Federal Watch

February 22nd, 2013

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 the latest news out of Capitol Hill regarding the impending sequester, and how it will affect Medicare spending. In addition, we share an interesting article which covers the evolving role of nurse practitioners in the U.S. under the new health law. Lastly, we share the unique perspective of how the state of Arizona cares for its frailest patients.

Implications on Medicare Spending Loom as March 1 Sequester Approaches
As the deadline for the across-the-board cuts, or sequester, approaches, a number of news outlets – as pulled together by Kaiser Health News - are analyzing the potentially hazardous impact that budget cuts might have on the U.S. economy in general and of specific interest to AGS, Medicare. To see this roundup of press coverage, please click here.

Nurse Practitioners Position Themselves to Help Care for New Influx of Patients
According to Kaiser Health News, more than 27 million Americans will soon gain health coverage under the health law, and the big question remains as to whom will treat these new patients. This large coverage expansion anticipates a shortage of primary care physicians available to treat the flood of new patients and some states are reevaluating the role of nurse practitioners, or “advanced practice nurses”-- those with advanced degrees -- to treat more patients. To read more about the evolving role of nurses at this pivotal time, click here. 

Coordinated Care for Dual Eligibles in Arizona
Patient advocates have warned that private health insurance companies are ill-equipped to provide the appropriate coordination of care for the most complex and frail patients to survive in assisted living facilities or at home, according to Kaiser Health News. Many states, under an effort backed by the Obama administration, are planning to let private companies manage health care for the vulnerable, dual-eligible population. Arizona in particular, a state known to resist federal health programs, has set itself apart by allowing private companies to oversee the well-being of its citizens. Of those Arizonans covered by Medicare and Medicaid and deemed sick, frail or disabled enough to live in a nursing home, only 27 percent of them do. The rest, nearly 3 out of 4, live in assisted living facilities or at home. To read more, please visit here. 

What AGS Did This Week

AGS recently signed-on to two letters spearheaded by the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) of which AGS is a long-standing member.  

• The first letter is asking Senate and House leadership to preserve full funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)’s Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing education programs as they work to finalize the FY 2013 appropriations bills.  AGS is also separately advocating for continued funding for the geriatrics training programs under Title VII and VIII.  

• The second letter is to the President congratulating him on his second term and encouraging continued support for Title VII and VIII workforce training programs in FY 2014.

Modified On: February 28th, 2013