Lots more Pictures of the Rally through the Twitpic link below….
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Patient Advocate Foundation
Most Interesting Site…..
Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases.
Clinician Reports Fast Healing Of Intractable Wounds Using MEDIHONEY(R)
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…..The study was a confirmatory case series following a positive large 108-patient randomized controlled study published in 2008 on a similar patient population, all of whom suffered from non-healing VLUs, a particularly painful and difficult-to-heal chronic wound. In the recent case series, 11 patients were enrolled with VLUs that had not healed with other advanced wound care modalities - including the gold standard multi-layered compression, as well as silver antimicrobial dressings, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and antibiotic therapy - for at least 4 months' duration. The study was designed to measure the percentage of wounds that healed in the standard timeframe of 12 weeks, but all 11 wounds healed within 6 weeks, with over half healing within 4 weeks.
According to Dr Hanft, "As renewed interest in the use of sterile, medical-grade honey to achieve wound closure increases, justified by increased scientific and clinical data, the healing potential of MEDIHONEY may serve as a pivotal clinical decision to accelerate the closure of recalcitrant wounds of the lower extremity."…..
Clinician Reports Fast Healing Of Intractable Wounds Using MEDIHONEY(R)
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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Planning Ahead Can Help Caregivers
Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding experience, but it can oftentimes be challenging and stressful work. Taking steps to plan ahead can make a significant difference in relieving stress and help to lighten the caregiver's load….
Family Caregiving 101, a Web site launched by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), advises potential care providers to start by learning about eldercare issues such as Medicare, living wills and powers of attorney.
"Caregivers should also make it a point to know who their loved one's physicians are, the medications they take and why, and details about their condition," said Perry. "This information can better prepare them for unusual situations that may be encountered when caring for someone. It can also help plan future care needs."….
Twitpic / NationalADAPT
Lots of new pictures at TwitPic link below and lots of new Tweets at http://twitter.com/NationalADAPT. Today brings SEIU, ADAPT, and NCIL together to rally for the Community Choice Act at Noon. There will be lots of pictures and Tweets, so keep following the action. Hundreds attending!!!
NationalADAPT (NationalADAPT) on Twitter
You can follow all the Action action on National Adapt’s Twitter Account. Sign up as a follower and get the arrests as they are happening. Today is the Rally with hundreds of people pressing for passage of the CCA.
The Center for Disability Rights - Free Our People
ADAPT Action II - Taking the message to Congress!
Tell congressional leaders that CCA must be part of healthcare reform.04/28/2009 UPDATE: Approximately 100 people were arrested on capitol hill at noon today.
Despite high hopes of inclusion of the Community Choice Act in healthcare reform, ADAPT has received a clear message from Congressional leadership - "no." ADAPT members have met with Representatives and Senators and their staff to stress the critical need to reform long term care by passing the Community Choice Act as part of national healthcare reform.
Despite the demand by 100s of organizations across the nation, Congressional leaders continue to refuse to address long term services and supports as part of healthcare reform.…..
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
NCSL Urged To Back New AHCA-NCAL-Alliance Medicare Post-Acute And Long Term Care Reform Plan
Following up on the announcement this week by Avalere Health that a new Medicare post-acute and long term care reform plan developed by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) and Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care could both enhance U.S. seniors' care choices as well as save approximately $35 billion in federal funds over ten years, AHCA and NCAL today turned their attention to how the plan will benefit state lawmakers as they struggle with fiscal crises of historic magnitude. The spring meeting of the National Conference of State Legislature's (NCSL) commences today in Washington….
NCSL Urged To Back New AHCA-NCAL-Alliance Medicare Post-Acute And Long Term Care Reform Plan
Who Moved My Dentures? Musings on Aging.: Legislation to expand access to long-term care insurance introduced.
Legislation to expand access to long-term care insurance and strengthen consumer protections of these insurance products has been introduced in the House. The Long-Term Care Affordability and Security Act of 2009 would permit long-term care insurance to be included in employer-sponsored cafeteria plans and flexible spending accounts, enabling people to pay long-term care insurance premiums using pre-tax dollars…..
