Latest KFF Health News Stories
Seniors Suffer Amid Widespread Fraud By Medicaid Caretakers
A government watchdog report finds widespread fraud — in some cases involving patients’ severe neglect and death — in a Medicaid program that sends non-medical assistants to elderly and disabled peoples’ homes.
Medicare Bars New ‘Seamless Conversion’ Efforts For Some Seniors
Some insurers have been allowed to move customers on the health law’s marketplaces into their Medicare Advantage plans when they become eligible for Medicare, but seniors complain they didn’t always know it was happening.
For Seniors, Teeth Need Care — But Insurance Coverage Is Rare
Traditional Medicare does not cover most dental needs and the private Medicare Advantage plans often have limited coverage, leaving most seniors struggling to pay for dental care out of pocket.
Big Raises For Many Home Care Workers Won’t Necessarily Help Senior Citizens
A $15 minimum wage will almost double what many home care workers are paid but won’t solve other problems.
Staying Out Of The Closet In Old Age
Many aging gays and lesbians who have lived openly for decades are finding that the world of assisted living and nursing homes can be decidedly less accommodating.
Officials Warn Some Older Marketplace Customers To Switch To Medicare
The government is sending emails and letters to some seniors to warn them that if they are eligible for Medicare and stay on the health law’s exchange, they will have to repay any subsidies they receive and if they miss their Medicare enrollment opportunity, they will face a life-long penalty.
When The Blues Won’t Let You Be
Treatment-resistant depression, particularly common among seniors, can raise the risk of suicide and lead to a loss of independence.
When Pretend Play Is Real For Alzheimer’s Patients
Playing with dolls is good therapy for some elderly people with dementia. They may think the dolls are real babies, but does it matter?
Twenty dying people, at peace with their mortality, shared their views on life, love and death with a Los Angeles artist for an exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance.
Study: Elderly’s Family Caregivers Need Help, Too
A study by the National Academies finds more support is needed for nearly 18 million people giving care to family members 65 and older.
Study Finds Seniors Benefit When Asked How To Help Them
A federally funded research project in Baltimore has potential to help aging-in-place efforts elsewhere, a study in Health Affairs reports.
Patients With Dementia Present Communication Challenges In Hospice Care
Dementia complicates pain management in hospice patients because communication is difficult and the cause of pain can be hard to identify, researchers report.
‘America’s Other Drug Problem’: Copious Prescriptions For Hospitalized Elderly
Older people are often given a huge number of medications, and many of them are unnecessary or even harmful.
Protecting California’s Seniors From Surprise Hospital, Nursing Home Bills
Lawmakers approve bill to help Medicare patients with “observation care” costs.
FAQ: Hospital Observation Care Can Be Costly For Medicare Patients
A guide to help Medicare patients receiving observation care.
Doctors Raise Concerns For Small Practices In Medicare’s New Payment System
The government is laying out plans to use payment incentives to promote higher quality care, but physicians say the new system may be hard on solo practices and small groups.
As The For-Profit World Moves Into An Elder Care Program, Some Worry
PACE, a little-known Medicare program that helps keep older people in their own homes, is allowing for-profit companies in. Tech and venture capital have expressed interest.
Teaching In-Home Caregivers Seems To Pay Off
Intensive training for such aides helps reduce repeated ER visits and hospitalizations of elderly disabled people, a pilot project suggests.
Assisted Living Residents With Dementia Prone To Abusing Others, Study Finds
Residents with dementia need to be monitored and increased training is needed for staff who care for them, said researchers who examined reported instances of abuse in assisted living facilities.
In Later Years, Disabilities End Blacks’ Active Lives Sooner Than Whites’
Elderly black women suffer most from shorter active life expectancy free of disabilities, showing no improvement since the early 1980s, Health Affairs study finds.
