Federal Watch
March 15th, 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 a committee that is being created to address the increasing costs of long-term care. We also discuss the variance in cost of cancer care and the rates of survival. In addition, we share an interesting article which covers the increase in numbers of osteopathic physicians, and whether this may affect the numbers of primary care physicians in rural areas. Lastly, we share an article that discusses Senators of the GOP seeking to cut funding to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Medicaid bearing the brunt of costs as D.C. waits for a new panel to explore costs of long-term care
For decades, determining who will pay for long term care services for the elderly and disabled has been a tricky issue for families, patients, and state and federal policymakers. Many insurance companies are no longer offering long-term care policies to individuals. This continues to further shift the costs of long-term care to individuals, their families, and Medicaid, if the person’s income and assets qualify them. Currently, individuals are being appointed for a long-term care commission that has been created to examine the issue and make recommendations to Congress in six months. To read the entire article from Healthcare Business News click here.
Difference in what Medicare spends on Cancer care may not affect survival rates
Even though Medicare spending varies regionally for patients with advanced cancers, a recent study suggests that these differences are not related to rates of survival. The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and examines spending for Medicare patients with advanced colorectal, pancreatic, breast, prostate and lung cancers. The researcher’s patient population included more than 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, and they were placed in two overlapping groups: individuals who died from cancer and those newly diagnosed with an advanced-stage cancer. The researchers found, there was a 32 percent difference in spending among the regions, for patients who did not die from their cancers. In comparison, for patients who died, the difference in spending varied 41 percent among regions. To read the full article, click here.
Are Osteopathic Physicians an answer to rural health care needs?
Recent growth in osteopathic physicians, in both number of graduates and training facilities could assist in reversing a looming shortage of primary care doctors, that experts’ say will significantly impact rural communities. In 2011, there were approximately 74,000 osteopathic physicians in comparison to 29,500 in 1990. A portion of that increase is a result of greater acceptance of doctors with osteopathic backgrounds. Many osteopathic medical schools are being built in rural communities, with the hope that by recruiting applicants that reside in these areas, the graduates will then return to practice in their respective communities. To read more, please visit here.
GOP Senators Seek to Cut Health Law Funding
In an interview with radio show host High Hewitt, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., stated that “he’ll support legislation to fund the government through Sept. 30 only if it contains language to defund the health law.” During this week, the Senate is likely to consider—and amend—legislation that passed through the House funding the government through the end of the fiscal year. House Republicans have passed quite a few measures to cancel funding for the Health law, and House Speaker John Boehner, told reporters last week that the House would do so again. To read more, visit here.
Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Ashley Fletcher, Senior Coordinator of Public Affairs & Advocacy, afletcher@americangeriatrics.org.
Modified On: March 15th, 2013
