From the web by Elaine Steward #25

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.

The enrollment period for 2012 Medicare Part D (prescription drug) coverage will begin on 15 October 2011 and will end on 7 December 2011. These dates are different from those used in prior years.

For instructions on how to use the Medicare plan finder, go to www.mymedicarematters.org/PrescriptionDrugs/Instructions/instructions.php

For other open enrollment help, go to www.ncoa.org/enhance-economic-security/benefits-access/5-things-about-open-enrollment.html

Technical support professionals say that users create the need for at least half of all computer repairs by unknowingly damaging their machines.
www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/technology/personaltech/tips-for-avoiding-user-errors-with-computers.html?emc=eta1

Looking for a better price on prescription drugs? This website compares prices (before insurance discounts – that’s the price which is used to calculate when you reach the “donut hole”) www.goodrx.com/

For an EXCELLENT description of the benefits of thorough estate planning, take a look at www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/11/27/reader-story-what-my-fathers-death-taught-me-about-estate-planning/


1) From AARP – bulletin.aarp.org

For a to-do list of estate planning, go to www.aarp.org/money/estate-planning/info-10-2011/estate-planning-to-do-list.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-110411-F4t-23&USEG_ID=6388998522

For email safety basics, go to www.aarp.org/technology/how-to-guides/info-05http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif-2011/more-email-safety-basics.html


2) From Aging in Stride – www.aginginstride.org
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For guidance on safety during the holidays, see aginginstride.enewsworks.com/en/13/articles/287/Safety-Tips-for-the-Holiday-Season.htm

3) From California Healthline – www.californiahealthline.org/
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Blue Shield To Return $295M as Part of Pledge To Limit Profits On [13 Oct] Blue Shield of California announced plans to return a total of $295 million to comply with a pledge it made earlier this year to cap profits at 2%...(Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 10/13).

Obama Opposes Repeal of CLASS Act Despite Suspension of Program On [17 Oct] White House officials said President Obama strongly opposes repealing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, despite the administration's decision [14 Oct] to suspend the program indefinitely, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports.

Study: Most Employers To Continue Coverage Under Health Reform Most employers will continue to offer health coverage to their workers after the federal health reform law is fully implemented, according to a study by the Urban Institute, CQ HealthBeat reports.

Health Board for Native Communities Pursues Plan To Expand Care The California Rural Indian Health Board is aiming to form a consortium of tribes to expand health care coverage in 37 California counties for Native Americans and Native Alaskans, HealthyCal reports.

Brown To Propose Reform for Pensions, Retiree Health Care On [27 Oct] Gov. Jerry Brown (D) plans to propose steps to overhaul California's public pension system in part by increasing how much workers pay toward their retirement and health care costs… The plan aims to reduce spending by about $900 million annually (AP/Washington Post, 10/26).

Medicare Premium Increase To Be Less Than Expected Monthly premiums for Medicare Part B, which covers physician visits and outpatient procedures, will rise by $3.50 next year to $99.90. Earlier this year, Medicare trustees projected that premiums would increase by $10.20. Obama administration officials attributed the lower rates in part to cost-cutting provisions under the federal health reform law and beneficiaries' lower use of services

LAO: Calif. Falls $3.7B Short of Fiscal Year's Revenue Expectations On [16 Nov] the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office released a report projecting that California will be $3.7 billion short of revenue expectations this fiscal year, raising the possibility that additional cuts to education, and health and human services programs will be needed… (Herdt, Ventura County Star, 11/16).

Study: Medicare Part D Copays To Rise Up to 40% Copayments for preferred brand-name drugs under Medicare's prescription drug plans are expected to increase by an average of 40% in 2012, while copays for non-preferred brand-name medications likely will increase by an average of 30%, according to a new Avalere Health study. Avalere noted that the study highlights how Medicare has started to shift costs to patients with chronic conditions who require more costly types of medications, while encouraging beneficiaries to select less costly generics to manage their conditions. Medicare officials challenged the findings of the study, noting that it is based on broad averages of the prices in the drug plans.

State High Court Ruling Supports Retiree Rights to Health Benefits The California Supreme Court has unanimously decided that a city or county cannot pare back health benefits for retired workers if it previously set coverage at a certain level and implied that the level would be maintained… (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 11/22).

5) 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.

6) From iHealthBeat - www.ihealthbeat.org/

HHS Issues Warning About Fake Health Care Reform Website On [12 Oct] HHS sent an email to consumer groups warning them about a private website that poses as an official information hub for the federal health reform law's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, Politico reports.