NationalADAPT (NationalADAPT) on Twitter
Many more details of the White House protest on nationaladapt Twitter. Click link at bottom.
http://twitpic.com/44u8e - Tom Earl handcuffed to the White House fence.about 9 hours ago from TwitPic http://twitpic.com/44u67 - Nancy says it loud and proud.about 9 hours ago from TwitPic http://twitpic.com/44u4b - Chris Hilderbrant started chants in front of the White House.about 9 hours ago from TwitPic http://twitpic.com/44tyv - Patricia Zeigler at the White House protestabout 9 hours ago from TwitPic http://twitpic.com/44twk - Johnny Crescendo sang for the crowd in
Police Arrest 91 With Disabilities Demonstrating Outside White House - Disability Scoop
U.S. Park Police arrested 91 people, many in wheelchairs, outside the White House Monday afternoon. Those arrested were part of a group demonstrating in support of legislation that would allow people with disabilities to use federal funding to pay for attendant services in the community rather than nursing home care.
More pictures at http://twitpic.com/photos/NationalADAPT
The demonstration came after representatives of ADAPT, a disability rights group, met with officials at the White House Monday morning to request that the Community Choice Act be included in efforts to reform the health care system. When the group failed to get any such commitment from the administration, they began demonstrating outside the White House.
Police Arrest 91 With Disabilities Demonstrating Outside White House - Disability Scoop
Monday, April 27, 2009
Yes, Looks Do Matter - NYTimes.com
FOR more than a week now, people on both sides of the Atlantic have been using the story of Susan Boyle — the dowdy Scottish spinster who sang her way to fame on “Britain’s Got Talent” TV show — as an example of just how shallow we’ve become.
Andy Barr/News International/ZUMA Press
WHAT YOU SEE ... in the case of Susan Boyle, isn’t what “Britain’s Got Talent” (or the world) expected.
Related
Unlikely Singer Is YouTube Sensation (April 18, 2009)
Andrew Milligan/Associated Press
WHO’S THAT GIRL! Fame has changed Susan Boyle (her look, anyway).
Readers' Comments
Readers shared their thoughts on this article.Before she sang, Ms. Boyle seemed to be merely a frumpy 47-year-old unemployed church volunteer who lived alone with her cat, Pebbles, and had, she said, “never been kissed” (a claim that she later took back).
Now, after the video of her performance went viral, a flurry of commentary has focused on how we stereotype people into categories, how we fall victim to the prejudices of ageism or look-ism, and how we should learn, once and for all, not to judge books by their covers.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Twitpic / NationalADAPT
Pictures from the Funrun and the national Action. Click Twitpic link for more.
ADAPT - Home Page
First trickles of activity from the Washington DC ADAPT Action to support the Community Choice Act. There is a Rally on Wednesday at Senate Park around 11 am, if you are in the area.
The Community Choice Act would make Choice for LTC Federal Law, so it is a critical step in real reform. You can find more info about the CCA on the ADAPT Home Page. Look for the link to a CCA pdf or click on the link in the navigation sidebar.
More soon.
If you have a Twitter Account, you can follow the action, including pictures, by following National ADAPT
Saturday, April 25, 2009
What to ask when considering a reverse mortgage - MarketWatch
…….You have not provided me with nearly enough information with which I need to give you a proper answer. So I took the liberty of running your question by Cyndi Stephenson, who manages the reverse mortgage division at HomeFirst Mortgage Corp., a mortgage brokerage firm in Alexandria, Va.
Stephenson says that if you and she were sitting down together, one-on-one, she would ask you these questions:
Do you have any liens on the property at this time?
How much longer would you plan to stay in this home if you do a reverse mortgage?
Which one of you is 71?
What is the ZIP code for the property?
Is it a single family residence, condominium or a townhouse?
What are your priorities, both long- and short-term?
Do you plan to leave something to your heirs? To charity?
The reverse mortgage specialist also would ask a question she says keeps her awake at night and that is: Do you have long-term-care insurance?
