Scientists Discover 3 More Genes With Links to Alzheimer's Disease - washingtonpost.com

Two European research teams have identified three genes that affect a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia in the elderly.

The new genes appear to have at least as big a role as four others discovered in the last 15 years that are known to play a role in Alzheimer's.

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Airlines Exclude People with Disabilities from Obtaining Information and Entertainment Services | Even Grounds

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On international flights, it is common practice to have flight attendants who speak several languages to accommodate people who do not speak the local language. But who accommodates people with disabilities who need to have the same information?

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Accessible Experts: Dennis Lembree Talks About Accessible Twitter | Even Grounds

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Most of us have done something wrong, even if we knew it, because everyone else was doing it. And it didn't matter if it was wrong or not because it was generally accepted. And sometimes the "right" way was either unproven, unknown or just "no fun". And we didn't care. Like smoking in the mid twentieth century—the public thought it was the right thing to do; it was accepted and very popular. And some even said smoking was good for you! But of course now we know smoking is very bad for your health.

Let's take another example. Centuries ago, it was believed that the earth existed at the center of the universe. This was a widely known "fact"; everyone lived by this rule. And now we know this, of course, not to be true.

Today's Web is Wrong

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HCBS.org / More Info:Facts for Features: Americans with Disabilities Act: July 26

The U.S. Census Bureau has compiled a set of disability-related facts and figures as part of its Facts for Features series. Facts for Features consist of collections of statistics from the Census Bureau's demographic and economic subject areas intended to commemorate anniversaries or observances or to provide background information for topics in the news. This edition of Facts for Features commemorates the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Available Files

* Data PDF (67K, 3 pages)
* Data


HCBS.org

HCBS.org / More Info:An Evidence Database to Support Research in Aging

A new evidence database to support aging research has been released. This easy-to-use online database helps scholars, policy analysts, and advocates stay on top of the latest research and innovations in aging care, including health care, social services, and workforce issues. The database is regularly updated by contributors that filters, reviews, and catalogues articles in professional journals both in the U.S. and abroad. An advisory committee of experts assists in the selection of topics.

Link to Database

HCBS.org

HCBS / Highlight - Money Follows the Person Webinar

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Thursday, September 24, 2009 • 12:00-1:30 p.m.
In Person or Webinar

Mathematica Policy Research
5th Floor Main Conference Room (Room 5323)
600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 550
Washington, DC 20024

Speakers:
Carol Irvin, Senior Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research
Debra Lipson, Senior Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research

Discussant: Ruth Katz, Associate Deputy to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability, Aging, and Long-Term Care Policy,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Overview: States have been striving to increase the capacity of long-term care systems to help more people with disabling conditions stay in the community rather than in institutions. The MFP demonstration, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, represents the next major step in these efforts. The program has important implications for people with disabling conditions, particularly during this period of health care reform. Mathematica senior researchers Carol Irvin, Ph.D., and Debra Lipson, M.H.S.A., will present an overview of the program; describe where states began in this process and the opportunities MFP presents to improve home and community care options; discuss the progress of state MFP programs; and explain the challenges states face in the early stages of implementation. The speakers will also highlight the potential of state MFP programs to relocate long-term institutional residents under age 65 vs. those over age 65. Ruth Katz, Deputy to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability, Aging, and Long-Term Care Policy, will discuss how the MFP demonstration fits into the evolution of policies and models designed to rebalance the long-term care system.

Register:
http://www.disabilitypolicyresearch.org/researchforums.asp

Download A Flyer:
http://www.disabilitypolicyresearch.org/Forums/CSDPflyer-Sept09.pdf

HCBS / Highlight

The 2010 by 2010 Campaign!

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The National ADA Symposium is sponsoring a unique project that recognizes the progress made toward the mission of the ADA--inclusion of people with disabilities into all aspects of American life while addressing that there is still much work to be done: The 2010 by 2010 Campaign!

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Gov't bill would make Internet more accessible for disabled via real-time texting, closed captioning

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This month, as Congress returns from break, health care reform is not the only imperative issue on their plate. A new bill will aim to make content on the Internet more friendly to those with disabilities.

The "21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009" (H.R. 3101) plans to modernize disability standards by making such accessibility features as closed captioning, video description and real-time texting a standard for Internet technologies.

