Aging News Alert

Wisconsin

 

Ryan's Wisconsin Opponent Assails Medicare Proposal; Claims It Harms Seniors

The analysis of Ryan's plan indicates it would effectively cut Social Security benefits of Wisconsin residents who claim benefits in 2022 by $5,884 per year -- a 30% cut in Social Security benefits for the state's average earner.

read complete story

Senior Center Takes On Shakespeare – The Opera

Milwaukee-based Village of Shorewood's Senior Resource Center is poised to present a series of programs about operatic adaptations of the works of William Shakespeare.

read complete story

Wisconsin Senior Center Puts New Twist On Auction Fundraising

The center's annual Mystery Auction begins with a donation drive, usually about six weeks before the event is scheduled. Typically more than 100 items are donated, widely ranging in value. These items are then wrapped or closed in paper sacks.

read complete story

Andersen Foundation Grants Support Aging Services

The foundation's geographical focus is national, with a special emphasis on Minnesota and Wisconsin. It provides funds for capital campaigns, general/operating support, and program development.

read complete story

(PROJECT RESULTS) Senior Center Goes Green With Electric Transportation

The need was for the new vehicle became clearer as gasoline prices continued to rise and local government-sponsored transportation services began to dwindle.

read complete story

(LIFESPAN) Scientists Ferret Out Key Pathway For Aging Process

A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and their colleagues has discovered a molecular pathway that is a key determinant of the aging process. The finding important because it not only helps explain the cascade of events that contributes to aging, it also provides a rational basis for devising interventions, drugs that may retard aging and contribute to better health in old age.

read complete story

(SENATE) Grassley, Kohl Seek HHS Action in Physician Payment Sunshine Implementation

While some drug and medical device makers are preparing to meet the new requirements, because of the lack of clear guidance from the federal government, they are preparing payment data in non-uniform ways, causing the material to be difficult for the public to use.

read complete story

(SENATE) Panel Examines Regulation, Availability Of Lifetime Income Options

The Senate Special Committee on Aging on Wednesday (June 16) held a hearing focusing on options to help retirees transform their retirement savings into lifetime income. Among other things, the committee scrutinized the decisions that plan participants are compelled to make in a defined contribution world in order to ensure they can have a secure retirement after a lifetime of hard work.

read complete story

(AFFORDABLE HOUSING) State Farm To Give $25M For Seniors Affordable Housing

State Farm Insurance is committing $25 million to the National Equity Fund, money that will help finance affordable housing in low-income communities for disadvantaged families and seniors.

read complete story

(INSPECTOR GENERAL) Wisconsin Physicians Service Tagged for Millions in Overpayments

Of the 520 high-dollar Medicare payments (e.g., $200,000 or more) that Wisconsin Physicians Service made to hospitals in the state for inpatient services during calendar years 2004 through 2006, only 42 were appropriate. The remaining 478 payments included net overpayments totaling $4.7 million, which the hospitals had not refunded prior to the start of an audit by the Department of Health & Human Services' Office of Inspector General.

read complete story

(SENATE) Legislation Aims to Strengthen Oversight of Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.

A group of Democratic senators is pushing legislation aimed at improving governance and oversight of the government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). In introducing the bill, Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and Russ Feingold (D-WI) contend the measure addresses recent questions concerning the PBGC's capability to fulfill its mission to insure the pensions of nearly 44 million Americans.

read complete story

(SENATE) PBGC's Governance Questioned Amidst Charges of Mismanagement

Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) on Wednesday (May 20) presided over a hearing on whether the federal government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has the capability to fulfill its mission to insure the pensions of nearly 44 million Americans, at a time when several of the country's largest automobile companies are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

read complete story

(SENATE) Amidst Allegations of Mismanagement, Senate Panel to Probe Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp

Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) has slated a May 20 hearing to consider whether the federal government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has the capability to fulfill its mission to insure the pensions of some 44 million Americans at a time when some of the nation's largest automobile manufacturers are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

read complete story

Medicare to Test Pay Incentives to Improve Care in Nursing Homes

Officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) are about to launch a new, four-state demonstration to determine if cash incentives will improve the quality of care and efficiency of operations in nursing homes. Nursing homes in Arizona, Mississippi, New York and Wisconsin will be asked to participate.

