President George W. Bush's amnesty plan for illegal aliens is controversial for many reasons. Some believe it will "reward" criminal behavior, while others believe illegal aliens depress wages. Some lawmakers and their constituents believe granting legal status to aliens would be potentially burdensome to the Medicaid system. From Medical News Today: Under the 1996 welfare law, legal immigrants cannot apply for Medicaid or welfare benefits during their first five years in the U.S., but … [Read more...] about Amnesty, Illegal Immigration, and Medicaid
Universal Health Care in Massachusetts
By now you've probably heard or read about Massachusetts's new health care law, which would require the uninsured to sign up for health coverage or risk being penalized on their state income taxes. Plans will be offered on a sliding scale, and those who can't afford plans will receive subsidies. Medical News Today has a round-up of opinions. As others have pointed out, about 10 percent of Massachusetts residents are uninsured, compared to 16 percent nationally. Unemployment in the state is … [Read more...] about Universal Health Care in Massachusetts
Survey: Long Term Care Costs Rising
This isn't really news, but I thought I'd report it anyway. A company called Genworth Financial has released the findings of its "Cost of Care" report. According to the survey of over 9,000 providers, the costs for long term care are rising (as expected). From Medical News Today: The average annual cost for a private one-bedroom unit in an assisted living facility rose 7 percent from the 2005 survey, to $32,294, while the combined average hourly rate for a home health aide for in-home … [Read more...] about Survey: Long Term Care Costs Rising
Branding Long Term Care
We aren't raised to ever think about aging. Aging is something we all face but avoid talking about. A Milwaukee-based advertising firm has developed a marketing campaign for aging called "LTC: Let's Take Care," designed to "look at an old issue, raise community awareness and more easily identify the area's long-term care providers so that people know what's available and plan for that time in life a little bit better." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) The article calls the "branding" of long … [Read more...] about Branding Long Term Care
Charity Care Declines
America has always been a generous country, and some professions encourage practitioners to offer free services to those who need but can't afford those services. For example, lawyers are encouraged to do pro bono work for the indigent who need legal representation. The American Bar Association and other legal organizations include this in their codes of ethics. Physicians are also encouraged to provide free or reduced-cost services, but the proportion of doctors who give charity care is on … [Read more...] about Charity Care Declines
The Deficit Reduction Act and Long Term Care Providers
Finally, someone has something positive to say about Congress. Steve Moses of the Center for Long-Term Care Reform wrote a piece for The Heartland Institute titled, Analysis: Congress Strengthens Long-Term Care. Moses writes: The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2006, signed into law by President George W. Bush on February 8, curbs Medicaid planning abuse (the sheltering of assets to make a non-eligible person eligible for Medicaid long-term care coverage) and releases the Long-Term Care … [Read more...] about The Deficit Reduction Act and Long Term Care Providers
Baby Boomers, Aging, and Long Term Care
The generation born during a period of high birth rates between 1946 and 1964 has influenced the culture in many ways. The oldest members of the "baby boomers" are around 60, and in a few years many of them will retire. As this generation ages, the demand for long term care services will increase. Rose Marie Fagan, executive director of the Pioneer Network, which "advocates and facilitates deep system change and transformation in our culture of aging," says baby boomers are already … [Read more...] about Baby Boomers, Aging, and Long Term Care
GAO to Investigate Reprocessed Medical Devices
Certain medical devices companies have been "reprocessing" medical equipment designed for single use, claiming that there is no evidence that such devices are less safe than new ones. (Medical News Today) In our litigious society, it seems risky to wait for "evidence." Apparently, the use of reprocessed devices is fairly common. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will investigate. From the Washington Post (free registration): The GAO's investigation will build on a report issued … [Read more...] about GAO to Investigate Reprocessed Medical Devices
Homecare Providers Say NO
Homecare providers are trying to stop the passage of a Senate budget bill that would mean "sweeping changes" in capped rental policy and freeze home health reimbursement for 2006, which they say will burden both patients and providers, according to Medical News Today. The House of Representatives passed its budget bill late last year, but it must vote again because the Senate bill has minor changes. The American Association for Homecare and other organizations are lobbying their … [Read more...] about Homecare Providers Say NO
The 2005 CPR Guidelines And Treating Hyperkalemia
The nephrologist at KidneyNotes takes issue with some of the 2005 CPR guidelines for treating hyperkalemia. The good doctor says: Given a lack of standardization, it's not surprising that different doctors treat hyperkalemia in different ways. The new 2005 CPR guidelines from the American Heart Association provide recommendations for the treatment of hyperkalemia. Unfortunately, while these new guidelines are easy to follow, there are many potential problems, and I offer some … [Read more...] about The 2005 CPR Guidelines And Treating Hyperkalemia