From the Web #11 by Elaine Steward

Hi again from Elaine Steward!  Following is my most recent list of things which seem to be of general interest to us retirees.  If you find a really interesting site, please email suggestions to me at esslady@gmail.com.

To see whether you can save money by switching your 2010 Medicare Part D plan, go to www.cvs.com/medicare for a helpful calculator.

On the same note, go to doughnuthole.aarp.org for AARP's doughnut hole calculator.  It's kind of hard to enter drugs and dosages, but I recommend that one persevere in order to assess alternatives to entering the doughnut hole.

If any of you had a 2009 Minimum Required Distribution generated automatically, you may qualify to reverse it.  For instructions, go to: personal.fidelity.com/misc.

Visit AARP's Health Care Reform update on www.AARP.org and learn about the latest news on reform, as well as helpful tools to keep you in the loop.

For surprising findings about exercise and bone density, go to well.blogs.nytimes.com.

For an EXCELLENT on-line driver safety course (available to AARP Members), which may just yield savings on your auto insurance, go to www.aarpdriversafety.org.

Once one has set up a personal account on the Medicare site, there is a program where one can authorize another person to have access to his/her personal health information.  The form can be found at www.medicare.gov.  Go to forms and select "Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information."  The form must be filled out, signed, and mailed to initiate this authorization.  FYI, there's also a place to insert contact information for the person with one's health care directive.  The site is actually quite powerful.  I recommend that everyone set up a personal account.  (They have our SS#s anyway...;-))

If you have books, CDs, or DVDs which you would like to swap, check out www.Paperbackswap.com, www.SwapaCD.com, and www.SwapaDVD.com.


1) From AARP – bulletin.aarp.org:

If you are confused about how Medicare Part D works, go to bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/medicare.

2) From Aging in Stride – www.aginginstride.org:

For help in avoiding complications of diabetes, check out enews.aginginstride.org.

3) From California Healthline – www.californiahealthline.org:

Proposed Excise Tax Could Prompt Changes to Benefits
A proposal in the Senate health care reform bill (HR 3590) to impose an excise tax on high-cost health insurance plans would push two-thirds of employers to change their benefits packages to avoid the tax, according to a new survey from Mercer. A separate analysis from the consulting firm projects that 19% of benefits packages offered by employers in 2013 would be subject to the tax.

Senate Bill Could Dilute Consumer Protections by Creating Interstate Market for Health Plans
California Medical Association Won't Support Senate Reform Bill [On 2 Dec] the California Medical Association [came] out against the Senate health care reform bill (HR 3590) because it says the measure would raise local health care costs and hinder access to care for seniors and low-income patients, the Los Angeles Times' "L.A. Now" reports.

New Analysis Finds Wide Disparities in Quality of U.S. Nursing Home Care
Long-term care quality ratings vary widely among different institutions across the country, according to a Scripps Howard News Service analysis of CMS' Nursing Home Compare system, SHNS/Ventura County Star reports.

Report: Senate Reform Bill Won't Increase Costs for Most People
A Congressional Budget Office report released on [30 Nov] found that under the Senate health reform bill, premiums would be unchanged or slightly lower for most U.S. residents, while a small minority would see premium increases, the Washington Post reports (Montgomery, Washington Post, 12/1).

Reform Could Push Calif. To Reconsider Malpractice Cap
The House health care reform bill (HR 3962) includes a provision that would "push—but not quite compel" California and other states that have capped medical malpractice awards to repeal the caps, columnist Dan Walters writes.  The Senate has not included such a provision, and resolving the difference in conference committee could be a "major issue" if the Senate passes its reform bill, according to Walters.

Senate Plan for High-Risk Pools Has Pluses, Minuses for California
According to the HHS report, enacting reform proposals would provide an immediate opportunity for many medically uninsurable Californians to get coverage. Under Section 1101 of the Senate proposal, the newly created high-risk pool would be open to people with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months. The program would end by Jan. 1, 2014, when new health insurance exchanges are slated to be up and running.

Federal Law on Genetic Non-Discrimination Swings Into Effect
A federal law took effect [21 Nov] that prohibits employer discrimination based on genetic information, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Web Site Offers Ratings on Long-Term Care Providers
On [19 Nov] the California HealthCare Foundation launched a no-cost Web site, www.CalQualityCare.org, that rates the state's residential nursing homes, home health agencies and hospices.  The ratings are based on data from state and federal agencies on staffing levels, quality of care and reported deficiencies.  CHCF is the publisher of California Healthline.