"I do not worry at all about those who plan to live in the home until they pass away, that is exactly what this product is designed to support," she explains. "What I worry about are those who take out a reverse mortgage, live in their home for maybe three years, then have a stroke or suffer some other disabling illness or injury and need to get moved immediately into an assisted living facility. Especially if they are single."……
What to ask when considering a reverse mortgage - MarketWatch
Friday, April 24, 2009
Who Moved My Dentures? Musings on Aging.: Intergenerational Programs in Nursing Homes Good for the Young and Old
The Isabella Geriatric Center in New York city has an innovative program, really a culture of connecting the generations. Their Project N.O.I.S.E.E. (Naturally Occurring Interactions in a Shared Environment Everyday) is an intergenerational program that grew out of a partnership formed between their on-site childcare center and their Therapeutic Recreation Department….
Children bring noise—laughter, screams and giggles—and their physical presence completely changes the atmosphere, injecting enthusiasm, energy and youthful excitement….
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Find Quality Senior Care with Our Senior Housing Guide | GilbertGuide
GG has new structured guides for senior supports. Well worth a look.
Find Quality Senior Care with Our Senior Housing Guide | GilbertGuide
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Community Health Digest: 4/20/09 - Implementing Change in Long-Term Care: A Practical Guide to Transformation
4/20/09 - Implementing Change in Long-Term Care: A Practical Guide to Transformation
Implementing Change in Long-Term Care: A Practical Guide to Transformation is a manual for nursing home staff that offers evidence-based recommendations on preparing a nursing home to take the first steps toward clinical and cultural changes, as well as methods to implement and sustain those changes.
One long-term care reform proposal would save billions, report finds - McKnight's Long Term Care News
Certain long-term care reforms could save the government $35 billion over the next 10 years, while providing for more effective reimbursement and post-acute care systems, according to a report released today by Avalere Health.
The report analyzes a long-term care reform proposal put forth by the American Health Care Association, the National Center for Assisted Living and the National Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care. Highlights of the proposal include:
— The creation of a new, site-neutral Medicare payment system for post-acute care based on patients' conditions and medical needs. Decisions would be based on more evidence using a standardized patient assessment tool.
— The creation of a fully federalized, voluntary, catastrophic long-term care (LTC) benefit. Medicaid no longer would pay for LTC for seniors.
— An increased amount of private funds used for long-term care services. Individuals would share the cost burden of the new LTC benefit in the form of a personal responsibility allowance, scaled to income…..
Senate Finance Committee meets with long-term care, other healthcare industry representatives today - McKnight's Long Term Care News
Lawmakers in Washington returned to work this week after the spring recess, and they are wasting no time in resuming the debate over healthcare reform. The Senate Finance Committee is meeting today to discuss the issue with more than a dozen representatives from the healthcare industry, including long-term care.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking member Charles Grassley (R-IA) will hold a roundtable discussion this afternoon with experts in a variety of different fields of the healthcare world. Representing the interests of long-term care groups in this meeting will be Paul J. Diaz, president and CEO of Kindred Healthcare Inc. In a letter sent Monday to President Obama, Baucus and fellow Senate healthcare reform activist Ted Kennedy (D-MA) reaffirmed their commitment to healthcare reform, saying they would have legislation ready to mark up by June of this year….
Crisis in long-term health: Boomers caring for elderly parents, but who will care for them? - TwinCities.com
Maggie Jessen was once the death of her mother — a teenage wild child who smoked and ignored schoolwork and left home at age 16 after an argument with her father.
Now, she is the lifeline keeping her 91-year-old mother, Maurine Martin, out of a nursing home….
FCA: Women and Caregiving: Facts and Figures
Most older persons with long-term care needs—65%—rely exclusively on family and friends to provide assistance.1 Another 30% will supplement family care with assistance from paid providers.2 Care provided by family and friends can determine whether older persons can remain at home. In fact, 50% of the elderly who have a long-term care need but no family available to care for them are in nursing homes, while only 7% who have a family caregiver are in institutional settings.3
Friday, April 17, 2009
CMS Guidelines Call for Homelike Environments in Nursing Homes at PHInational.org
On Friday, April 10, CMS issued its new interpretive guidelines for state surveyors.
