FirstGov for Seniors NEWS ARTICLES FOR FEBRUARY 2000
Welcome to the February 2000 edition of the FirstGov for Seniors monthly newsletter. This newsletter is a compilation of articles that were featured on the FirstGov for Seniors website in the past month. Articles are organized by the following categories:
Featured News
General News
Health News
Legislative News
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER Get the latest Social Security news at the click of the mouse. Beginning March 1, 2000, the Social Security Administration will send Social Security news as it happens to individuals and organizations across America who request it. SSA's new service, Social Security E-News, is an electronic newsletter available free to subscribers through the Agency's Internet site Social Security Online. http://www.ssa.gov/enews/
FREE CONSUMER INFORMATION CATALOG: SPRING 2000 Already, one of the first sure signs of spring has arrived. It's the spring 2000 Consumer Information Catalog, and it lists more than 200 free and low-cost publications from Uncle Sam -- on everything from saving money, staying healthy and getting federal benefits, to buying a home and handling consumer complaints. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/free_catalog.html
COMMITTEE ON AGING OFFERS TAX HELP TO OLDER AMERICANS Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, announced the updated publication of a brochure designed to prevent older Americans from paying too much income tax. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/tax_help.html
ARE AMERICAN WOMEN PREPARED FOR LONG-TERM CARE? The Administration on Aging (AoA), the National Association of Area Agencies on aging (N4A), and the National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA) will present findings from focus groups that explored what women have done to prepare for long-term care and caregiving. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/women_longterm_care.html
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BENEFICIARIES FIND ANSWERS TO FEDERAL INCOME TAX QUESTIONS The Railroad Retirement Board provides online information regarding the benefit information statements for Federal income tax purposes. http://www.rrb.gov/pub_0001.html
GRASSLEY WORKS TO REPEAL SOCIAL SECURITY EARNINGS LIMIT Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, today announced that he will help advance legislation to ease a burden on older Americans who wish to continue working. Grassley will co-sponsor the Social Security Earnings Test Elimination Act of 2000. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/earnings_limit.html
PBGC'S PREMIUM PAYMENT FORMS TO BE MAILED IN FEBRUARY The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced that it will complete mailing the premium payment forms (Form 1 and Schedule A) and instructions for the 2000 plan year to some 40,000 pension plan administrators by February 29, 2000. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/pbgc_forms.html
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR RETIREMENT YEARS Retirement years can be the most creative and fulfilling time of a person's life. Lydia Bronte, a senior fellow at the Brookdale Center on Aging, provides some helpful hints for making the most of life after retirement. http://www.msnbc.com/news/370948.asp#BODY
GRANDPARENTS FACE EXTRA HEAVY BURDEN RAISING CHILDREN In the U.S., nearly 4 million children are raised by their grandparents. Recent studies indicate that child rearing can cause increased physical and psychological stress on grandparents. http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/aging/02/17/grandparents.parents.wmd/index.html
GRASSLEY ANNOUNCES LATEST "DEVELOPMENTS IN AGING" Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, announced the publication of the latest volume of the committee's report entitled "Developments in Aging". http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/developments_in_aging.html
MARKETING TO OLDER ADULT CONSUMERS Recently, companies have been conducting large-scale market research studies to better understand and communicate with older Americans. Marketers are no longer treating senior citizens as a homogenous group. http://www.ncoa.org/news/archives/marketers_view.html
CIVIL WAR ERA NATIONAL CEMETERIES PLACED ON NATIONAL REGISTER
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo D. West Jr. announced the completion of
an initiative to list 59 of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) 117
national cemeteries in the National Register of Historic Places.
http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/civil_war.html
ADMINISTRATION ON AGING PROVIDES ONLINE LINKS TO EXERCISE AND FITNESS WEB SITES The Administration on Aging recently posted a number of links to web sites that contain facts about the benefits of physical activity and exercise. http://www.aoa.gov/NAIC/Notes/exerciseandfitness.html
NEW STUDY FINDS THAT ADULT LIFESTYLE AFFECTS RISK FOR HEART DISEASE Dr. Douglas Lamont published a recent study that concluded biological markers, socioeconomic circumstances in adulthood, and lifestyle factors were the most significant predictors of heart disease. http://www.4woman.gov/nwhic/news/jan00/31Jan002.html
MAYO CLINIC STUDY FINDS THAT OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE LIVE LONGER In a February report, researchers found that the survival rate of optimists proved to be 19 percent higher than the survival rate of pessimists. http://www.msnbc.com/news/367585.asp#BODY
ESTROGEN NO HELP IN ALZHEIMER'S Research has suggested that women who take estrogen are less likely to develop Alzheimer's. But a new study found that once the mind-robbing disease sets in, the female hormone offers no benefit. http://www.msnbc.com/news/373294.asp#BODY
FAMILY SIZE, ENVIRONMENT MAY INCREASE ALZHEIMER'S RISK, STUDY SAYS New research suggests family size and where a person is raised may be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/01/24/alzheimers.family/index.html
BLUE CROSS OFFERS HMO PLAN TO MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN DELAWARE The Health Care Financing Administration approved a request by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Delaware to offer managed care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in Delaware. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/medicare_delaware.html
HRSA ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF $25 MILLION IN NEW COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAM GRANTS The Health Resources and Services Administration has made $25 million of funds available in Fiscal Year 2000 to improve health care access for the uninsured. This new program will give approximately 20 local communities the opportunity to integrate providers that traditionally treat the uninsured into networks that render a comprehensive range of services to uninsured people who are falling through the cracks. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/hrsagrants.html
