Stories by Week

ALF Residents Can Lose Homes if Their Facility Stops Participating in Medicaid Most people want to avoid nursing home care. Many people believe that assisted living provides them with something better: choice, control, independence, and safety in a "non-institutional, community-based setting." What is not widely known is that the protections for nursing home residents provided by the federal Nursing Home Reform Law do not apply to Assisted Living facility (ALF) residents, even those who are eligible for nursing home care and receive Medicaid for ALF services under a home and community-based waiver. Login to see complete story
01/29/2009 3:49 PM

Conference Call Set for Healthy Applicants The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is planning to offer an informational conference call for potential applicants to its Health Eating Research program. The program supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. Login to see complete story
01/28/2009 4:04 PM

Trade Group Presses Daschle, Congress to Rescind Controversial Medicare Bidding Rule In a strongly worded letter to Health & Human Services Secretary-Designate Tom Daschle, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) , Reps. Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) President Tyler Wilson urges policymakers to review and rescind the controversial Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) competitive bidding rule that was issued in the waning hours of the Bush administration. Login to see complete story
01/24/2009 08:16 AM

Capitol Hill

House Passes $819 Billion Stimulus Plan The House late Wednesday approved an $819 billion economic stimulus plan on a 244-188 party-line vote. Despite President Obama’s effort to reach out to the House minority, the bill attracted no Republican votes. Login to see complete story
01/28/2009 6:26 PM

Medicaid Dollars in Stimulus Would Boost States The inclusion of nearly $88 billion in House of Representatives' economic recovery package (HR 1) would not only help states continue to provide health coverage for vulnerable populations, details a new Families USA report, but it would also help to revitalize states' overall economies by preventing loss of jobs, wages and business activity, the group says. Login to see complete story
01/30/2009 06:05 AM

Report: Stimulus Bill’s Medicaid Dollars Would Boost States The inclusion of nearly $88 billion in House of Representatives’ economic recovery package (HR 1) would not only help states continue to provide health coverage for vulnerable populations, details a new Families USA report, but it would also help to revitalize states’ overall economies by preventing loss of jobs, wages and business activity, the group says. Login to see complete story
01/28/2009 3:54 PM

Stimulus Bill Overhaul Seen Likely In Senate Fearing passage of economic stimulus legislation without some measure of Republican support might bog down future legislation the Obama administration wants, President Barack Obama dispatches Vice President Joe Biden to wrestle with his former Senate GOP colleagues over a workable compromise. But Republican senators are treading gingerly following approval of HR 1 in the House Jan. 29. Login to see complete story
01/30/2009 06:12 AM

Courts

High Court Rules Ex-Spouse Entitled to Benefits of ERISA-Covered Retirement Plan If you’re divorced and have a retirement plan that’s covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, you should know that upon your death, your ex-spouse is entitled to your plan’s benefits unless you have specifically instructed otherwise to the plan’s administrator. Login to see complete story
01/27/2009 09:28 AM

Federal Agencies

EITC Could Mean Bigger Refunds for Millions of Taxpayers The Internal Revenue Service and community partners nationwide have kicked off EITC Awareness Day to promote a tax credit that could be a critical financial lifeline to many Americans this year. The agency also says that many of its Taxpayer Assistance Centers will be open on some Saturdays in February to help taxpayers who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Login to see complete story
01/30/2009 11:14 AM

Financial Services

IRA Rollovers: Stashing Your Retirement Nest Egg Whether you are a boomer saying goodbye to the daily grind or a Gen-Xer moving on to the next level of your career, retirement or a job change can create an ideal time to ask yourself what you want to do with your accumulated retirement funds. Unfortunately, there is no cookie-cutter answer to this question. Login to see complete story
01/26/2009 11:22 AM

Funding Opportunities

Applications Sought for John Heinz Senate Fellowship The Health & Aging Policy Fellows Program is a unique opportunity for professionals in health and aging to receive the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older Americans. The nine-to-12-month program offers fellows the opportunity to participate in a residential track or a non-residential track. Up to seven fellows will be selected for the 2009-2010 class. Deadline for applications is April 15. Login to see complete story
01/26/2009 12:20 PM

EPA to Award Funds for CARE Cooperative Agreements The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency anticipates awarding cooperative agreement grants in two levels in connection with the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. Deadline for applications is March 16. Login to see complete story
01/26/2009 11:41 AM

Fellows Opportunity with American Nurses Association The American Nurses Association's Health & Aging Policy Fellows Program is accepting applications for two policy fellowships for 2009-2010. Deadline for applications is April 15. The program is open to physicians, nurses and social workers at all career stages (early, mid, and late) with a demonstrated commitment to health and aging issues and a desire to be involved in health policy at the federal, state or local level. Login to see complete story
01/26/2009 12:27 PM

Grants Go to Improve Decision-Making Changemakers and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) have partnered to sponsor Designing for Better Health, a collaborative competition designed to find innovative solutions based on the concept of "nudges" -- innovative little pushes -- that help people make better decisions regarding their own health and the health of others. The competition seeks novel and effective approaches that make it easier for people to make choices and change behavior toward their health. Login to see complete story
01/30/2009 06 AM

Labor Dept. to Award $6.5 Million for Older Worker Demo Grants The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration (ETA) is making available approximately $6.5 million for 10-20 grants to promote the adoption of the 21st century Registered Apprenticeship framework. Deadline for applications is March 16. Login to see complete story
01/26/2009 12:05 PM

Industry News

Hospital Opens Nation’s First Emergency Room Designed Specifically For Seniors Holy Cross Hospital of Silver Spring, MD, has become the first hospital in the nation to create an emergency room specifically tailored to serve a growing senior population. Officially opened in early November 2008, the new six-bay Holy Cross Hospital Seniors Emergency Center is a separate, enclosed area of the main Emergency Center that provides safe, efficient emergency services designed to meet the complex, uncertain needs of non-acute elderly patients and those who care for them. Login to see complete story
01/27/2009 4:21 PM

Message From The Editor

21st Edition Government Assistance Almanac – 2009 Now Available Now in its 21st edition, Government Assistance Almanac–2009 provides updated information on all federal domestic assistance programs. This unique book covers every program described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, but in a format that is much more understandable and easier to use. Login to see complete story
01/30/2009 06:02 AM

Research and Reports

New Survey Results Show Huge Burden of Diabetes Diabetes is especially common in the elderly: nearly one-third of those age 65 and older have the disease. An additional 30% of adults have pre-diabetes, a condition marked by elevated blood sugar that is not yet in the diabetic range. Login to see complete story
01/27/2009 09:50 AM

Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Women Reduces Urinary Incontinence Reducing urinary incontinence can now be added to the extensive list of health benefits of weight loss, according to a clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH), both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Login to see complete story
01/29/2009 4:24 PM

Retirement

PBGC Assumes Hull House Association Pension Plan The federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has assumed responsibility for the pensions of more than 500 employees and retirees of the Jane Addams Hull House Association in Chicago. After determining that the non-profit community service organization would be unable to generate enough funds from operations or financing to cover accumulated pension funding deficiencies, pay its debts and remain in business, the PBGC stepped in to become trustee of the Hull House Association Pension Plan. Login to see complete story
01/29/2009 4:38 PM

Services

Families Urged to Protect Seniors from Severe Winter Weather The blanket of winter white that's covering parts of the country may make for picture perfect landscapes. But there's nothing pretty about the frigid cold which could be deadly for seniors in ways many families don't even know about. Login to see complete story
01/28/2009 3:48 PM

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