a $35 cap on what seniors will pay for insulin, but that change came too late to add to the online tool that helps Medicare beneficiaries compare dozens of drug and medical plans. Federal officials say beneficiaries who use insulin will have the opportunity to switch plans after open enrollment ends Dec. 7.
Private equity firms have shelled out almost $1 trillion to acquire nearly 8,000 health care businesses, in deals almost always hidden from federal regulators. The result: higher prices, lawsuits, and complaints about care.
Homelessness Among Older People Is on the Rise, Driven by Inflation and the Housing Crunch
In Montana and across the nation, homeless shelters are reporting that people older than 60 are a growing proportion of their populations.
Supreme Court to Hear Nursing Home Case That Could Affect Millions
An Indiana man’s family sued a state-owned nursing home for alleged mistreatment. A U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case could determine the right of many Americans to sue government agencies.
¿No has visto a tu médico en años? Es posible que tengas que buscar un nuevo doctor
Muchas personas han estado postergando citas médicas, en especial durante la pandemia de covid, sin saber que corren el riesgo de perder a su doctor.
Haven’t Seen Your Doctor in a Few Years? You May Need to Find a New One
Some primary care physicians will drop seldom-seen patients. That’s a particular problem for those who postponed doctor visits during the pandemic.
Hurricane Ian’s Deadly Impact on Florida Seniors Exposes Need for New Preparation Strategies
Lengthy checklists from public health officials on handling emergencies miss vulnerable seniors who can’t always follow the recommendations.
Medicare Fines for High Hospital Readmissions Drop, but Nearly 2,300 Facilities Are Still Penalized
Federal officials said they are penalizing 2,273 hospitals, the fewest since the fiscal year that ended in September 2014. Driving the decline was a change in the formula to compensate for the chaos caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
Pese al consejo de Katie Couric, médicos dicen que las ecografías de seno pueden no ser necesarias
Expertos advierten sobre los falsos positivos que puede generar más temor que certezas médicas.
Despite Katie Couric’s Advice, Doctors Say Ultrasound Breast Exams May Not Be Needed
When Katie Couric announced she had breast cancer, she urged women to get a mammogram — and, if they have dense breasts, to get supplemental screening by ultrasound. But medical experts point out that ultrasound and other auxiliary screenings haven’t been proven to do more than regular mammography in reducing mortality.
Drivers in Decline: A Shortage of Volunteers Complicates Access to Care in Rural America
Public transit is already insufficient in rural areas, leaving residents with few options as they travel greater distances to access health care. But older residents who depend on volunteer drivers to get them to appointments face another challenge: The number of those volunteers is declining.
Listen: How Does Human Composting Work?
California Healthline’s Bernard J. Wolfson went on the air to explain a new California law that will allow people to have their bodies reduced to compost after death, an alternative to the traditional-but-toxic methods of cremation and burial.