read complete story

Open Door Forum Set for Nursing Home Value Purchasing Demo

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) has scheduled a Special Open Door Forum on Nursing Home Value Based Purchasing Demonstration for Monday, April 6, from 2-4 p.m. ET. The primary audience for this call is Medicare certified nursing homes from the states that have been selected to host the demonstration: Arizona, Mississippi, New York and Wisconsin.

read complete story

Committee Releases Findings from 401(k) Target Date Fund Investigation

Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) on Wednesday (Feb. 25) held a hearing on the economic downturn’s effect on retirement security, particularly for those who are on the brink of retirement. Witnesses at the hearing offered insight into the myriad factors that are affecting the ability of baby boomers to retire.

read complete story

Special Committee on Aging to Examine Economic Impact on Boomers

Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) on Wednesday, Feb. 25, will hold a hearing on the economic downturn's effect on retirement security, particularly for those who are on the brink of retirement. Witnesses will cover the weakened performance of 401(k) funds, the instability of housing values, and the challenges of the labor market for older workers, all of which are contributing to diminished prospects for a secure retirement.

read complete story

Senators Resurrect Bill To Add Transparency To 401(K) Plan Management Fees

Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, have reintroduced legislation aimed at protecting American workers by ensuring they can access information on the cost of 401(k) plans' management fees. The proposed "Defined Contribution Fee Disclosure Act of 2009" would require 401(k) plan providers to disclose all fees so that workers saving for retirement can make a fully informed decision about which plan is best for them.

read complete story

Key Congressional Democrats Push Bill Addressing Healthcare Workforce Shortage

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, joins with Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with lead House sponsor Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), in introducing bicameral legislation addressing the impending severe shortage of healthcare workers who are adequately trained and prepared to care for older Americans.

read complete story

Kohl, Schumer Reintroduce Bill to Expand Sec. 202 Housing for Elderly

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), chairman of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, & Community Development, have reintroduced legislation (S. 118) aimed at expanding and improving the Department of Housing & Urban Development's (HUD) Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program.

read complete story

Bill Would Address Severe Impending Shortage In Healthcare Workforce

Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) is expected to soon reintroduce a legislative measure aimed at addressing what many experts believe to be an impending severe shortage of healthcare workers who are adequately trained and prepared to care for older Americans.

read complete story

FL Secretary Of State To Ask County Supervisors To Grant GAO Access To Polls

Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning has responded to a request from Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), saying he will encourage county election supervisors to grant the Government Accountability Office access to Florida polling places on Election Day as part of GAO’s nationwide study examining voting access for aging and disabled voters during the 2008 general election.

read complete story

Key Senators Press Florida To Allow GAO Access To Polls On Election Day

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI.) are urging Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning to allow the Government Accountability Office access to Florida polling places on Election Day as part of a nationwide study examining voting access for aging and disabled voters during the 2008 general election.

read complete story

Research Centers Target Stress-Related Illnesses, Obesity, Cancer, Other Conditions

The National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has added four new Centers of Excellence for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CERCs) to its research centers program. The new centers will add to knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches and their potential in treating and preventing diseases and conditions that are common among Americans.

read complete story

WI Insurance Regulator Wants Authority Over MA Plan Sponsors

A state insurance regulator and a top official of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services disagree about what authority states should have to regulate Medicare Advantage plans. The discussion occurs during a Sept. 22 session of the annual Medicare Conference of America's Health Insurance Plans.

read complete story

Senators Push Measure To Protect Medicare Card Holders From Identity Theft

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) are pushing legislation that would require the government to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare identification cards and communications to Medicare beneficiaries. The three lawmakers say the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers the Medicare program, has fallen behind most other public and private organizations in recognizing the danger of displaying Social Security numbers.

read complete story

Senate Aging Committee Eyes Advertising For Medical Devices

The Senate Special Committee on Aging on Wednesday (Sept. 17) began examining issues related to direct-to-consumer advertising for restricted medical devices regulated by the Food & Drug Administration. Such devices include heart stents, replacement hips, and other implanted devices frequently used in treating older Americans.

read complete story

Senate Finance Panel OKs Bills To Boost Foster Care, Adoption, Fight Elder Abuse

The Senate Finance Committee has approved by voice vote the Chairman’s Mark to the proposed Improved Adoption Incentives & Relative Guardianship Support Act, the Patient Safety & Abuse Prevention Act, and the Elder Justice Act.