These guidelines provide surveyors with detailed information on how to assess nursing home compliance with OBRA 1987 regulations, which cover issues related to physical environment, resident rights, and resident health and safety.
The changes, which go into effect on June 17, 2009, are intended to support efforts underway to transform nursing homes into “homey” environments through both environmental changes and resident-centered caregiving.
CMS Guidelines Call for Homelike Environments in Nursing Homes at PHInational.org
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wireless body sensors to help prevent falls in seniors
When an older person is injured in a fall, the cost is significant, both in quality of life and medical expense.
Wireless body sensor networks that monitor gait, being developed by University of Virginia researchers, could offer a solution on both fronts.
A new consortium of researchers from U.Va.'s School of Engineering, School of Medicine and Department of Psychology, in partnership with the U.Va. Institute on Aging's Translational Research Consortium and AFrame Digital, Inc., a health monitoring and medical alert products company, will soon be providing the wearable sensors to residents of some area long-term care facilities….
Rule raises a red flag: long-term care facilities on guard against new law - McKnight's Long Term Care News
After combing through 60 pages of regulations with special emphasis on the last four, a look at the final rule reveals the need to help Uncle Sam tighten the screws on identity theft….
Not a bad cause. This amendment to the FACT (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions) Act is often referred to as the Red Flags Rules. Created in response to a crippling rise in identity theft and medical fraud, the heart of this legislation lies in detecting identity theft long before the customer ever realizes it has happened. It also deals with developing strategies to prevent the loss of secured information as well as procedures for mitigation once identified….
The Red Flags Rules address any facility that provides a service and then bills for the service (deemed a creditor). The law requires a program, not just a document…..
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The BIG picture: Nursing homes are not long-term care's embarrasing relatives - McKnight's Long Term Care News
OMG!!
I grew up near neighbors who hid their mentally disabled child in the basement whenever company paid a visit.
Had a bit of a flashback last month, when the Senate Special Committee on Aging decided to hold a hearing on future directions for long-term care. This time, the nursing home industry was quickly walked down the stairs.
WTH?
Review: Do Feeding Tubes Help Or Harm In Advanced Dementia?
Family members grappling with the decision to allow a feeding tube for a relative with advanced dementia will find little comfort from a new review of evidence….
Do feeding tubes actually help people with degenerative dementia? In a new Cochrane review from London, doctors searched for evidence that this intervention was beneficial.
"We found that there is no research evidence that tube feeding prolongs survival or improves the quality of life for people with advanced dementia," said lead author Elizabeth Sampson, M.D. "In fact, some studies suggest that tube feeding may have an effect opposite…….
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit - Long Term Care Benefits for Veterans
….VA estimates the number of veterans aged 75 and older has increased from about 2.6 million in 1995 to about 4.9 million in 2005. The older a person the more likely the need for long term care…..
…State veterans homes fill an important need for veterans with low income and veterans who desire to spend their last years with "comrades" from former active duty. The predominant service offered is nursing home care…..
…..From state to state, facilities vary in their rules for eligible veterans. Even in the same state it is common, where there is more than one state home, for some homes to have very stringent eligibility rules and others to be more lenient. These differing rules are probably based on the demand for care and the available beds in that particular geographic area……
…
Veterans Health Administration Long Term Care Benefits
The following was taken from a Department of Veterans Affairs fact sheet dated January 2005 and distributed by the office of public affairs media relations;…..
Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit - Long Term Care Benefits for Veterans
Monday, April 13, 2009
Reduced Standard Of Care For Hispanics In Nursing Homes
Nursing homes serving primarily Hispanic residents provided poorer quality care compared to facilities whose patients were mostly white, according to Brown University research. Details were published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.