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With wounded veterans and an aging boomer population coming, Mark I. Pinsky says churches will have to do more to cater to the disabled. - WSJ.com

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By MARK I. PINSKY

The television commercials were disturbing: Traditional-looking churches barring or physically ejecting racial and ethnic minorities, gay couples—and people with disabilities. One tag line was "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." The national campaign, which aired several years ago, was sponsored by the liberal United Church of Christ. "We included people with physical disabilities in these commercials—in a wheelchair or with a walker—as an extension of the call and hope that churches would be intentionally inclusive of 'all the people,'" said the Rev. Gregg Brekke, a spokesman for the denomination.

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Observing and talking about pain behaviors

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The University of Alberta and Alberta Center on Aging produced these resources because people with dementia often experience pain that is undetected and under-treated. This does not happen because family and healthcare providers do not care. It happens because people with dementia are often not able to clearly voice that they have pain. Often they express their pain in ways that we do not usually think of as indicating pain. For example, people with dementia who are in pain may rock back and forth, or they may withdraw from people around them. Often these actions do not get interpreted as indicating pain. Family and healthcare providers sometimes feel powerless to help because they do not know what the problem is or what to look for. Three resources are available on this website:

1. An online presentation about pain and dementia
2. Additional materials to give more detail about the topics covered in the presentation
3. A toolkit for organizations who would like to put on a workshop with these materials.

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Electronics Reach Across the Age Spectrum - NYTimes.com

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The very young and the elderly have never been target markets for high-tech companies, which focus instead on the global mainstream. But with the economic downturn reducing growth, companies are applying cutting-edge technology to the often-neglected extremes of the consumer spectrum.

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AMNews: Editorial - Sept. 7, 2009. Health plans still need to work on basic skills ... American Medical News

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In just one year since their problems were spotlighted in the American Medical Association's first National Health Insurer Report Card, health plans have made notable progress in the efficiency and transparency of their claims processes. But there is still a lot of room for improvement.

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AMNews: Sept. 7, 2009. Patients happy with San Francisco plan for uninsured ... American Medical News

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The vast majority of enrollees in San Francisco's health program for the uninsured give it very high marks, but a minority report more difficulty accessing care or higher bills compared with the city's previous safety net system.

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AMNews: Sept. 7, 2009. Lack of CMS chief prompts speculation about strategy ... American Medical News

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The Obama administration may be waiting until after a health system reform bill is approved before naming someone to spearhead any Medicare and Medicaid changes.

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AMNews: Sept. 7, 2009. AMA takes health reform message on the road ... American Medical News

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By Chris Silva, AMNews staff

White House officials and lawmakers were not the only ones who took the health system reform debate out of Washington, D.C., during the August congressional recess, spotlighting communities reeling from the recession and making the case that reform is the key to helping them.

The American Medical Association drew attention to the plight of physicians and patients in Michigan during a recent visit as part of its "House Call" program.

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The Associated Press: White House shifts on public health care option

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President Barack Obama's top political adviser is backing away from having a government health care plan compete against private carriers.

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How Jane Fonda Became the Face of the Aging Adult Social Media World | Geek Sexy | Fast Company

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BY James Andrews

Over the past year I was introduced to Jane Fonda and have become known as her "tech guy" (a funny term she referred to me as on NBC's Today Show). In truth, I am a part of a trio that included my blogging wife, who gave a 71-year-old Jane Fonda a really great rationale at our first breakfast together as to why she should be using social media and by the end her lightbulb went off.

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How To Persuade Skeptics, By Al Franken

Moderately Big Health Care News | The New Republic

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Jonathan Chait

For a late Friday afternoon on the cusp of Labor Day, there's actually a lot of meaty health care reform news today.

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The Health Care Blog: Getting Rid of “Friction” in Health Care

By FLETCHER LANCE

Friction occurs when an object moving through space encounters resistance, slows down and has its forward energy diverted. In the world of health care, friction is a term that has become synonymous with paperwork.

Today, the U.S. spends $2.3 trillion on health care, and the U.S. Health Care Efficiency Index estimates that we could reduce this cost by $30 billion if we could eliminate the friction of phone-based and paper-based systems.

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The Health Care Blog: Winners and Losers - Strategy in a Post-Reform World

By BILL KRAMER

Most health policy experts are focusing on the daily ups and downs in the political battles over health reform. Within the health care industry, however, there is a buzz about who will be the winners and losers after health reform passes. A.M. Best’s U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index has been volatile since last November, reflecting high uncertainty about the effect of health reform. Earlier this summer, there was some speculative analysis about the potential impact of reform on health care stocks. Will health insurers come out as winners? What about hospitals, doctors, drug manufacturers, and insurance agents?

