From the Web by Elaine Steward #18

Hi again from Elaine Steward! Following, is my most recent list of things which may be of general interest to us retirees. If have something you’d like to share, please post it to the comments section at the end of this blog.

For a comprehensive checklist on fall prevention within the home, check out www.environmentalgeriatrics.com/home_safety/safety_checklist.html


For a list of “free days” at Los Angeles area museums, go to golosangeles.about.com/od/losangelesmuseums/a/MuseumFreeDays.htm

If you have a dog, you might want to take a look at www.woofreport.com/ for training hints and the like

For a calculator to help you decide between a regular 401(k) and a Roth 401(k) [or 403(b)] go to www.bankrate.com/calculators/retirement/401-k-or-roth-ira-calculator.aspx

For a summary of the new tax law, go to guidance.fidelity.com/viewpoints/new-tax-law

To stay up to date on new books in your favorite genre, go to anynewbooks.com/ and sign up

For an on-line bookseller (new and used) which raises funds for various literacy charities, go to www.betterworldbooks.com/custom.aspx?f=netted

For information on where to recycle your electronics go to www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm or www.digitaltips.org/green/default.asp Best Buy stores will take up to two larger items a day at customer service, including televisions and monitors up to 32 inches, computer C.P.U.’s, VCRs/DVD players, phones, remotes and keyboards. The company charges a $10 recycling fee for items with screens, but gives customers a $10 store gift card immediately.

For another website for free on-line courses from prestigious universities, go to www.einztein.com/ This site is currently in beta testing.

To cut down on junk mail, go to www.catalogchoice.org In addition: You now have the option to file a complaint directly to the Federal Trade Commission from within Catalog Choice to ensure your opt-out choices are honored by all companies. And Catalog Choice will help you stop more mail by removing your name from hard-to-find third party marketing lists – the lists that companies buy to find new customers. This valet-level service is available with a donation of $20 or more.

Californians who have been denied coverage because of preexisting health conditions and have been uninsured for at least 6 months are now eligible for the state's new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. To learn more go to www.pcip.ca.gov or call 1.877.428.5060 toll free

If you have a reason to look up the actual text of the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, go to
www.opencongress.org/house_reconciliation (there are inaccurate emails about its contents going around)

If you do not have a will and/or a trust, you should. For help, see Ten things you should know about a will at www.aarp.org/money/estate-planning/info-09-2010/ten_things_you_should_know_about_writing_a_will.html and www.aarp.org/money/estate-planning/info-09-2010/ten_things_you_should_know_about_living_trusts.2.html and www.aarp.org/money/estate-planning/info-01-2011/4_costly_estate_planning_blunders.html?cmp=NLC-MONY-CTRL-011111-F7t-27 for advice about estate planning errors.

For a free six week workshop in managing your chronic disease, go to selfmanage.org/BetterHealth/SignUp

1) From AARP – bulletin.aarp.org

For a website designed to compare health insurance plans, go to finder.healthcare.gov/?state=&x=15&y=15

The AARP Bulletin frequently has games, trivia quizzes, etc available. If you are a fan, I recommend that you join. I don’t think that you have to be an AARP member to use the website, but can’t guarantee that.

For a list of health care reforms which are already in effect, go to www.aarp.org/health/health-care-reform/info-01-2011/health_law_benefits_2011_and_to_come.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-012111-MOREt&USEG_ID=6388998522

Before moving, you might want to check out the toughest states for retirees at www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/info-12-2010/10-worst-states-for-retirement.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-011411-F3t-11&USEG_ID=6388998522

For help with keeping yourself safe while shopping on line, go to www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-11-2010/scam_alert_clicking_on_cyber_monday_.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-121710-F1-1&USEG_ID=6388998522

To help avoid common money management mistakes, go to www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-11-2010/five_common_money_mistakes.html?cmp=NLC-MONY-CTRL-110910-F1-1

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

In 2001, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) launched BenefitsCheckUp®—a free, confidential online benefits screening and enrollment tool, available at www.benefitscheckup.org.

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

Six More States Join Lawsuit Against Health Reform Law
On [18 Jan] Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) announced that she has filed a motion in federal court to add six more states to the list of plaintiffs in the multistate lawsuit against the federal health reform law. The six states are Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Bondi said the addition of states would not delay U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson's decision in the lawsuit, which is expected before the end of this month.

Institute of Medicine To Advise HHS on 'Essential Health Benefits' Rules On [12 Jan] the Institute of Medicine [held] a closed-door meeting, followed by a two-day public briefing, to determine what are considered "essential health benefits" under the federal health reform law, CQ HealthBeat reports

CMS Issues Draft Rule on Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program CMS has released a proposed rule on a value-based purchasing program that would give higher payments to hospitals that provide high-quality care. CMS is accepting public comment on the rule, which would take effect in fiscal year 2013. Modern Healthcare, The Hill's "Healthwatch."

Many Medicare Enrollees Not Signing Up for Rx Discounts More than two million eligible Medicare beneficiaries have not enrolled in a program called Extra Help that could save them an average of $3,900 in annual drug costs, despite federal efforts to promote the program. The program helps beneficiaries reduce their prescription drug costs through Medicare Part D. About 10 million of the 25 million Part D beneficiaries participate in the program, and about eight million of those were enrolled automatically.

