From the Web by Elaine Steward #22

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.

To view art at a number of famous museums around the world, go to www.googleartproject.com/

For an overview of how to get the most out of the site, go to www.ted.com/talks/amit_sood_building_a_museum_of_museums_on_the_web.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2011-05-17&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

For a variety of needs assessment (over and above Medicare) tools for seniors, go to www.benefitscheckup.org/

The American Chronic Pain Association offers resources and support for people living with chronic pain, and helpful information for family caregivers. Go to www.theacpa.org/default.aspx

For 25 “Tech Tips” go to pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/25-more-tech-tips-and-tricks/?nl=technology&emc=cta1

For advice on how to protect your identity if your wallet goes missing, go to www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-08-2010/a_wallet_gone_awol_.html

For a video on the correct way to tie your shoes (they won’t come untied as often) go to www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2011-05-24&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

An on-line workshop for managing chronic diseases is available nationwide. To enroll, go to selfmanage.org/BetterHealth/SignUp

For volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood, go to volunteers.aarp.org/ones/ctg/mansell/registrant/create.htm?registrant.firstName=Elaine®istrant.lastName=Steward®istrant.emailAddress=esslady@ix.netcom.com®istrant.postalCode=91107&language=en&trace=MansellQ22011Campaign-a

1) From AARP – bulletin.aarp.org

For a list of six expenses to reexamine when one retires, go to www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-04-2011/money-saving-tips-for-retirees.2.html

For information on strokes – from symptoms to what a stroke is to what to do if you or someone you are with is having one – go to www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-04-2011/are-you-having-a-stroke.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-051311-F2t-7&USEG_ID=6388998522

For Ways to increase intimacy, go to www.aarp.org/personal-growth/transitions/info-05-2011/5-weeks-ep2-better-sex.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-061711-F2-4&USEG_ID=6388998522

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

Legislation Aims To Help Patients Obtain Quicker Coverage for Pain Drugs Under AB 369, by Assembly member Jared Huffman, insurers could require patients with chronic pain to try no more than two low-cost drugs before covering a physician-prescribed medication. The bill is before the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. Marin Independent Journal.

Trustees Say Medicare Hospital Trust Fund Will Be Exhausted in 2024 The Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2024, five years earlier than last year's estimates, according to the annual Social Security and Medicare Trustees report (Ohlemacher, AP/Bloomberg BusinessWeek, 5/13).

Changing the Culture in Nursing Homes Culture change in nursing homes can have a powerful impact on the daily life of residents and caregivers and on the quality of care. A new paper assesses the efforts of the California Culture Change Coalition to promote person-centered care.

Advocates Prepare To Fight Over Cuts to Adult Day Health Care Advocates for seniors and residents with disabilities are gearing up for a fight over Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) plan to eliminate California's adult day health care program, the Contra Costa Times reports (Kleffman, Contra Costa Times, 5/22)

Top Court Rules Against Stanford in Patent Battle Over HIV Test Kit On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 against Stanford University in a patent battle over a test that measures HIV levels in a patient's blood, the New York Times reports (Liptak, New York Times, 6/6).

Judges Hear Arguments in Largest Case Against Health Reform Law On [8 June] a three-judge panel at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta heard oral arguments and asked tough questions in the multistate lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the federal health reform law and its individual mandate, the Washington Post reports (Aizenman, Washington Post, 6/8).

HHS Announces $40M for Chronic Disease Prevention On [7 June] HHS announced the availability of about $40 million for state efforts to strengthen chronic disease prevention programs. The funding, which comes from the federal health reform law, will target arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. CDC will oversee the initiative.

Report: Employers Rethinking Health Coverage for Retirees More than 40% of employers are contemplating ending group health plans for retirees who do not yet qualify for Medicare because of the federal health reform law, according to a report by Towers Watson and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists. The report notes that the employers intend to encourage pre-Medicare retirees to purchase coverage through the state-based health insurance exchanges that launch in 2014.


3) From Carepages – www.carepages.com

For suggestions on how to recharge when you are feeling down, go to cms.carepages.com/CarePages/en/ArticlesTips/HelpfulTips/BetterYou/five_senses.html?xid=nl_EverydayCaringFromCarePages_20110526

For some guidance on writing a will, go to cms.carepages.com/CarePages/en/ArticlesTips/HelpfulTips/how-to-write-a-will.html?xid=nl_EverydayCaringFromCarePages_20110623


4) 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

5) From iHealthBeat - www.ihealthbeat.org/

Risk Calculators Reduce Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds Computer-based risk calculators that can be integrated into electronic health record systems can help doctors develop individualized treatment guidelines, according to a study published [12 May] in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Reuters reports

HHS To Release Final Rule on HIPAA Privacy, Security by End of Year A final omnibus rule to strengthen HIPAA privacy and security safeguards and provide better protection for electronic health data will be released by the end of 2011, according to an HHS official, Government Health IT reports.