read complete story

Seniors Call Today's Economic State Worst Ever Experienced

When asked to compare the current economy to similar situations in the past, 53% of Americans over the age of 60 said today's economic conditions are worse than those they have experienced in the past, even though unemployment and inflation rates have been higher within the last 30 years. A new poll from the MetLife Mature Market Institute, conducted by Harris Interactive, reports that an overwhelming majority of this group is feeling the pinch in today's current economy and that it has affected the way they spend their money, but not their plans for retirement.

read complete story

AMA Offers Tips To Help Grandparents Make The Most Of Their Healthcare

In recognition of Grandparents Day this Sunday (Sept. 7), the American Medical Association (AMA) is reaching out to grandparents with tips to make the most of their healthcare and stay healthy so they can continue to play a vital role in their grandchildren's lives.

read complete story

Wealth Alone Is No Guarantee Of Secure Retirement

Even if you are doing well, plentiful assets and a good income are probably not enough to get rid of your worries about retirement—at least not according to new studies of high net worth investors. Thousands of affluent boomers and Gen Xers studied by Wharton and State Street Global Advisors expressed fears about outlasting their money.

read complete story

Experts Establish Baseline For Civic Engagement Among Retirees

The rise of retired people seeking active participation in their communities has led researchers to define this new aspect of American life. As a result, civic engagement can now be considered a distinct retirement role.

read complete story

Community Colleges Win Awards for Innovative Caregiving Programs

Twelve innovative in-home caregiver training programs are being awarded up to $25,000 through the 2008 Community College Caregiver Training Initiative of the International Longevity Center-USA (ILC-USA)'s Caregiving Project for Older Americans, supported by MetLife Foundation.

read complete story

Doc Groups See Performance Pay For Improving Patients’ Quality Of Care

All physician groups participating in the Physician Group Practice (PGP) Demonstration improved the quality of care delivered to patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus during performance year 2 of the demonstration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says.

read complete story

CMS Touts Lower Medicare Part D Costs Than Expected In 2009

As has been the case for the past three years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is once again proclaiming the Medicare Part D prescription drug program an unqualified success, claiming that beneficiary satisfaction rates remain high, program costs remain lower than originally expected, and Medicare prescription drug plan bids reflect nationwide drug price trends.

read complete story

Hearst Foundations Offer Health Grants

  The William Randolph Hearts Foundations award grants to support programs that seek to improve and assure access to quality healthcare for underserved populations, including the elderly. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.           ...

read complete story

Senate Panel Document Shows Success Of Pilot Program For LTC Worker Background Checks

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, on Thursday (July 31) unveiled an official "Committee Print" on the success of a seven-state pilot program to conduct background checks on long-term care workers, created by Kohl and authorized under the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act.

read complete story

Groups Pleased with Reverse Mortgage Changes in Housing Bill

As a far-reaching housing bill passes the House and is poised to do the same in the Senate, representatives from AARP and the Nat'l Reverse Mortgage Lenders Assn. are all smiles with the measure's proposed changes specific to mortgage options for 62+ homeowners.

read complete story

Groups Pleased with Reverse Mortgage Changes in Housing Bill

As a far-reaching housing bill passes the House and is poised to do the same in the Senate, representatives from AARP and the Nat'l Reverse Mortgage Lenders Assn. are all smiles with the measure's proposed changes specific to mortgage options for 62+ home

read complete story

Hearing Focuses On Sudden Rise In 401(k) Loans, Policies To Reduce Savings Loss

The Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), heard testimony Wednesday (July 16) on reducing 401(k) leakage caused by loans and withdrawals, which can result in a substantial loss in retirement savings.

read complete story

Congress Overrides Veto of Medicare Improvement Bill

Following President Bush’s veto of the Medicare improvement bill (HR 6331), both chambers of Congress on Tuesday (July 15) voted to override the veto. The House approved the override by a vote of 383 -41, while the Senate voted 70-26.

read complete story

Senators Author Bill To Protect Seniors From Investment Fraud

Sens. Bob Casey, a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Herb Kohl, chairman of the committee, are pushing a legislative proposal aimed at protecting seniors from investment fraud. Dubbed the "Senior Investor Protections Enhancement Act," the measure would increase penalties for those who commit securities violations against people who are at least 62 years old.