Report Finds Gap Between Medicare Taxes, Benefits The amount U.S. residents pay in Medicare taxes falls short of covering the full value of benefits Medicare beneficiaries receive, according to a recent analysis by the Urban Institute. The report found that a couple whose annual income is $89,000 will have paid $114,000 in Medicare payroll taxes during their working years and can expect to receive $355,000 in medical services upon retiring in 2011.

California Opens New System for Health Plan Enrollment [In December 2010] California opened public access to a new system that allows families to apply online for coverage in public health insurance programs. The online platform, called Health-e-App, offers preliminary eligibility screening for Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, and lets families apply for coverage in Healthy Families, the state's Children's Health Insurance Program. Enrollment in the Access for Infants and Mothers program is expected to be added early next year. Health-e-App was developed by the California HealthCare Foundation in 2001 and licensed to California to help reduce the number of uninsured children in the state. CHCF publishes California Healthline.

4) From Carepages – www.carepages.com

For a list of healthy foods to eat to relieve stress go to cms.carepages.com/CarePages/en/ArticlesTips/FeatureArticles/Contributors/healthy-meals-during-stress.html

5) From CurXeD – curexd.human.cornell.edu

[Under the AHA, i]t is well publicized that there will be a 50% discount on the cost of brand name medications in the [Part D] coverage gap. Less well known is a gradual reduction in the cost of generic medications in the coverage gap, beginning with a 7% reduction in 2011, subsidized by the federal government.

6) I do hope you are all following the (USC) Dean’s Council on Health Reform at www.healthreform.usc.edu/ It is a very rich site

7) From iHealthBeat - www.ihealthbeat.org/

Survey: Patients Face Difficulty Finding Online Information on Doctors Many people experience difficulty finding information about primary care physicians and would like more information about doctors to be available online, according to a recent survey released by Insider Pages and conducted by Harris Interactive, Healthcare IT News reports.

Final Rule Gets Ball Rolling for Permanent Certification Program Earlier [in January] the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT released a final rule to establish the permanent certification program for health IT. The rule did not include any big surprises, something stakeholders say they are pleased about.

Baby Boomers To Help Expand Mobile Health Market, Report Says A report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Enterprise Forum of the Northwest predicts that baby boomers will contribute to an expansion of the mobile health IT market. The report notes that many seniors are interested in telemedicine tools. NextGov, Mobihealthnews.

New Technologies Aim To Help Seniors Remain in Their Homes Longer Family members can turn to a wide variety of new devices to help them monitor the health and safety of elderly relatives who would like to continue living at home. Some new technologies include computerized pill boxes, location systems and movement-tracking sensors. HealthDay.

FDA's Safety Tracking System for Devices and Drugs Making Advances FDA is launching a pilot program to tap into roughly 70 million electronic health records in the coming year to track safety issues of approved drugs. The effort is part of the larger Sentinel Initiative, FDA's electronic surveillance network. CQ HealthBeat, MedPage Today.

More Patients Meeting With Doctors Via Web Programs Such as Skype Patients increasingly are making appointments to meet with physicians online via web cameras, MyHealthNewsDaily/Yahoo! News reports.

Federal Officials Aim To Release New Rules on HIPAA, HITECH in 2011 HHS' Office for Civil Rights plans to release final rules related to the HITECH Act and HIPAA privacy and security regulations next year, according to a senior OCR official, HealthLeaders Media reports.

For information on on-line patient community sites, go to www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2010/12/20/social-networking-sites-gain-ground-for-sharing-personal-health-data.aspx

8) From miscellaneous sources

California nursing homes must now post their ratings. For more information, go to www.latimes.com/health/la-me-nursing-home-20101227,0,1165709.story

For the best tech ideas of the year 2010, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/technology/personaltech/30pogue.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

For 10 ways to get the most out of technology, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/technology/personaltech/30basics.html?emc=eta1

Doing your taxes? For help go to personal.fidelity.com/planning/tax/?fca_id=20104299p01

To see a blog for feminist women retiring go to forthefirstime.ca/

9) 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

For recordings of the webinars, go to the archives at www.ncoa.org/calendar-of-events/events-archive.html?
utm_source=NCOAWeek_101026&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=NCOAWeek

Higher Part D Premiums for Beneficiaries with Higher Incomes Starting in 2011, [people] who pay a higher Part B premium because their modified adjusted gross income is above the threshold will also have to pay a slightly higher portion of their Part D plan premium.

10) From NCOA – www.ncoa.org

For information on CLASS, the long term care part of the Affordable Healthcare Act, go to www.advanceclass.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=74

NCOA also has webinars. For a list of past webinars (recordings are available) go to www.mymedicarecommunity.org/forumdisplay.php?f=31?utm_source=BenefitsAlert_110105&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=BenefitsAlert

For information on the Senior Community Employment Program (job training for seniors) go to www.ncoa.org/enhancing-economic-security/mature-workers/senior-community-service-employment-program-scsep/

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

If you have a reverse mortgage, you need to read about possible weakened oversight of the process www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/opinion/20mon2.html?emc=eta1

For another approach to fall prevention, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/health/research/30aging.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

For an article on treatment for macular degeneration, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/health/policy/22retina.html?nl=health&emc=healthupdateema4

For help minimizing being tracked by on-line tracking programs, go to www.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/technology/personaltech/11basics.html?emc=eta1