Telehealth Reduces Mortality Rates, Length of Stay for ICU Patients Telehealth services used in intensive care units are associated with lower mortality rates and shorter hospital stays, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, HealthDay reports (Dallas, HealthDay, 5/16).

CVS To Test Electronic Prior Authorization for Prescription Medication CVS Caremark will pilot electronic prior authorization capabilities in an attempt to help develop technical standards for the capability. Electronic prescribing network operator Surescripts will participate in the program. Healthcare IT News, Becker's Hospital Review.

ONC Releases First Examinations To Assess Health IT Professionals On [20 May] the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT released the first set of examinations to help stakeholders measure skill levels for certain health IT competencies that have been identified as essential. More than 27,000 health IT students and workers will be eligible for vouchers to take an exam at no cost. Government Health IT, HealthLeaders Media.

Increasing Number of Colleges Use Electronic Mental Health Screening More college campus counseling centers are opting for computerized mental health screening questionnaires over traditional paper evaluations to spot more serious issues quickly and to deal with increasing demand for mental health services, the AP/Miami Herald reports.

Senators Call for Greater Use of Rx Drug Monitoring Systems On [24 May] the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism pressed administration officials and experts for strategies to curb widespread prescription drug misuse, such as electronic tracking systems, McClatchy/Miami Herald reports.

Proposed Rule Would Open Up Medicare Data for Public Reports On [3 June] CMS issued a proposed rule that would allow certain qualified organizations to access Medicare data to compile quality and safety reports about physician practices, hospitals and other health care providers, HealthLeaders Media reports (Tocknell, HealthLeaders Media, 6/6).

CMS To Use Predictive Modeling Tools To Detect Medicare Fraud On July 1, the federal government plans to start using predictive modeling software to uncover potential Medicare and Medicaid fraud before paying claims, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Sell, Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/17).

Palm Scanning Tool Cuts Back on Patient ID Errors, Boosts Security Vein recognition technology that links to electronic health record systems can help expedite patient registration and prevent duplication and fraud, InformationWeek reports.

6) From Kaiser Health News – www.kaiserhealthnews.org/

For an eight committee, bipartisan report of “Proposals to Reduce Health Care Spending and the Deficit, go to www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/May/26/Peterson-Health-Care-Deficit-Proposals.aspx

If you must go to a hospital at night or on a weekend, here are some suggestions offered by experts to help patients and families keep themselves safe: www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/June/07/nocturnist-sidebar.aspx

Consumers Maybe Be Unaware Of Their Right To a Review O[f] Health Plan Decisions Reporting for Kaiser Health News, Susan Jaffe writes: “Millions of Americans gained the right this year to appeal decisions made by health plans to an outside, independent decision-maker. But many of these consumers might not know they have the new option -- and when they find out, it might be too late” (Jaffe, 6/10).

HHS Scales Back Rules On Health Insurance Appeals The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it is scaling back some of its earlier rules under the 2010 health law that governed consumers' right to appeal denials by health plans, disappointing patient advocates and earning praise from industry groups (Jaffe, 6/23).

7) 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


8) From miscellaneous sources

The Independent Payment Advisory Board was created by the 2010 health care law. Last month, in releasing his deficit-reduction plan, President Obama called for increasing the panel’s authority, saying it was critical to controlling the costs of the program, estimated at $524 billion in fiscal 2010. For more, see
www.washingtonpost.com/national/health/controversial-health-board-braces-for-continued-battles-over-medicare/2011/05/03/AFR2ZwTG_story.html

If you are concerned about your gas mileage check out the following for gas saving ideas: www.budgettravel.com/feature/the-7-most-common-gas-guzzling-mistakes,7330/?wpisrc=newsletter

9) From NCOA – www.ncoa.org

For a variety of needs assessment (help over and above Medicare) tools for seniors, go to www.benefitscheckup.org/

For a list of The National Council on Aging’s recommendations on the renewal of the Older Americans Act, go to www.ncoa.org/public-policy/older-americans-act/

Trustees Report on Medicare, Social Security The Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees released a report [the week of 6 June] showing that while Medicare and Social Security are financially strong today, there is more work to be done. The Medicare Part A Trust Fund will remain solvent for another 13 years—eight years more than expected thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The combined Social Security Trust Funds have resources to pay full benefits for the coming 25 years, the report states.

For a very nice summary of the various Medicare programs, especially Medicare Part D (the drug plan), go to www.centerforbenefits.org/core_benefits_part_d.html

To see the Global Coalition on Population Aging’s 7 Principles, go to www.globalcoalitiononaging.com/?id=global-principles

10) From The New York Times – nytdirect@nytimes.com

For an analysis of the “evidence” indicating that cellphones cause cancer go to well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/piercing-the-fog-around-cellphones-and-cancer/?nl=health&emc=healthupdateema2

Biggest Banks in Reverse Mortgages Exit Business Wells Fargo and Bank of America have left the business, as falling home prices have made it more unpredictable.