Items from www.mcknights.com

Vote Medicare Part D premiums to rise modestly as drug discounts take effect www.mcknights.com — The average monthly Medicare Part D premium will rise by about $1 to $30 beginning next year. That is the same time that new benefits designed to begin closing the coverage gap kick in, health officials said Wednesday. Tags: Medicare Premiums Part D 1 point, submitted 2 weeks ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote CLASS Act has potential to transform long-term care to insurance-based system, report says www.mcknights.com — A new report highlights the potential impact of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act on the future of long-term care. Tags: CLASS Act Long Term Care 1 point, submitted 2 weeks ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Improved Medicare Part D drug coverage leads to rise in antibiotic use, study finds www.mcknights.com — Antibiotic use by seniors has increased as a result of better drug coverage under the Medicare Part D drug program, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Tags: Antibiotics Part D 1 point, submitted 3 weeks ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote MRSA cases may be waning as fears of new superbug emerge www.mcknights.com — The number of cases of the dangerous methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria are declining, but a new superbug could be spreading from India, according to two reports. Tags: MRSA 1 point, submitted 3 weeks ago by Matt Johnson 2 comments

Vote President signs bill providing more Medicaid funding to states www.mcknights.com — President Obama Tuesday signed a bill sending $26.1 billion in aid, including $16.1 billion in Medicaid relief, to states. Tags: Medicaid 1 point, submitted 3 weeks ago by Matt Johnson 1 comment

Vote House poised to vote today on enhanced Medicaid funding bill www.mcknights.com — Members of the House of Representatives are expected to vote today in a special session to extend Medicaid assistance to states through the first six months of 2011. Tags: Medicaid 1 point, submitted 4 weeks ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Healthcare reforms brighten outlook for Medicare trust fund, trustees say www.mcknights.com — The financial outlook for the seniors' healthcare program has been “substantially improved” by the new healthcare reforms, according to a new report from the Medicare Board of Trustees released Thursday. Tags: Medicare Trust Fund 1 point, submitted 1 month ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Newly approved flu vaccine protects against H1N1, seasonal strains www.mcknights.com — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new influenza vaccine that protects against the H1N1 strain as well as seasonal strains of the flu. Tags: Flu 1 point, submitted 1 month ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Longevity study contains flaws, geneticists say www.mcknights.com — A recent study in the journal Science, which found that centenarians likely share a particular set of genetic variants, had errors and its conclusions are suspect, a group of geneticists says. Tags: Aging Genetics 1 point, submitted 1 month ago by Matt Johnson 33 comments

Vote Researchers tackle electronic health record technology to improve long-term care coordination, patient outcomes www.mcknights.com — A team of researchers at the University of Missouri is working to refine electronic health record (EHR) technology. The goal is to increase its efficiency and cost-saving benefits for long-term care. Tags: EHR 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Butler, champion of seniors' health, dies at 83 www.mcknights.com — Dr. Robert Butler, founding director of the National Institute of Aging and a lifelong seniors' health advocate, died Sunday from complications due to acute leukemia. He was 83. Tags: Aging Robert Butler 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 32 comments

Vote Summer tips for seniors: Stay in air conditioning, drink plenty of water www.mcknights.com — Summer can be dangerous for elderly and frail individuals, who are especially prone to heat-related injuries. But taking certain precautions can reduce these risks. Tags: Heat Senior Safety 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 40 comments

Vote End-of-life care documentation program yields care benefits for nursing home residents, study finds www.mcknights.com — Nursing home residents who fill out forms through a certain end-of-life care documentation program are more likely to receive the care they request than those with only a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, according to a new study. Tags: End of Life Care Hospice Nursing Homes 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Certain genetic variants may predict extreme longevity, study finds www.mcknights.com — If you live to be 100, there is a good chance you have a particular set of genetic variants. Tags: Aging Long Life 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Independent living communities sweeten deals for potential residents www.mcknights.com — While the economy may be picking up, independent living companies are still feeling the effects of lower occupancy. As a result, many are offering deals to potential residents, according to a news report. Tags: Senior Housing 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

Vote Healthcare law elicits some positive reactions www.mcknights.com — A new poll finds that more Americans feel positive about the new healthcare law, but it is unclear whether this approval will continue to rise. Tags: HealthCare Reform 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 1 comment

Vote End-of-life care communication, patient assessments need improvement, researchers say www.mcknights.com — Between 10% and 12% of the entire U.S. healthcare budget is spent treating patients during their last year of life. Despite the amount, a number of improvements that could be made to end-of-life care, according to a new report. Tags: End of Life Care 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 35 comments

Vote Analysis examines causes of nursing home admissions among residents without dementia www.mcknights.com — An examination of the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged examines predictors of nursing home admissions among seniors without a dementia diagnosis. It is one of the first analyses that don't consider dementia. Tags: dementia Nursing Homes 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 92 comments

Vote Fighting bugs with bugs: 'beeglue' could prove effective in fighting MRSA www.mcknights.com — Bees from the Pacific Northwest could be excreting a sticky, but effective, treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, according to the latest buzz in biomedical research. Tags: Bees MRSA 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 33 comments

Vote Older adults enjoy better relationships with family, friends, article finds www.mcknights.com — Older adults typically report improved relationships, whether it's a better marriage, more supportive friendships or fewer fights with siblings and family members, according to Purdue University researchers. Tags: Aging Relationships 1 point, submitted 2 months ago by Matt Johnson 0 comments

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