Researchers reached their conclusions after looking at the rate of bed sores at nursing homes with high concentrations of Hispanic patients, compared to others with low concentrations. Hispanics at nursing homes with a high rate of Hispanic residents were more likely to have bed sores, compared to Hispanics living in nursing homes with fewer Hispanic residents……
Health Care Reform Is Working In Massachusetts
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A new report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation finds that the overall distribution of spending on health insurance by employers, individuals, and government remained essentially the same between 2005, one year before passage of Massachusetts health reform, and 2007, one year after lawmakers passed the Massachusetts health care reform law. A critical component of the Massachusetts 2006 health reform statute was that the responsibility of paying for expanded access to health insurance be shared among the three groups……
Health Care Reform Is Working In Massachusetts
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AllianceLTCPaper.pdf (application/pdf Object)
As President Barack Obama and Congress debate health care reform, it is important that long-term
care be included.1 While not central to providing basic health insurance to all Americans, long-term care
should be part of efforts to improve health care for all Americans. Contrary to widespread belief that longterm
care affects only a small minority of the population, 69 percent of people turning age 65 will need
long-term care before they die and a third of the population will spend some time in a nursing home
(Kemper, Komisar and Alecxih, 2005/2006). In thinking about the place of long-term care in the health
reform debate, four factors are important:
First, with the aging of the population, the number of older people with disabilities is sure to grow
substantially. According to one estimate, the number of older people with disabilities will approximately
double between 2000 and 2030 (Johnson, Toomey, and Wiener, 2007). As a result, the relative financial
and other burdens of long-term care will be greater in the future than they are now. Comprehensive
reform will need to take into account both the number of people needing long-term care in the future and
their characteristics, which may be very different than today…..
Study finds multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria high in long-term care
The prevalence of a certain form of drug-resistant bacteria, called multidrug-resistant gram-negative (MDRGN) organisms, far surpassed that of two other common antimicrobial-resistant infections in long-term care facilities, according to a study conducted by researchers at Hebrew SeniorLife's Institute for Aging Research.
Residents at long-term care facilities are one of the main reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Epidemiological studies have focused primarily on two common antimicrobial-resistant organisms-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).
"Recently, it has become apparent that multidrug resistance among gram-negative bacteria is becoming an even greater problem in these facilities, with nearly half of long-term care facility residents harboring multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria," write the researchers, led by IFAR's Erin'O'Fallon, M.D., M.P.H., in the January issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences …..
Study finds multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria high in long-term care
Policy Expert: States Provide Models for National LTC Reform at PHInational.org
n a recent commentary for the Rockefeller Institute of Government (“Health Care Reform: Thinking Long Term,” March 2009), Courtney Burke, director of the institute’s New York State Health Policy Research Center, brought attention to the role of U.S. states in modeling effective reforms for long-term care.
“For decades, states have been experimenting with ways to improve [long-term care’s] quality and reduce its costs,” she wrote. “State innovations could serve as models for nationwide reforms.”
Burke lists four examples:……
Policy Expert: States Provide Models for National LTC Reform at PHInational.org
Thursday, April 9, 2009
CEAL Issue Brief - Medicaid: Impact on Long-Term Care — Inside Assisted Living
For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living (CEAL) is a non-profit collaborative of 11 national organizations that builds upon the work of the Assisted Living Workgroup (ALW), [U.S. Senate Special Committed on Aging Initiative].
CEAL’s goal is to promote high-quality assisted living and server as a national clearinghouse, bringing together research, practices, and policy that foster quality and affordability in assisted living.
In this brief, CEAL discusses Medicaid and the long-term care implications with declining state budgets. CEAL’s analysis is always very enlightening and presented in a compact format……
CEAL Issue Brief - Medicaid: Impact on Long-Term Care — Inside Assisted Living
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
10 Things Changing in an Aging America » Changing Aging - Ecumen
Amidst today’s horrible economic news is a growing, bright light called aging. It is a driving, transformational force in America that isn’t business as usual.
People over 50 represent 43% of all U.S. households. By 2020 the senior population will number 115 million. I and many others won’t stand for being warehoused, not having products that fit our desires and needs, or being depicted in a negative light, which media and Hollywood have so often done.
At Ecumen, we envision a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways. Following are 10 of the many things we see changing in an aging America - in fact, some already are:
1. Portable Personal Empowerment Technology: “Portable Personal Empowerment Technology” will become a major marketplace…….