read complete story

Stark: GAO Finds MA Plans Earned Over $1 Billion In Additional Profits

Ways & Means health subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) has unveiled a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showing that private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans spent less than they projected in their 2005 bids on medical care for beneficiaries, which in turn earned them $1.14 billion in additional profits over what was expected.

read complete story

Legislation Would Shield Retirees From Rising Healthcare Costs

Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-NY) has introduced legislation intended to ensure that Americans are financially prepared for the healthcare costs they will face during retirement. The proposed "Retiree Health Account Act" would provide Americans with the tax incentives needed to set aside funds for retiree health costs.

read complete story

Hospital's Former Owner Charged In Connection With $64.2 Million Civil Healthcare Fraud

The former owner and chief executive of the bankrupt Edgewater Hospital & Medical Center is facing federal perjury and obstruction of justice charges in Chicago relating to the federal government's efforts to collect a $64.2 million civil healthcare fraud judgment against him.

read complete story

Minnesota Ruling May Limit Tax-Exempt Status For Nonprofits

With waning budgets at the state and federal levels, officials are questioning the logic of tax-exempt status for all nonprofits, which is worrisome for the sector because many are struggling despite receiving the benefit.

read complete story

Hawaii Lawmakers Override Veto; Approve Rx Drug Import Program

Lawmakers in Hawaii have overridden Gov. Linda Lingle's veto of a bill that will allow the state to enroll in I-SaveRx, a program that enables residents to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs from other countries.

read complete story

Hearing Focuses On Government's Hiring, Retention Of Older Workers

Over the next five years, more than half a million permanent full-time federal employees-or about one-third of the full-time federal workforce-will be eligible to retire. In 10 years, more than 60% of the federal workforce will be retirement-eligible. Such were the core issues discussed Wednesday (April 30) during a Senate Special Committee on Aging.

read complete story

Medicare Cost-Sharing For Dual Eligibles: Who Pays?

Guidance released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sheds new light on an issue that has created hardships for beneficiaries and challenges for advocates trying to help them.

read complete story

Bill Would Protect Seniors' Investments

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) have introduced a bill that would give states the resources necessary to protect seniors from unscrupulous financial advisors who prey on the retirement savings of the elderly by touting misleading or fraudulent "senior designations."

read complete story

CMS Proposes New Rules for State Medicaid Programs

Continuing to implement recent legislative changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) formally propose two new rules for redesigning Medicaid.

read complete story

Increasing Use of Home Care in Long-Term Care Insurance Policies

The 2007 Society of Actuaries' examination of claim experience from 1984-2004, under long-term care insurance policies, shows a significant change in the types of services received as compared with their 2002 report.

read complete story

What Medicare's '45% Trigger' Means And Why It Matters

The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, best known for creating the Medicare Prescription Drug program,included a little-discussed provision that could dramatically alter the entire Medicare program.

read complete story

Caremark Pays $38 Million To Settle Drug-Switching Case

Pharmacy benefits management company Caremark has agreed to pay $38.5 million in a multi-state settlement of allegations that it deceived patients when it encouraged them to switch prescription drugs under the pretense of saving money.

read complete story

Grassley, Kohl Propose Nursing Home Legislation

Proposed legislation is dsigned to improve quality of care in nursing homes nationwide.

read complete story

CMS Broadens List of Poor Quality Nursing Homes in U.S.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is once again making public more names of underperforming nursing homes across the country.

read complete story

USDA Wants to Ensure Proper CACFP Payments

The Agriculture Dept. is seeking comments on the best way to test potential data collection processes to ensure proper reimbursement payments for family day care homes involved in the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

read complete story

Livable Communities Awards

AARP and the National Association of Home Builders announced that two builders, two developers and one remodeler will receive the groups' co-sponsored 2007 Livable Communities Award for forward thinking in the field of home and community design.

read complete story

Democrats' Budget Plan Falls Apart; New One Adheres More Closely to Bush's

The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee has decided not to introduce a $522 billion omnibus budget package that was to have included the FY 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (HR3043) and 10 more unapproved appropriations bills, as well as additional funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

read complete story

Hearing Focuses On Government's Hiring, Retention Of Older Workers

Over the next five years, more than half a million permanent full-time federal employees-or about one-third of the full-time federal workforce-will be eligible to retire. In 10 years, more than 60% of the federal workforce will be retirement-eligible. Such were the core issues discussed April 30 during a Senate Special Committee on Aging.

read complete story