News - February 2002
Patients
in Peril: Critical Shortages in Geriatric Care
This February 27, 2002 hearing of the Senate Select Committer on Aging
addressed the shortage of geriatric-trained health-care professionals.
NHLBI
Study Shows Vast Majority Of Middle-Aged Americans At Risk Of Developing
Hypertension
Middle-aged Americans face a 90 percent chance of developing high blood
pressure at some time during the rest of their lives, according to a new
study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
NHLBI
Issues Resources To Help Americans "Act In Time To Heart Attack Signs"
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the American
Heart Association, and other organizations recently issued a host of
resources aimed at helping Americans know how to react to a heart attack
and so save heart muscle and lives.
Online
Quiz Tests Your Knowledge Of Nutrition Facts Food Label
Sure, you see them all the time--those rectangular "nutrition facts" boxes
that grace the packaging of food products. But how well do you understand
the information in those boxes? Find out by taking a fun online quiz
produced by FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Medicare
Establishes New Ambulance Fee Schedule
February 22, 2002 - The Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a final regulation today
creating a fee schedule to ensure that both beneficiaries and Medicare pay
appropriately for ambulance services. Congress mandated this new payment
mechanism in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
Federal
Long Term Care Insurance Program for Federal Employees (FLTCIP)
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is sponsoring a high-quality long
term care insurance program for members of the Federal Family.
HHS
Affirms Value Of Mammography For Detecting Breast Cancer
February 21, 2002 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today
announced an updated recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force (USPSTF) that calls for screening mammography, with or without
clinical breast examination, every one to two years for women ages 40 and
over. This recommendation affirms HHS' existing position on the value of
mammography.
Improper
Medicare Payments Rate Declines Again In 2001
February 21, 2002 - The Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) today reported that the rate of improper Medicare
payments continued to decline last year.
Medicare
To Expand Use Of PET For Patients With Heart
Disease
February 20, 2002 -The
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that it
intends to cover positron emission tomography (PET) for use in determining
whether certain Medicare patients are good candidates for revascularization
-- procedures to improve blood flow to the heart.
HHS,
American Diabetes Association Renew Campaign To Help People With Diabetes
Know Their Cardiovascular Risks
February 19, 2002 - A new
ADA survey shows many
know little
about risks of
heart disease and stroke..
2002
HHS Poverty Guidelines
February 14, 2002 - The Dept. of Health and
Human Services (HHS) issued the 2002 HHS Poverty Guidelines
See also the
HHS Federal Register Announcement (or the
PDF version).
You may also visit the
HHS Poverty Guidelines Web Site.
Mentally
Stimulating Activities May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk
February 13, 2002 - In recent years, many of us
have come to believe that doing crossword puzzles or playing cards might
ward off a decline in memory or help us maintain "brainpower" as we age.
Now, a new study suggests there might be some truth to the use-
it-or-lose-it hypothesis.
HHS
Center For Faith-Based & Community Initiatives Expands Online Resources
February 13, 2002 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today
announced the launch of a redesigned and expanded Web site for the
department's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
USA
Freedom Corps – Web Site
Its participating agencies and programs-- the newly created Citizen Corps,
AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps-- will work with local
officials and community groups to offer expanded service opportunities for
Americans at home and abroad.
MedlinePlus
Page on Seniors' Health
Have you visited the MedlinePlus page on Seniors' health recently?
You'll find the latest news and the most authoritative articles on health
for the aging.
Protein
Patterns May Identify Ovarian Cancer
Scientists from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National
Cancer Institute (NCI) report on February 8, in a
special fast-tracked release in "The Lancet"*, that patterns of proteins
found in patients' blood serum may reflect the presence of disease.
Study
Finds Increased Lung Cancer Risk Following Treatment For Hodgkin's Disease
People with Hodgkin's disease (HD) who receive chemotherapy,
radiotherapy, or a combination of the two treatments, are at higher risk of
developing lung cancer, according to a report in the Feb. 6, 2002, issue of
the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute".
HHS
Awards $128 Million In Grants To Help Family Caregivers
On February 7, 2002, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson approved the release
of $128 million in grants to states under the National Family Caregiver
Support Program.
Private
Long Term Care Insurance
We received a lot of
requests about long-term care insurance. The resource above has good
consumer information to help make your decision. See disclaimers below.
Profile
of Older Persons: 2001
The an annual electronic brochure from the Administration on Aging with
the latest statistics on older Americans in 12 key subject areas. It
includes both narrative and statistical charts.
Beware
“Prime Bank” Investment Scams
One of the persistent investment frauds circulating throughout the
country is the so-called "prime bank" scam. Senator Larry Craig
(R-Idaho) recently issued a warning about such scams. The State of
Connecticut has created a good primer
on identifying these scams.