10 Things Changing in an Aging America » Changing Aging - Ecumen
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - H.R.956 HealthCARE Act of 2009
HealthCARE Act of 2009
To expand the number of individuals and families with health insurance coverage, and for other purposes.
current 111st session of congress Other Bill Titles (3 more)Hide Other Bill Titles
- Short: HealthCARE Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Short: Health Coverage, Affordability, Responsibility, and Equity Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Official: To expand the number of individuals and families with health insurance coverage, and for other purposes. as introduced.
2/10/2009--Introduced.
Health Coverage, Affordability, Responsibility, and Equity Act of 2009 or the HealthCARE Act of 2009 - Permits a state to apply to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) for waivers of such provisions of law as may be necessary for the state to implement policies that make comprehensive, affordable health coverage available for all state residents. Requires the Secretary to establish a process for states to apply for a waiver to implement policies that emphasize the use of preventive services, care coordination by a personal physician, and health information technology.
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to allow state plans for medical assistance to provide Medicaid coverage to individuals who have incomes of no more than 100% of the poverty line.
Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of SSA to permit states to provide child health assistance to all targeted low-income children. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a refundable credit for the cost of qualified health insurance for the taxpayer or qualifying family members. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program to make advance payments to health insurance providers of credit for health insurance costs of eligible low-income individuals. Establishes a program under which the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall ensure that eligible individuals can enroll in private group health insurance through a purchasing pool operator in participating states. Directs the Secretary to establish standards for state-based reinsurance programs and permits the Secretary to award grants to states to cover the costs of such programs. Directs the Secretary to establish the National Advisory Commission on Expanded Access to Health Care to assess the effectiveness of programs designed to expand health care coverage.
... morehide bill summaryRead and Comment on Full Bill Text
Sponsor
Committees
Amendments
This bill has no amendments.
Amendments to H.R.956
Number
Status
Purpose
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - H.R.956 HealthCARE Act of 2009
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - S.547 Drug Rebate Equalization Act of 2009
Drug Rebate Equalization Act of 2009
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to reduce the costs of prescription drugs for enrollees of Medicaid managed care organizations by extending the discounts offered under fee-for-service Medicaid to such organizations.
current 111st session of congress Other Bill Titles (2 more)Hide Other Bill Titles- Short: Drug Rebate Equalization Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Official: A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to reduce the costs of prescription drugs for enrollees of Medicaid managed care organizations by extending the discounts offered under fee-for-service Medicaid to such organizations. as introduced.
Read and Comment on Full Bill Text
Sponsor
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - S.547 Drug Rebate Equalization Act of 2009
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - H.R.868 Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009
Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide funds to States to enable them to increase the wages paid to targeted direct support professionals in providing services to individuals with disabilities under the Medicaid Program.
current 111st session of congress Other Bill Titles (2 more)Hide Other Bill Titles- Short: Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Official: To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide funds to States to enable them to increase the wages paid to targeted direct support professionals in providing services to individuals with disabilities under the Medicaid Program. as introduced.
2/4/2009--Introduced.
Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide funds to states to enable them to increase the wages paid to targeted direct support professionals in providing services to individuals with disabilities under the Medicaid program. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, to audit a sample from among the states in order to assess the effectiveness of progress made in reducing or eliminating the wage gap between targeted and reference direct support professionals through funds under this Act. Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the wage equalization and recruitment and retention of direct support professionals who are providing services and supports to individuals with disabilities……
... morehide bill summary
Budget amendment would end bonuses for nursing homes with violations - McKnight's Long Term Care News
In the wake of the American Insurance Group (AIG) bonus scandal, the Senate approved an amendment to the budget bill that would eliminate bonuses paid to nursing homes and other government contractors that "fail to meet basic performance requirements."…….
mendment 892 targets nursing homes among other industries. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pays more than $312 million a year in quality-of-care bonuses to nursing homes that provide below average care and have past violations of health and safety regulations, according to Coburn's Web site. The amendment also ends bonuses awarded to contractors and government executives responsible for over-budget projects and programs that fail to meet basic performance requirements……
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - S.434 Empowered at Home Act of 2009
Empowered at Home Act of 2009
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve the State plan amendment option for providing home and community-based services under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes.
current 111st session of congress Other Bill Titles (2 more)Hide Other Bill Titles- Short: Empowered at Home Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Official: A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve the State plan amendment option for providing home and community-based services under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes. as introduced.
