Federal Watch

September 14th, 2012

AGS is tracking developments of interest to geriatrics health professionals in order to provide weekly updates for our readers via our List Serv, americangeriatrics.org, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed. This week, we update you on AARP’s special guest speakers at their upcoming annual expo, how Californians in particular have expressed concern over the growing costs of long-term care, and President Obama’s thoughts on Medicare while campaigning.  Finally, we remind you of the CER research opportunity through the NIA, and encourage you to take action by contacting your legislators, and urging them to fully address and put an end to the flawed SGR formula.

Obama, Ryan to address AARP
According to Politico, per an advisory scheduled for release soon from the AARP, both President Barack Obama and Rep. Paul Ryan will speak to the AARP's annual gathering next week in New Orleans. The National Event and Expo, Life@50+, will welcome President Obama via live satellite and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan in person to address AARP members on issues important relevant to older adults such as, Social Security, Medicare and financial security.

Californians Express Concern Over Costs of Long-Term Care
According to Kaiser Health News, a bi-partisan concern across the board is how to pay for long-term care when a family member can no longer live at home. A new poll released this week by The SCAN Foundation and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that half of California voters say they’ll need long-term care for a close family member in the next few years, but won’t be able to afford it. The percentage of California voters who said they couldn’t afford more than three months of nursing home care increased to 73 percent from 66 percent in 2011, and 46 percent said they didn’t have the money to cover a single month in a nursing home, about $6,800 in California.  For more information, please visit here. 

Obama Weighs in on Medicare on Campaign Trail
While campaigning in Colorado yesterday, President Barack Obama said that the right way to cut Medicare spending is by making health care “smarter” — not by shifting costs to seniors, as he claims the alternative proposed plans would do.  He said the best way to get Medicare savings is to cut out wasteful health care spending. In a more efficient health care system, “instead of five tests you get one test and it’s emailed everywhere.”  To read more, please visit here. 

REMINDERS: 

The National Institute on Aging Invites Applicants to Help Continue CER Research
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has announced a new grant opportunity titled “Secondary Analyses of Comparative Effectiveness, Health Outcomes and Costs in Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions (R21”). This federal grant is the next step in NIA’s continued work to advance the research agenda for multiple chronic conditions.  For information on the new grant, you may visit: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-13-003.html. The application deadline is October 11, 2013. Any questions can go to: 

Marcel Salive, MD, MPH
Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology
Phone: 301-496-6761
Email: marcel.salive@nih.gov

How You Can Help 
AGS encourages you to Take Action by visiting AGS’ Health in Aging Advocacy Center. Contact your members of Congress today, and urge them to call for both the repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform.  Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Susie Sherman, Senior Coordinator of Public Affairs & Advocacy, ssherman@americangeriatrics.org. 

Modified On: September 14th, 2012