California Ranks in the Middle of the Pack for National Health Scores
California ranked as the 23rd healthiest state in the nation in a report released Tuesday, the San Francisco Business Times reports.  The ranking is one place higher than California's score last year.

Los Angeles County To Send At-Risk Patients to Certified Stroke Centers
On [16 Nov] Los Angeles County launched a new program that will route individuals experiencing stroke symptoms to the nearest certified stroke center, the Los Angeles Times reports.

4) From Carepages – www.carepages.com:

For suggestions on how to distribute family heirlooms, go to cms.carepages.com/permalink.

5) From iHealthBeat – www.ihealthbeat.org:

Seniors Who Use [the] Internet Could Reap Health Benefits, Studies Show
According to research released in October, spending time online reduces depression and increases cognitive brain function among senior citizens.  A study conducted by Washington, D.C.,-based Phoenix Center found that spending time online reduces depression by 20 percent for senior citizens.

HHS To Award $235M To Boost Local Models for EHR Adoption
On [2 Dec] HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the launch of a $235 million initiative to support community-based models for electronic health record adoption, Federal Computer Week reports (Lipowicz, Federal Computer Week, 12/2).

New Social Networking Site Targets Those With Mental Health Issues
The Mental Health Social site allows users to connect anonymously with other people who have similar mental health conditions.  It also aims to promote discussions among family members and others who care for people with mental illnesses.  Go to: www.mentalhealthsocial.com.

Ohio Health Plans Offer Members Access to Online Medical Bill Tool
The program collects health care providers' health insurance claims and translates the medical codes and jargon into understandable language.  The software explains how much a physician charged, what the health plan paid and what the consumer owes.  The online tool lets consumers keep track of past bills, their deductibles and co-insurances paid for them and their dependents.  The software also offers advice on how to handle questions about billings.

Kaiser Permanente Teams Up With VA To Link EHR Systems
[On 25 Nov] officials from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Kaiser Permanente are scheduled to announce a pilot program that will link their electronic health record systems for eligible members in San Diego County, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Researchers Urge FDA To Create Database To Monitor Rx Drug Safety
The researchers write that the database could continuously pool and aggregate information from clinical trials to create a real-time picture of a drug's benefits and risks.  They said officials should strive to make the database publicly available for consumers, physicians and researchers.

Federal Government Announces Launch of New Health IT Blog
[On 23 Nov] HHS unveiled a new blog to help update the public on the work of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.  The Health IT Buzz blog also will provide a forum for consumers, health providers and others to share their input regarding health IT.  Healthcare IT News, InformationWeek.

6) From My Medicare Matters – www.mymedicarecommunity.org:

My Medicare Matters offers Webinars (live on-line training) for those who are Medicare advocates.  If you are interested in being notified of training sessions, please contact me at esslady@gmail.com.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have launched the plan finders for 2010 Part D and Medicare Advantage plans, making plan comparisons possible.  Open enrollment ends for most people on 31 December.

The Rights of Members of Non-Renewing Medicare Plans: The Non-Renewal Special Enrollment Period
When a plan decides not to continue in the Medicare market the following year, all current members are entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to switch to a new plan, beginning on Oct. 1, 2009 and continuing through Jan. 31, 2010.

7) From NCOA – www.ncoa.org:

CLASS Act Survives in Health Reform
An amendment offered by Sen. Thune (R-SD) that would have stripped the CLASS Act [which provides home health care services for seniors] from the Senate health care reform bill was defeated on [4 Dec].

Budget Ax Continues to Fall on State Aging Units
An alarming 96 percent of state units on aging located in states with budget shortfalls say their budgets have been reduced, according to a new report from the National Association of State Units on Aging.  The survey documents the challenges facing these states as they struggle to serve an expanding population with diminished funding and resources.

To listen to a radio program about reverse mortgages, go to www.hereandnow.org. 
For a volunteer leaders' blog, go to www.volunteerleaders.org.

Long-Term Care Costs on the Rise
From 2008 to 2009, private room nursing home rates rose 3.3 percent to $219 per day or $79,935 per year, MetLife reports in its latest market survey.  Assisted living also rose 3.3 percent to $3,131 per month; home health care jumped 5 percent to $21 per hour; and adult day services increased 4.7 percent to $67 per day.