Legislation to expand access to long-term care insurance and strengthen consumer protections of these insurance products has been introduced in the House. The Long-Term Care Affordability and Security Act of 2009 would permit long-term care insurance to be included in employer-sponsored cafeteria plans and flexible spending accounts, enabling people to...
Author Archives: anthony
susan Boyle, Stereotypes and Ageism
Great article in the NYT about how people make judgments and rationalize them. We process information so quick that we size things up in nanoseconds. Interestingly the article notes this about ageism: AGE plays a role in forging stereotypes, too, with older people traditionally seen as ÛÏharmless and useless,Û Professor...
Intergenerational Programs in Nursing Homes Good for the Young and Old
The IsabellaGeriatricCenter in New York city has an innovative program, really a culture of connecting the generations. Their Project N.O.I.S.E.E. (Naturally Occurring Interactions in a Shared Environment Everyday) is an intergenerational program that grew out of a partnership formed between their on-site childcare center and their Therapeutic Recreation Department. Under...
Poor Staff Communication Negatively Impacts Patient Care
A study, conducted by Zogby International and commissioned by Cisco, sheds new light on the heavy toll that poor staff communication takes on patient care. More than 250 practicing nurses were surveyed online. The primary issue identified in the survey of nurses centered on the opportunity to improve communications among...
Hospital Deception – A Chilling Tale
This blog is worth a read and shows just how diligent you need to be in tracking your health care. This is a chilling account of how one hospital deposed a witness then falsified her testimony. Luckily this hospital deception was uncovered as she kept a copy of her original...
Doctors Fleeing Medicare So Shop Around Before You Become Eligible
Following up from yesterdayÛªs post comes news that doctorÛªs are fleeing Medicare. According to the New York Times, some physicians including internists and many specialists are no longer accepting Medicare, either because they have opted out of the insurance system or they are not accepting new patients with Medicare coverage....
Medicare Advantage at a Disadvantage?
Facing five percent cuts and a watchful eye from the Obama administration, Medicare Advantage programs are starting to cry poor saying it could result in premium increases for beneficiaries. The Obama administration and Democrats have criticized the Republican-backed Medicare Advantage programs because they cost 14% more on average to care...
Tips to Prevent Elder Financial Abuse
The Met Life Mature Market Institute study Broken Trust: Elders, Family and Finances takes a close look at elder financial abuse. Elder financial abuse is more prevalent than you think and the perpetrators are often family members. Today we look at tips Met Life offers to prevent elder abuse. Stay...
Elder Financial Abuse Prevalent and Family is Partly to Blame
The Met Life Mature Market Institute study Broken Trust: Elders, Family and Finances takes a close look at elder financial abuse. Elder financial abuse is more prevalent than you think and the perpetrators are often family members. Today we will look at the warning signs Met Life offers to indicate...
The Deloitte 2009 Survey of Health Care Consumers
The Deloitte 2009 Survey of Health Care Consumers is worth a read. While they tout consumerism, my take is that it is superficial a best. For example just 15% of people compare hospital data for inpatient care. Those who do seek quality data do so from physicians, web sites, friends...