2/13/2009--Introduced.
Empowered at Home Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the income eligibility level for home and community-based (HCBS) services for elderly and disabled individuals. Gives states the option to provide HCBS services under a waiver to eligible individuals whose income does not exceed 300% of the supplemental security income (SSI) benefit rate. Gives states the option to provide HCBS waiver services to individuals for whom such services are likely to prevent, delay, or decrease the likelihood of an individual's need for institutionalized care. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award assistance grants to states electing to provide HCBS waiver services under Medicaid through the state plan amendment option. Reauthorizes Medicaid transformation grants at increased funding and specifies additional permissible uses to facilitate the provision of HCBS and other long-term care (LTC) services. Directs the Secretary to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible states to conduct an evidence- and community-based health promotion program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow:
(1) a tax deduction for premiums on qualified LTC insurance contracts; and
(2) a tax credit for certain caregivers taking care of individuals with LTC needs. Revises requirements for the model regulation and model Act concerning LTC insurance consumer protections and the excise tax for failing to meet requirements for such protections. Amends SSA title XIX, with respect to treatment of the income and resources of HCBS waiver services recipients who would otherwise be institutionalized, to repeal the state option for (thus requiring) application to such individuals of spousal impoverishment protection requirements. Allows states to elect to exclude up to six months of the average cost of nursing facility services from an individual's assets or resources for purposes of eligibility for HCBS waiver services. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to revise certain data reporting forms and systems to ensure uniform and consistent state reporting under this Act. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on:
(1) the provision of home health services under different state Medicaid plans; and
(2) the extent to which states offer consumer self-direction of such services, or allow for other consumer-oriented policies with respect to them.
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Read and Comment on Full Bill Text
……..
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - S.434 Empowered at Home Act of 2009
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - H.R.1205 Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2009
Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2009
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the establishment of ABLE accounts for the care of family members with disabilities, and for other purposes.
current 111st session of congress Other Bill Titles (3 more)Hide Other Bill Titles- Official: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the establishment of ABLE accounts for the care of family members with disabilities, and for other purposes. as introduced.
- Short: Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Short: ABLE Act of 2009 as introduced.
2/26/2009--Introduced.
Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2009 or the ABLE Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish tax-exempt ABLE accounts for individuals with a disability to pay certain expenses of such individuals, including expenses for education, housing, transportation, employment support, medical care, and certain life necessities. Defines "individual with a disability" as an individual who is eligible to receive certain supplemental security income benefits under the Social Security Act.
Allows individual taxpayers a tax deduction, up to $2,000 per year, for contributions to an ABLE account. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to study and report to Congress on the use of ABLE accounts and the effect of the tax deduction for contributions to such accounts.
Requires ABLE accounts to be disregarded in determining eligibility for Medicaid benefits and for purposes of determining eligibility for other means-tested federal programs.
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Read and Comment on Full Bill Text
OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - H.R.1205 Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2009
The Dementia Caregiver's Toolbox : Dementia Care: Using The Past To Help In The Present
Knowing a person's past and all the details about them is a great strategy for helping a person with dementia cope with the present moment. Using this valuable information, a dementia caregiver can assist the person with dementia to spend quality time that has meaning.....to them. An easy way to do this is to make "reminiscence boxes"…….
The Dementia Caregiver's Toolbox : Dementia Care: Using The Past To Help In The Present
Monday, April 6, 2009
James Love: People vs the Authors Guild, don't turn off text to speech in Kindle 2
As has been written about extensively in the press and the blogsphere, the Authors Guild has pressured Amazon to disable the text to speech feature in Kindle 2. This has set of a storm of opposition among groups that see the Guild's actions as harmful to access for persons who are reading disabled. Details are reported by the Reading Rights Coalition(http://www.readingrights.org) and by others. The Guild has issued this statement, which has been widely criticized by organizations working on accessibility issues.
