We need to address alcohol abuse among older adults. New research projects a doubling of the number of older adults who suffer from alcohol abuse. Between 2002 and 2006, there were an estimated...
Diane Archer
Proposed Medicare premium hike would weaken Medicare
In late March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill with bi-partisan support that would again raise Medicare premiums for people with Medicare with higher incomes. Today, the Senate passed...
Insurers may be ready to support negotiated drug prices
Cancer drug prices keep rising, up from an average of $129 a month in 1975 to an average of over $10,000 a month in 2010. These drugs are increasingly unaffordable, even with insurance, because the...
Could robots keep older adults engaged and happy?
Lots of work is underway to design robots that help older adults in a wide range of ways. And, significant research has been undertaken on the benefits of robots in caring for older adults. ...
Should you get COBRA benefits when you leave your job?
If you are leaving your job, along with your health insurance, you can get insurance through COBRA. But, should you get COBRA? Your state health insurance exchange is now another way to get health...
What’s the Medicare premium in 2015?
It wasn’t that long ago that the Medicare premium was the same for everyone regardless of income, geography or health status, a quarter of the cost of Part B services. (Medicare Part A...
Mindful meditation could prolong your life without exercise
Meditation could prolong your life without exercise. A study by Nobel Prize winning researcher Elizabeth Blackburn and others show that some forms of meditation might slow down the cellular aging...
Retiree health benefits eroding or disappearing altogether
Today almost 15 million people enjoy retiree benefits that fill gaps in Medicare. Another 2 million retirees enjoy primary health care coverage through their former employers before they become...
Government drug price negotiation is top policy issue for a...
A new poll of likely voters shows that allowing government drug price negotiation ranks as the top policy issue for Americans. A Medicare buy-in for all ranks eighth and expanding Social Security...
If you’re smart and driven, you’ll quit smoking
As you know, when it comes to smoking, the evidence is clear and compelling. You should not smoke. You’re better off doing almost anything else. Smoking hurts just about every organ in your...