Indian Health Services CIO Calls for Expanding Access to Telehealth Testifying before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Indian Health Services acting CIO Howard Hays said that developing policies aimed at eliminating barriers to the adoption of telehealth technology will improve health care access and reduce costs for American Indians and Alaska Natives, InformationWeek reports.

Philanthropists Launch Technology-Focused Health Investment Fund On [19 Oct] California philanthropists Gary and Mary West announced the launch of a $100 million investment fund for health care companies that are working to improve care and lower costs, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Physicians' Use of Text Messages Sparks HIPAA Compliance Concerns Most physicians use text messaging to exchange patient information with other health care providers, but such communication could be a violation of federal privacy and security rules, experts said during a webinar Monday, BNA reports.

State Officials Worried About Sustainability of Health Data Exchanges Some state officials are concerned that new health information exchanges will not be able to sustain themselves after funds from the 2009 federal economic stimulus package run out, iWatch News reports.

VA To Offer Telehealth Services To Veterans Through New Initiative The Department of Veterans Affairs and American Well recently announced an initiative to provide telehealth services to veterans in their homes, workplaces and other locations using American Well's platform, Healthcare IT News reports (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 11/7).

Bill Aims To Help Rural Clinics Get Medicare EHR Incentive Pay Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) has introduced a bill (HR 3458) that would make rural health clinics eligible for Medicare incentive payments under the meaningful use program, CQ HealthBeat reports.

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

Cancer Patients Could Benefit From Greater Use Of Rehabilitation Reporting for Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, Judith Graham writes: “Cancer rehabilitation focuses on problems that patients often experience after treatment, including fatigue, unsteadiness, pain, muscle weakness, swelling in their arms and legs, difficulty swallowing, numbness in the hands and feet, and cognitive changes” (Graham, 10/10). Read a related story: Offering Rehab Services Soon After Diagnosis Proves Beneficial (Kaiser Health News, Graham, 10/10).

Social Security To Hand Out First Raises Since ’09 Social Security recipients will get a raise in January — their first increase in benefits since 2009. It's expected to be about 3.5 percent. Some 55 million beneficiaries will find out for sure Wednesday when a government inflation measure that determines the annual cost-of-living adjustment is released. … Some of the increase in January will be lost to higher Medicare premiums, which are deducted from Social Security payments. Medicare Part B premiums for 2012 are expected to be announced next week, and the trustees who oversee the program are projecting an increase (Associated Press/Los Angeles Times 10/18).

Between A Hygienist And A Dentist, A Hard Sell Kansas Public Radio reporter Bryan Thompson filed this story as part of a reporting partnership that includes Kaiser Health News, Kansas Public Radio and NPR: “In Kansas and a few other states, advocates and some lawmakers want to solve this problem by creating a new level of dental care. A registered dental practitioner, or RDP, would have more training than a dental hygienist, but less than a dentist. Mid-level dental providers have been practicing in Alaska since 2005, and legislation has recently passed in Minnesota to establish the new level of care. Bills have been introduced in Ohio, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington” (Kaiser Health News,Thompson, 10/25).

By agreeing [on 14 Nov] to hear challenges to President Obama's 2010 health care law, the Supreme Court set the stage for a decision -- probably in late June and in the midst of the presidential campaign -- that could be among its most important in decades. Kaiser Health News, Taylor For an analysis, go to www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/November/14/stuart-taylor-supreme-court-health-law-hearing-analysis.aspx

Health Insurance Rate Hike Requests Go Online Consumers can check out detailed information regarding health insurers' rate hike requests on a new website set up by the state Department of Financial Services (Associated Press/Wall Street Journal 11/17).

8) 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


9) From NCOA – www.ncoa.org

[NCOA/s] Reverse Mortgage Counseling Services Network is one of five national counseling groups approved by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. To schedule a counseling session, call toll-free (800) 510-0301.

Don’t forget the six-week on-line course for managing chronic diseases at selfmanage.org/BetterHealth/SignUp



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

Plan Would Delay Sales of Generic for Lipitor The biggest introduction of a generic drug in pharmaceutical history is being met with tough business strategies by Pfizer and pharmacy benefit companies, according to recent letters to pharmacists. Many drugstores are being asked to block prescriptions for a generic version of Pfizer’s Lipitor starting Dec. 1, when the company loses its patent for the blockbuster cholesterol drug and generic competition begins.