A new, scathing report by the Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG), titled "Marketing Materials for Prescription Drug Plans," catalogs numerous failures by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to oversee Part D prescription drug benefit marketing materials, as required by law.
Here's something special our readers should consider as we near the end of summer.
The Steering Committee of the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign it has received a grant of more than $474,000 from The Commonwealth Fund to build on the momentum the Campaign has achieved in its first two years of work. This grant was awarded to enhance the Campaign's capacity to lead quality improvement efforts, reach out to nursing homes that have not yet joined, and maintain progress toward meeting improvement targets.
Japan’s senior citizens will comprise that nation’s largest consumer group by the year 2020, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. says in a recent report. ``The elderly will play a leading role in Japan's domestic consumption,'' the report says. People 70 and older will account for approximately 20% of consumption in Japan, up from 13% in 2005.
"Employers and plan administrators want to comply with the tax laws and regulations to protect plan participants," says Michael Julianelle, director of the IRS’s Employee Plans division. "EPCRS helps employers and plan administrators take a proactive role in identifying and fixing mistakes. It also encourages implementation of practices and procedures that ensure retirement plans comply with laws and regulations."
If you have a vacation home you're not ready to retire to, author Christine Karpinski has a suggestion: Rent it out. You'll get to keep your beloved getaway, earn extra income, meet new friends, and discover a rewarding new lifestyle.
Many states have established programs to provide basic telecommunications services for Hard of Hearing, Deaf, Deaf/Blind, and Speech Impaired individuals. Equipment such as amplified telephones, signalers, TTYs, cordless phones are just a sampling of what is available.
Diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately two years, according to new 2007 prevalence data estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). This means that nearly 8% of the U.S. population has diabetes.
The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new summer campaign to reach those retirees and disabled veterans who qualify for the economic stimulus payment but have not filed to claim it. Newly released statistics released indicate about 74% in this group are accounted for in the stimulus payments currently being sent, leaving about 5.2 million potential recipients remaining.
With the nation's economy uppermost in many Americans' minds, the Alliance for Aging Research explores the economic benefits from increased investment in longevity science in its most recent podcast series. The podcast series is part of the Alliance's SAGE Crossroads website, a forum that explores emerging issues of human aging and longevity.
A new study showing that maintaining aerobic fitness through middle age could delay biological aging by 12 years underscores the benefits of incorporating even a modest exercise program into one's daily routine, says the American Physical Therapy Association.
CMS plans to distribute an additional $15 million to State Health Insurance Assistance Programs in an effort to help Medicare beneficiaries obtain more information about their healthcare choices.
Just released is "What's Next in Your Life?", a guide to the non-financial aspects of retirement written by Joan Strewler-Carter and Stephen Carter, co-founders of the Life Options Institute, an organization dedicated to helping people plan for life beyond age 50.
Heightened scrutiny and transparency requirements from the IRS and state agencies have raised the stakes for not-for-profit organizations when it comes to board member selection. A growing number of organizations are undertaking due diligence in assessing candidates for board memberships.
The principal goal of the Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging Award program is to raise awareness across the nation about healthy synergies that can be achieved by communities combining Smart Growth principles and Active Aging concepts. Applications are due Sept. 12
Experts at the Washington, DC-based Center for Medicare Advocacy tackle the current controversy swirling around the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' requirements for a new competitive bidding program for certain Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies.
CMS issues a revised CR 5567 which requires hospice providers to report data on their claims for Medicare payment, describing the visits provided in the course of delivering each hospice level of care billed.
The president-elect of the American Medical Association on Thursday, (May 8) called for better government oversight of prescription drug advertisements directed at consumers to protect patients from misleading information.
The president-elect of the American Medical Association on Thursday, (May 8) called for better government oversight of prescription drug advertisements directed at consumers to protect patients from misleading information.
CMS has published the final regulation establishing rate year 2009 federal payment rates and policies for long-term care hospitals. The changes provide moderate increases in payments affecting nearly 400 LTCHs across the nation.
The MetLife Mature Market Institute is making a series of tips available to consumers, particularly those who are not in "traditional families," to help them make the right choices about how to prepare for retirement, despite the challenges they face. "Family Matters: Retirement Preparation Tip...
The Department of Health & Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality AHRQ has joined with The Advertising Council to launch a national public service campaign designed to raise awareness among middle-aged men about the importance of preventive medical testing.
In order for Medicare and Medicare contractors to cover medical services and items, the item or service must be medically necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury, say experts at the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA) in Washington, DC.
Despite increasing consumer demand for less invasive procedures for facial rejuvenation, facelifts are making a comeback with female and male baby boomers.
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America has announced that it will be accepting applications for the Brodsky Grant, a $30,000 award to an innovative program or service that improves the lives of those affected by the brain disorder.
Mayors across the country today (March 19) joined the fight to end senior hunger by delivering meals to the homebound elderly with their local Meals On Wheels program.
In line with President Bush's recently unveiled plan to sharply reduce federal spending on government-funded healthcare programs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services propose two new rules that, if finalized, would do exactly that.
A new report from the Commonwealth Fund discusses results of a 12-month evaluation of Beverly Healthcare's resident-centered care initiative -- one of the nation's largest nursing home chains.
AARP and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) are calling for entries for the second annual Livable Communities Award.
The Admin. on Aging's online Gateway to the Older Americans Act 2006 Amendments now includes Frequently Asked Questions, as well as the opportunity for users to submit their own questions regarding the 2006 Amendments.
CMS is proposing coverage with evidence development of artificial heart devices. The agency proposes to cover artificial heart devices in Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in Food & Drug Admin.-approved studies.
Making certain older voters or other people with disabilities are able to cast votes in an election requires policymakers to think broadly about access, senior-level officials from the Government Accountability Office told the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
In response to irregularities at a handful of charities, one of Congress's chief concerns over the past few years has been the accountability of the board as a governing body and of each member in his or her individual capacity.
The Alliance for Aging Research has developed a new resource to educate women about osteoporosis, also known as porous bone disease.
"This report will raise eyebrows among policymakers who have been led to believe that independent pharmacists were in dire straits because of the Medicare drug benefit," says PCMA President and CEO Mark Merritt.
A nonprofit senior housing company in Minnesota offers two new white papers examining how technology is changing the face of aging in America.
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"Depression kills not just through suicide," says Barry Lebowitz, director of treatment research at the National Institute of Mental Health.
The IRS has issued an updated version of Form 990, the return that charities and other tax-exempt organizations are required to file annually, and provided transition relief so that small exempt organizations will have time to adjust to the new form.
Here's a handy-dandy list of aging-related events slated for 2008. Put those fridge magnets to work now!
A least two-thirds of seniors in California can't afford their perscription medications, find the authors of a new study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
MedPAC has sent draft recommendations to Congress calling for a freeze on reimbursement rates for skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies in 2009.