It’s good to look ahead, but I think most people are asking the wrong question. Each of these health industry sectors – in aggregate -- will probably do just fine in the post-reform world, as Bob Laszewski points out in his recent blog post. The more important question is: who will be the winners and losers within each sector?
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Fruit Even Healthier Than Thought: Study - Forbes.com

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(HealthDay News) -- Fruit may contain more beneficial antioxidants than previously thought, a new international study says.

A study done on apples, peaches and nectarines found these fruits contain up to five times more polyphenols, chemical substances believed to contain disease-fighting properties, than scientists suspected.

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More older Americans in poverty, according to revised formula - USATODAY.com

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By Hope Yen, Associated Press Writer

The poverty rate among older Americans could be nearly twice as high as the traditional 10% level, according to a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations in the cost of living.

The National Academy of Science's formula, which is gaining credibility with public officials including some in the Obama administration, would put the poverty rate for Americans 65 and over at 18.6%, or 6.8 million people, compared with 9.7%, or 3.6 million people, under the existing measure. The original government formula, created in 1955, doesn't take account of rising costs of medical care and other factors.

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• Poverty hidden among the elderly (msnbc.msn.com)
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• Recalculating the USA's Poverty Rate (delawarewatch.blogspot.com)

Waist-Hip Ratio Good Gauge of Obesity in Elderly, Study Shows - Forbes.com

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(HealthDay News) -- Among the elderly, the ratio of waist size to hip size may be a better determinant of obesity than body mass index, say researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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• Obesity Shrinks Brains? (drsharma.ca)
• Obesity: A Dangerous Epidemic (healthnews.ediets.com)

Being There, and Far Away - The New Old Age Blog - NYTimes.com

By Anne C. Roark in New York Times

When my parents were in their 50s — the age I am now — my father told me not to do for them what they had done for their parents: become their caregiver when they were old.

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Party Is Such Sweet Sorrow | The New Republic

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by Jonathan Cohn

Even before Ted Kennedy lost his battle with brain cancer late last month, Republicans were suggesting that health care reform had suffered in his absence--not because Kennedy was so devoted to the cause, but because he would have cut a deal with the Republicans. “In every case, he fought as hard as he could . . . but, when he recognized that he couldn’t get everything he wanted, he could get a good bill by working with the other side,” Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch said on ABC’s “This Week.” “If he was here, I don’t think we’d be in the mess we’re in right now.”

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Doctor Career Satisfaction - Health Blog - WSJ

A few other figures of interest: 74% of docs said they accept all or most new Medicare patients, and 53% said they accept all or most new Medicaid patients.

The survey, conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change and funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was based on responses from more than 4,700 physicians. The response rate was 62%.

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The Danger Of Rejecting Compromises | The New Republic

by Jonathan Cohn

Earlier this year, a group of former Senate Majority Leaders--Howard Baker and Bob Dole, along with Tom Daschle--released a template for bipartisan health reform. They did so through the Bipartisan Policy Center, which they'd established along with George Mitchell (who subsequently left to join the Obama administration).

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Health Exchanges: Different Political Railroad Tracks to the Same Station?

by Thomas Miller in Health Affairs blog

One by one, various cars are falling off the chugging legislative locomotive of Obama-style health “reform” as it tries to climb hills that are too steep. The public plan option has checked in for rehab as a co-op and even some end-of-life counseling. Bending-the-cost-curve measures were turned upside down by the Congressional Budget Office in July. Plans to raise taxes didn’t square with a deep recession that reduced the supply of deep pockets to pick and increased the supply of voters more worried about restoring economic growth and reducing debt. Mandatory universal coverage dreams have been downscaled in size, scope, and speed.

But remaining relatively unscathed and drawing little critical attention is the seemingly benign design offered by President Obama and congressional Democrats for a national health insurance exchange.

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DHHS RELEASES NEW REPORT ON IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM FOR OLDER WOMEN AND SENIOR WOMEN

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will travel to Maine today and formally release a new report on the importance of health insurance reform for older women (ages 55-64) and senior women (ages 65 and older). In Maine, Sebelius will participate in a roundtable discussion in South Portland sponsored by AARP and the Maine Women's Lobby. Later, she will hear from Mainers who are struggling under the status quo at the University of Maine, Orono at a discussion sponsored by Maine Change that Works. The report Sebelius will formally release today, Strengthening the Health Insurance System: How Health Insurance Reform Will Help America's Older and Senior Women is available at www.HealthReform.gov.

"Our mothers and grandmothers have unique health needs and under the status quo, they aren't getting the quality, affordable care they deserve," said Sebelius. "Health insurance reform will strengthen health care for older women and senior women in Maine and across the country."