GRASSLEY WINS PATIENT PROTECTIONS IN BANKRUPTCIES Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, won senate approval of protection for patients in health care bankruptcies. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/patient_protections.html
FDA LAUNCHES "CYBER" LETTERS AGAINST POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL, FOREIGN-BASED ONLINE DRUG SITES In recent weeks, the FDA has issued "cyber" letters -- letters sent electronically via the Internet -- to a dozen operators of foreign-based Internet sites that offer to sell online prescription drugs that may be illegal. The letters warn these website operators that they may be engaged in illegal activities, and informs them of the laws that govern prescription drug sales in the United States. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/cyberletters.html
FDA APPROVES FIRST DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY SYSTEM FDA has approved the first mammography system that produces digital images on a solid state receptor instead of analog images on a radiographic film. The digital technology offers several advantages over the standard use of radiographic film. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS01000.html
MEDICAL TEXTBOOKS CRITICIZED FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT DEATH A recent study finds that a significant number of medical textbooks fail to provide instruction in end-of-life subject areas. http://usatoday.com/life/health/general/lhgen001.htm
BEYOND PREVENTION: TECHNIQUES TO ELIMINATE WRINKLES Dermatologists and plastic surgeons are using toxins and laser treatments to remove wrinkles. http://www.msnbc.com/news/366299.asp#BODY
TIPS FOR PREVENTING WRINKLES By taking the necessary precautions, people of all ages can slow down or prevent the wrinkling of the skin. http://www.msnbc.com/news/365862.asp#BODY
FACTS ABOUT HEART DISEASE AMONG U.S. WOMEN Recently published atlas provides critical data on geographic, racial, and ethnic inequalities in women's heart disease death rates for the five major racial and ethnic groups. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/heart_disease.html
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HIGHLIGHTS FEBRUARY 2000 NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES Health observances are days, weeks or months devoted to promoting particular health concerns. The month of February had the following health observances: American Heart Month, Low Vision Awareness Month, National Children's Dental Health Month, Wise Consumer Health Month, cardiac Rehabilitation Week (6-12), National Burn Awareness Week (6-12), National Condom day (14), National Girls and Women in Sports Day (3), and National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week (13-19). http://nhic-nt.health.org/pubs/2000healthobserv/nhofeb.htm
KNEE OSTEOPOROSIS PATIENTS IMPROVE THEIR BALANCE WITH EXERCISE A recent study concluded that senior citizens with knee osteoporosis improved their balance by participating in an aerobic exercise or weight training program. http://www.foxnews.com/health/021500/balance.sml
ADMINISTRATION ON AGING BUDGET REQUEST TARGETS SUPPORT FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS, ASSISTANCE FOR AT-RISK, FRAIL ELDERS Jeanette C. Takamura, Assistant Secretary for Aging in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has announced the Administration on Aging's (AoA) FY 2001 budget request to Congress. AoA's total request, included as part of the President's FY 2001 Federal Budget request released on February 7, is $1.1 billion, an increase of $151 million (16%) over FY 2000. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/aoa_budget.html
ADMINISTRATION SEEKS RECORD VA BUDGET INCREASE The White House today delivered to Congress the largest increase in discretionary spending for veterans every proposed by any President -- $1.5 billion for 2001. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/va_budget.html
NEW YEAR'S BUDGET REQUEST FOR FDA The President's budget request for the Food and Drug Administration in fiscal year (FY) 2001 (Oct. 1, 2000 - Sept. 30, 2001) totals $1.39 billion, $175.9 million over the enacted level for the current fiscal year. The biggest part by far of the requested 14.5% increase is earmarked for initiatives to help make safe and effective products available in a more timely manner and to help ensure their highest level of safety once they have reached the market. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/fda_budget.html
PRESIDENT CLINTON PROPOSES $32.1 BILLION HUD BUDGET - STRONGEST IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS President Clinton proposed increasing the Department of Housing and Urban Development's budget by $6 billion in Fiscal Year 2001 to $32.1 billion - the strongest HUD budget in more than 20 years, with increases in every program area. Included in the President's budget proposal is $779 million for Elderly Housing Production, a $19 million increase, to create housing tailored to the needs of senior citizens. http://www.hud.gov/pressrel/pr00-26.html
CUOMO SAYS HUD BUDGET PROVIDES EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, joined by Congressman Ed Towns, said President Clinton's FY 2001 proposed HUD budget would benefit low-income senior citizens. "The generation that worked hard to build a strong America in the 20th century shouldn't be thrown into a housing crisis after retirement in the 21st century," Cuomo said. http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/hud_budget.html
THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION: FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
President Clinton unveils a comprehensive proposal to help bridge the
digital divide and create new opportunity for all Americans.
http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0200/digital_divide.html
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON MEDICAL ERRORS On Wednesday, February 9, 2000, the United States House of Representatives opened hearings on the issue of medical errors. House members listened to testimonies and heard several proposals for reducing the number of deaths associated with medical errors. http://www.foxnews.com/health/021000/errors.sml
The FirstGov for Seniors Subscription Service is a low volume news service. We will post one newsletter per month, compiling the news from the previous month. Additional postings may be sent depending on the perceived importance of the item and its time sensitivity. If we think you need to know, we will make a special posting.
Top of Page || Return to Home Page