John A. Hartford Foundation Archives - Page 14 of 45

A Health-Heavy State of the Union

Episode 284

Feb. 9, 2023

President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address leaned heavily on health care issues. Biden took a victory lap for recent accomplishments like capping prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare. He also urged Congress to make permanent the boosted premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, and he sparred with Republicans on threats to cut Social Security and Medicare. Also this week, both sides in the abortion debate are bracing for a court decision out of Texas that could, at least temporarily, make the abortion pill mifepristone illegal nationwide. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Kate Baicker of the University of Chicago about a possible middle ground in the effort to get universal health insurance coverage.

Listen Now

A photo shows Senator Bernie Sanders speaking into a microphone in front of the U.S. Capitol.

‘We Ain’t Gonna Get It’: Why Bernie Sanders Says His ‘Medicare for All’ Dream Must Wait

As he takes the reins of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, the independent from Vermont and implacable champion of “Medicare for All” maps out his strategy for negotiating with Republicans — and Big Pharma.

By Arthur Allen

Feb. 8, 2023

A photo shows a medical professional helping a senior woman with her pills.

As Long-Term Care Staffing Crisis Worsens, Immigrants Can Bridge the Gaps

The industry has long relied on immigrants to bolster its ranks, and they’ll be critical to meeting future staffing needs, experts say. But as the baby boom generation fills beds, policymakers are slow to open new pathways for foreign workers.

By Michelle Andrews

Feb. 3, 2023

A photo shows a senior woman sitting in a wheelchair in a nursing home corridor.

Nursing Home Owners Drained Cash During Pandemic While Residents Deteriorated

As the federal government debates whether to require higher staffing levels at nursing homes, financial records show owners routinely push profits to sister companies while residents are neglected. “A dog would get better care than he did,” one resident’s wife said.

By Jordan Rau

Feb. 1, 2023

Did Your Health Plan Rip Off Medicare?

KHN has released never-before-seen details of federal audits as the government weighs action against dozens of Medicare Advantage plans.

By Fred Schulte

Jan. 27, 2023

Picture of Health

More Californians Are Dying at Home. Another Covid ‘New Normal’?

The proportion of Californians dying at home, rather than in a hospital or nursing home, accelerated during the pandemic, a trend that has outlasted the rigid lockdowns linked to the initial shift.

By Phillip Reese

Jan. 26, 2023

Wave of Rural Nursing Home Closures Grows Amid Staffing Crunch

Many small-town care facilities that remain open are limiting admissions, citing a lack of staff, while a wave of others shutter. That means more patients are marooned in hospitals or placed far away from their families.

By Tony Leys

Jan. 25, 2023

A box of 'Paxlovid' is in the center of the image. The box is white with blue text, with a thick a blue and red stripe on its left.

Navigating Aging

What Older Americans Need to Know About Taking Paxlovid

Covid-19 continues to hit seniors with disproportionate severity. Experts say Paxlovid is an effective therapy that is being underprescribed for people 65 and older.

By Judith Graham

Jan. 18, 2023

Rural Seniors Benefit From Pandemic-Driven Remote Fitness Boom

When the pandemic began, senior service agencies hustled to rework health classes to include virtual options for older adults. Now that isolation has ended, virtual classes remain. For seniors in rural areas, those classes have broadened access to supervised physical activity.

By Christina Saint Louis

Jan. 17, 2023

A photo shows the exterior of the Montana Capitol.

Ending Involuntary Commitments Would Shift Burden of Dementia Care to Strapped Communities

Health department officials anticipate having to transfer two dozen patients from the Montana State Hospital to another state-run facility if a bill to end involuntary commitments passes.

By Keely Larson

Jan. 13, 2023

A photo shows a hospital worker standing in a hallway, holding a clipboard.

Hospitals’ Use of Volunteer Staff Runs Risk of Skirting Labor Laws, Experts Say

Hospitals using volunteers is commonplace. But some labor experts argue that deploying unpaid workers to do work that benefits the organization’s bottom line lets for-profit hospitals skirt federal labor laws, deprives employees of work, and potentially exploits the volunteers.

By Lauren Sausser

Jan. 10, 2023

Navigating Aging

Weighing Risks of a Major Surgery: 7 Questions Older Americans Should Ask Their Surgeon

How do older adults know when the potential benefits from surgery are worth the risks? And what questions should they ask as they try to figure this out? Our columnist asks experts for guidance.

By Judith Graham

Jan. 3, 2023

A photo shows a doctor using a stethoscope on an older woman.

Medicare Pay Cuts Will Hurt Seniors’ Care, Doctors Argue

New reductions in Medicare payments in 2023 will drive more doctors away from accepting Medicare patients, physicians say. They are again pushing back on efforts largely designed to control government spending.

By Michael McAuliff

Dec. 20, 2022

Navigating Aging

Are You an Optimist? Could You Learn to Be? Your Health May Depend on It.

Multiple studies show a strong association between higher levels of optimism and healthy aging. We ask some dedicated optimists what might explain the connection.

By Judith Graham

Dec. 13, 2022

A photo shows a woman caregiver helping an elderly man get dressed.

To Attract In-Home Caregivers, California Offers Paid Training — And Self-Care

Turnover ails a program that allows low-income people who are older or disabled to age in place. To attract new workers and improve retention, the state is paying caregivers to develop new skills.

By Laurie Udesky

Dec. 9, 2022

A photo shows Melvin Zax sitting at home.

Navigating Aging

A Family Death During the Holidays Prompts Questions and Reflection

The death of a sharp but frail patriarch just days before Thanksgiving casts a shadow on a family’s holiday season.

By Judith Graham

Dec. 8, 2022

A photo shows a nurse helping an elderly patient down a hallway in a nursing home.

Navigating Aging

Assisted Living Facilities Pressed to Address Growing Needs of Older, Sicker Residents

Assisted living was meant to be a home-like setting where older adults could interact with other residents while receiving help with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing. But as the concept has become more popular, residents are now older and sicker than in the past, and a panel of experts is calling for more focus on their medical and mental health needs.

By Judith Graham

Dec. 5, 2022

An operating room may be designed and equipped to provide care to patients.

Should Older Seniors Risk Major Surgery? New Research Offers Guidance

An important new study offers much-needed data to inform older Americans of the risks and benefits they must weigh when facing major surgery.

By Judith Graham

Nov. 28, 2022

An older woman holds an insulin pen across a counter from a doctor.

Medicare Plan Finder Likely Won’t Note New $35 Cap on Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs

In August, Congress approved a $35 cap on what seniors will pay for insulin, but that change came too late to add to the online tool that helps Medicare beneficiaries compare dozens of drug and medical plans. Federal officials say beneficiaries who use insulin will have the opportunity to switch plans after open enrollment ends Dec. 7.

By Susan Jaffe

Nov. 15, 2022