From the Web by Elaine Steward #13

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

To coordinate rides, bringing meals, etc for someone in need, set up a calendar on www.lotsahelpinghands.com Someone sets up a needs calendar for the person needing help and folks sign up to do what they can. The FREE service sends e-reminders to the volunteer.

For free on-line University level courses (Harvard, MIT, NYU, etc) go to www.academicearth.org

To play multi-player games on line, go to www.omgpop.com

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) will offer free counseling for seniors through its Reverse Mortgage Counseling Services (RMCS) Network. For the next two months, RMCS counselors are waiving the usual $125 counseling fee in order to help more homeowners understand how reverse mortgage loans, along with community programs and other options, could help them to remain in their homes. Consumers age 62+ can schedule a free reverse mortgage counseling session through April 30, 2010 by calling 1-800-510-0301

The Kaiser Family Foundation has updated its Medicare primer. The primer explains key elements of the program, which provides health coverage to 47 million people. www.kff.org/medicare/7615.cfm

For an extensive guide on Medicare Part D published by Cornell University go to curxed.human.cornell.edu/docs/Pocket_Guide_2010.pdfCaveat: there are price differences between states, so remember that Cornell’s database is New York

For a free screen capture app, with “sophisticated features at no cost,” it's hard to reach higher than Gadwin PrintScreen. An attractive, easily navigated interface opens up a customization wonderland for users to decide default settings for shortcut key associations, capture preferences, and output.” For more information, go to download.cnet.com/Gadwin-PrintScreen/3000-2094_4-10123018.html

For a free and highly thought of translation program, go to translate.google.com

If you wish to comment on the proposed education standards, go to www.corestandards.org

Visit the Keck Health reform website at www.healthreform.usc.edu for daily updates on the latest news affecting health care policy, links to key information resources, and regular health reform events at the Keck School of Medicine.

1) From AARP – bulletin.aarp.org

To learn how to protect yourself from gas pump debit card “skimmers,” go to bulletin.aarp.org/yourmoney/scamalert/articles/scam_alert_no_pin_at_the_pump.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-12210-F1-1

For an on-line book group, go to www.aarp.org/community/groups/BookTalk?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-12210-COMM-33

For free help with your taxes, go to locator.aarp.org/vmis/sites/tax_aide_locator.jsp

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

For an emergency preparedness check sheet particularly aimed at seniors, go to www.aginginstride.org/emergencyprep/docs/Just_in_Case.pdf

3) From California Healthline – www.californiahealthline.org

Expert Touts Need for Quality Reporting To Produce Data for Patients, Not Just Practitioners In a conversation for California Healthline, R. Adams Dudley, professor of medicine and health policy at UC-San Francisco, said that current health care reporting initiatives often focus on conformity to technical measures, rather than real-life outcomes of medical procedures that might be of more interest to consumers.

Senate Passes Jobs Bill That Would Avert Cuts To Medicare Payments [10 Mar] the Senate voted 62-36 to approve a $140 billion jobs bill that would avert scheduled cuts to Medicare reimbursements for physicians. The bill also would extend subsidies for COBRA coverage and offer funds to states through Medicaid. Washington Post, The Hill.

On [25 Feb], California Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) subpoenaed financial records and other documents from the state's top seven health insurers as part of an investigation into whether they are unfairly raising health care premiums (Hindery, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 2/26).

On [2 Mar], lawmakers expanded their investigation into health insurance rate increases by requesting that the chief executives of four health insurers testify at a hearing about claims denials for individuals with pre-existing conditions, the Los Angeles Times reports.

California has the largest number of Medicare beneficiaries of any state. For more Medicare statistics, go to www.chcf.org/topics/view.cfm?itemid=118742

4) From Carepages – www.carepages.com

For some ideas on what to take to a hospital bound friend, go to cms.carepages.com/CarePages/en/ArticlesTips/HelpfulTips/perfect-gifts-for-hospital-visits.html


5) From iHealthBeat - www.ihealthbeat.org

Jobs Bill Would Boost Eligibility for Health IT Incentive Program A Senate jobs bill passed [the week of 8 Mar] includes a provision that would make it easier for certain hospital-based physicians to qualify for federal incentive payments for the "meaningful use" of electronic health records. Currently, the 2009 federal economic stimulus package excludes all hospital-based physicians from the EHR incentive program. Health Data Management et al.

An FCC survey that found the U.S. lacks sufficient broadband connections to meet criteria for "meaningful use" of electronic health records that will determine whether health care providers are eligible for incentive payments under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package.

Concern about meeting the "meaningful use" criteria for electronic health records is dominating the concerns of health care providers across the country, according to the latest annual IT survey from Modern Healthcare. Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of EHRs will qualify for federal incentive payments.

HHS recently has started posting data related to medical data security breaches online, but the postings do not include enough details about the privacy lapses to be useful to consumers, columnist David Lazarus writes in the Los Angeles Times.

Health information exchanges can improve the quality and coordination of patient care, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report, Modern Healthcare reports. For the report, GAO examined four health information exchanges between May 2009 and February 2010. The exchanges varied in size, scope and stage of development.

Denmark's widespread use of health IT has increased efficiency among health care providers and helped to reduce health care costs. Denmark's small size, homogeneous population and regulated health care system make the country somewhat unique. Still, U.S. policymakers are examining whether Denmark's success with health IT can be replicated in the U.S. New York Times.

6) From My Medicare Matters – www.mymedicarevommunity.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

7) From NCOA – www.ncoa.org

Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Since 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) has gained recognition as a unique and highly regarded statute that has stimulated the development of a comprehensive and coordinated service system. This system has contributed greatly to enhancing the lives of older individuals, family caregivers, and persons with disabilities.

In 2011 Congress will consider reauthorization and amendments to the OAA effective in FY 2012. In anticipation of this process, the Administration on Aging (AoA) is soliciting input concerning the reauthorization through three mechanisms: (1) AoA-Convened Listening Forums; (2) OAA Reauthorization Input Events; and (3) Direct Input via the AoA Website or Mail. Note that reauthorization input events registered on this site will be added to a special AoA web calendar. Our hope is that everyone who wants to provide input into the reauthorization process will attend a listening forum, a reauthorization event, and/or submit their views on-line. If you want more information on how to make a submission, email me at esslady@gmail.com

[T]he Social Security Administration has approved early onset Alzheimer's Disease and several other dementias for Social Security's disability program compassionate allowances. This means that Social Security has determined that people with these diagnoses will always qualify for disability benefits. The lists of the diseases which qualify can be found at www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm and www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/newconditions.htm

For a brochure on what you should know about medical imaging when you have electronic implantable devices, go to www.ncoa.org/assets/files/pdf/Brochure_v3-2.pdf

8) From The New York Times Health Update – nytdirect@nytimes.com

For guidance on what sort of living arrangements might be best for a particular elderly and/or infirm individual, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/health/13patient.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

Older people may show noticeable decline in cognitive ability after hospitalization. For more, see www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/health/research/09aging.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

For even more evidence of exercise’s health benefits, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/health/02brod.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

For innovations in hip replacement surgery, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/health/09brod.html?nl=health&emc=healthupdateemb2

As more adults near retirement age, gyms are adapting to meet the needs (and musical tastes) of a less-agile membership. For more, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/business/retirementspecial/04GYM.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y