Stories by Week

(PANDEMIC) Swine Flu Hitting Older Americans Harder than Originally Believed, Data Shows The H1N1 flu pandemic now blanketing the nation hits adults over 50 especially hard, according to newly available data. Even so, people who most need the H1N1 vaccine are not necessarily the ones first in line. And the federal agency responsible for deciding who should get the vaccine first remains mum about its decision to leave older adults off the list. Login to see complete story
11/10/2009 5 PM

Federal Agencies

(MEDICARE FRAUD) Top-Level Official Lauds HEAT's Success, Promises More The U.S. Justice Department is reveling in the success of its collaboration with the Health & Human Services Department (HHS) in creating the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) to combat Medicare fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Lanny Breuer, in comments today (Thursday, Nov. 12) at the 10th Annual Pharmaceutical Regulatory & Compliance Congress in Washington, DC, said actions by the HEAT Strike Force have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars paid in fraudulent Medicare billings being returned to the federal government -- and he predicted more would soon be coming. Login to see complete story
11/12/2009 2:28 PM

Funding Opportunities

(GRANTS) $200,000 Grants Go for Cities to Increase Volunteerism The Cities of Service Coalition, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, will award 10 cities $200,000 each over two years to hire Chief Service Officers to develop and implement a comprehensive service plan focusing on volunteerism. This is a great opportunity for nonprofit seniors centers -- most of which have a great deal of expertise in recruiting and training volunteers -- to collaborate with their respective city government officials. Login to see complete story
11/09/2009 1:06 PM

Healthcare Reform

(HOUSE) Tougher Battle Awaits Healthcare Reform Bill Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives managed to eke out a narrow 220-215 margin of victory for the healthcare reform bill late Saturday, but the tougher battle remains ahead in the Senate. Even so, as the bill came time to vote on Saturday, most of the large groups that usually advocate for senior citizens' healthcare issues were firmly behind the measure. Indeed, insurance companies were about the only organization opponents. Login to see complete story
11/09/2009 5:26 PM

Housing Assistance/Funding

(HOUSING) Financial Assistance Available For Senior Living Four firms have joined forces to provide a cash infusion and other assistance to senior living communities in financial difficulty. Senior Housing Investments LLC estimates there are as many as 10,000 underperforming assisted living facilities in the nation where cash flow doesn't meet expenses or they have less than 20% net operating income. Login to see complete story
11/13/2009 10:36 AM

Medicare/Medicaid

(INCENTIVES) Over $92 Million Paid in Physician Quality Reporting Incentives for 2008 If you're a physician or other healthcare professional providing services to Medicare beneficiaries and you're not taking advantage of the government's Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), what are you waiting for? Login to see complete story
11/13/2009 4:45 PM

(OPEN ENROLLMENT) Nov. 15 Begins Open Enrollment For Medicare Rx Drug, Health Coverage If your organization provides seniors with information about Medicare, here's a heads-up: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of the annual Open Enrollment period to make sure they have the best coverage available to meet their healthcare needs in 2010. Login to see complete story
11/12/2009 4:27 PM

News in the States

(TRANSPORTATION) Transportation Services for Seniors Suffer Under Budget Cuts Dramatic funding reductions at the state and local levels continue to force reductions in transportation services for seniors as well as increased fares in many areas. For example, in Prince William County, VA, -- located just outside metropolitan Washington, DC -- funding for senior transportation recently was reduced from $250,000 to less than $100,000. That reduction led the local Area Agency on Aging to eliminate five drivers and sell six vans once used to deliver older adults to senior centers. Login to see complete story
11/11/2009 3:19 PM

Nursing Homes

(SOFTWARE) Innovator Focuses on 'Edlerpride' -- Not 'Eldercide' Jerry Rhoads, CEO of Caregiver Management Inc., is fed up with the attitudes he often finds in U.S. nursing homes these days. In fact, he prefers the term "restorative center" to nursing home. To him, nursing homes focus too much on "eldercide" -- the systematic institutionalization of the elderly -- and don't spend enough time on "elderpride." Login to see complete story
11/13/2009 12:28 PM

Research and Reports

(DIABETES) HHS Report Focuses on Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a report today (Wednesday, Nov. 11), "Preventing and Treating Diabetes: Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes in America." The report comes one day after Sebelius toured a healthcare center in Bradenton, FL where she met with patients and Floridians who care for people with diabetes. Login to see complete story
11/11/2009 5:21 PM

Services

(WEBINAR) Learn Today's Best Practices in Direct Mail Marketing to Seniors CD Publications and Aging News Alert present an interactive webinar, Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. ET. Just $249 per log-in for as many staff as you'd like present in the room. Login to see complete story
11/13/2009 10:26 AM

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