Nothing is more moving than the comments of persons who are signing the "We want to read" petition to the Authors Guild.
If you are as outraged as I am, you might want to sign the petition, but also contact directly the members of the Guild Board of Directors: http://www.authorsguild.org/about/board.html who are directly responsible.
The following are only a few quotes from the petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/We-Want-To-Read
…….
James Love: People vs the Authors Guild, don't turn off text to speech in Kindle 2
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Key To Keeping Older Adults At Home Could Be Recognizing Cognitive Impairment
Doctors, nurses and others who provide health care to older adults are often so focused on acute medical problems that they may miss symptoms of cognitive impairment. A unique educational summit to be held in April and May in Indianapolis focuses on the problem and will enhance the skills of these health-care providers in recognizing and managing cognitive impairment. The goal is to enable older adults to remain in their homes.
According to Malaz Boustani, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine and a Regenstrief Institute research scientist, more than half of Americans with cognitive impairment are not recognized as having the conditions when they go to a hospital and more than three-quarters are not recognized as having cognitive impairment by their primary care physicians. The result is that less than 10 percent receive medications appropriate to their level of cognitive impairment and approximately one-quarter receive medications which are inappropriate.…..
The Key To Keeping Older Adults At Home Could Be Recognizing Cognitive Impairment
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Senators Boxer, Collins Reintroduce Legislation To Provide Quality Care For Older Americans
U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) yesterday reintroduced the Caring for an Aging America Act, legislation to ensure the healthcare workforce is prepared to meet the needs of our growing population of older Americans.
Senator Boxer said, "Our nation is facing an immediate and growing crisis in providing care for our aging population. Ensuring we have a well-trained health care workforce with the skills to care for our aging population is a critical investment in America's future. I am proud to sponsor legislation that will provide incentives to help qualified practitioners join the geriatrics and gerontology fields."……
Senators Boxer, Collins Reintroduce Legislation To Provide Quality Care For Older Americans
Compassion Fatigue: Impact On Healthcare Providers Of Caring For The Terminally Ill
Compassion fatigue in nurses, doctors and other front line cancer-care providers significantly impacts how they interact with patients, with patient families, with other healthcare workers, and with their own family, according to analysis by Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute researchers published in the March issue of the Journal of Health Psychology…….
Compassion Fatigue: Impact On Healthcare Providers Of Caring For The Terminally Ill
AHCA: Medicare payment 'bundling' could have 'unintended consequences' for long-term care - McKnight's Long Term Care News
The "bundling" of Medicare payments after a hospital stay could have negative repercussions for long-term care and merits further investigation, the American Health Care Association said Wednesday.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services currently is involved in a post-acute care bundling demonstration project. The program, which seeks to compare services, costs and outcomes across various provider settings, should be completed and evaluated before a bundling program is implemented nationwide, AHCA President and CEO Bruce Yarwood said. President Obama has included a provision in his fiscal year 2010 budget that would implement a bundling system.
“We strongly endorse a site-neutral post-acute care payment system where payment levels will be based on the condition of the individual being served, not the location of the service.” Yarwood said in a statement….
Study Links Reduced Use of Mental Health Facilities, Nursing Homes and Other Public Services to "Smart Investments" in Supportive Housing - FOXBusiness.com
Affordable housing that provides on-site services for people who are homeless, have a mental illness, and other vulnerable populations could dramatically reduce the use and cost of expensive public services such as state prisons and mental health facilities, according to a new report released Thursday by the Heartland Alliance Mid-America Institute on Poverty (MAIP: undefined, undefined, undefined%), the Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA: undefined, undefined, undefined%), and the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH: 16.21, 0, 0%).
The study found that Illinois saw an overall 39 percent cost reduction in the use of public services, such as inpatient mental health care, nursing homes, and criminal justice, over a two-year period after a sample of 177 individuals were moved into supportive housing. The shrunken need for public services yielded a total overall cost savings of more than $850,000 -- an average savings per resident of $2,400 per year….
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