The report released today identifies problems with the status quo for older women and senior women and proposed solutions in health insurance reform including:
* Senior women spent on average 17 percent of their income on health care in 2005.i The growth in Medicare Part B premiums from 2000 to 2018 is predicted to cost seniors an additional $1,577 per year out-of-pocket. ii Health insurance reform will reduce overpayments to private plans and clamp down on fraud and abuse to lower premiums for all seniors and extend the life of the Medicare trust fund by 5 years. iii

* One in five women aged 50 and above has not received a mammogram in the past two years. iv By ensuring that health plans cover preventive services for everyone, investing in prevention and wellness, and promoting primary care, health insurance reform will work to create a system that prevents illness and disease instead of just treating it when it's too late and costs more. To read the complete report, visit www.HealthReform.gov.

i. CMS 2005 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey Cost and Use file
ii. Analysis preformed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
iii. Office of the Actuary, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
iv. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008.

Assessment of Administration on Aging (AoA)- Funded Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults

CDC received OMB approval for Control number 0920–0818 to collect data for the Cost and Follow-up Assessment of Fall Prevention Programs. This approval expires on 7/31/10. At this time CDC is requesting a two year extension to collect data.

NCIPC seeks to examine cost of implementing each of the three AoA funded fall prevention programs for older adults (Stepping On, Moving for Better Balance and Matter of Balance)and to assess the maintenance of fall prevention behaviors among participants six months after completing the Matter of Balance program.

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Recession Turns a Graying Office Grayer - Pew Research Center

The American work force is graying -- and not just because the American population itself is graying. Older adults are staying in the labor force longer, and younger adults are staying out of it longer. Both trends took shape about two decades ago. Both have intensified during the current recession. And both are expected to continue after the economy recovers. According to one government estimate, 93% of the growth in the U.S. labor force from 2006 to 2016 will be among workers ages 55 and older.

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S. 1640: Take Back Your Health Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of intensive lifestyle treatment.

Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden [D-OR]
Cosponsors:John Cornyn [R-TX], Thomas Harkin [D-IA]

Text: Full Text

Status:
Introduced Aug 6, 2009
Referred to Committee on Finance



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S. 1636: Long-Term Care Insurance Consumer Right-to-Know Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)

A bill to develop a model disclosure form to assist consumers in purchasing long-term care insurance.

Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]
Cosponsors: Herbert Kohl [D-WI]

Text: Full Text

Status:
Introduced Aug 6, 2009
Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions




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S. 1634: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Improvement Act (GovTrack.us)

A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to protect and improve the benefits provided to dual eligible individuals under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Sponsor:
Sen. John Rockefeller [D-WV]
Cosponsors:
Daniel Akaka [D-HI]
Mark Begich [D-AK]
Sherrod Brown [D-OH]

Text: Full Text

Status:
Introduced Aug 6, 2009

Referred to Committee on Finance


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S. 1630: Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act of improve prescription drug coverage under Medicare part D and to amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve prescription drug coverage under private health insurance, and for other purposes.

Sponsor:Sen. John Rockefeller [D-WV]
Cosponsors:Al Franken [D-MN]

Text:Full Text

Introduced Aug 6, 2009

Referred to Committee on Finance

S. 1626: Long Term Care Insurance Integrity Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)

A bill to require issuers of long term care insurance to establish third party review processes for disputed claims.

Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN](no cosponsors)

Text: Full Text

Status: Introduced Aug 6, 2009

Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions


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S. 1624: Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)

A bill to amend title 11 of the United States Code, to provide protection for medical debt homeowners, to restore bankruptcy protections for individuals experiencing economic distress as caregivers to ill, injured, or disabled family members, and to exempt from means testing debtors whose financial problems were caused by serious medical problems, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D-RI](no cosponsors)

Text: Full Text

Status: Introduced Aug 6, 2009

Referred to Committee on the Judiciary


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The Lucidicus Project - Health Wonk Review

The review provides a summary of healthcare reform and health policy/regulation news.

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AMNews: Sept. 3, 2009. HSA account balances on the rise ... American Medical News

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff
The amount of money in health savings accounts is going up after decreasing through the second half of last year, according to report issued Aug. 11 by Canopy Financial.
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Is 2009 like 1993? A Conversation on Health Reform

Medicare & Healthcare Reform Truth Squad

TIME GOES BY | The Threat to Medicare and the Truth Squad

by Ronni Bennett in Time Goes By

Hear Me Well:

Without health care reform, slashing Medicare benefits will be Congress’s next step.

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