Category Archives: Medicare

Seven Days in November:
Healthcare and the Road Ahead

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Laura Newman

As if an acrimonious campaign and stunning election were not enough, the past seven days have been rife with anxiety and fear that the Republic is crumbling. In healthcare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare, Medicaid–and you name it–many federal entitlements– … Continue reading →

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Healthcare and the Road Ahead

Will Patients Win with Transparent Hospital-Bill Mandates?

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Laura Newman

If you had a chance to read Steve Brill’s enormous piece on outrageous hospital bills in Time earlier this year, you probably found it an eye-opener.  Speaking before Physicians for a National Health Program meeting in New York last night, … Continue reading →

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Top 10 Issues Driving My Vote for Obama

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Laura Newman

Obamacare Upcoming Supreme Court appointments Roe v. Wade Same sex marriage Preservation of Medicare and Medicaid Planned Parenthood The Dream Act Climate change Lily Ledbetter Act Saving FEMA This list is hardly exhaustive. Got friends or relatives wavering this morning. … Continue reading →

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Medicare Case a Win For Patients
With Chronic, Debilitating Conditions, Disabilities

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Laura Newman

Patients on Medicare with chronic conditions and disabilities will no longer have to show improvement to get skilled care and therapy services, according to a proposed settlement of a class action suit, Jimmo v. Sebelius. The settlement clarifies the standard … Continue reading →

Posted in chronic conditions, Medicare, Rehabilitation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Six Outrageous Threats to Labor and The Public’s Health

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Laura Newman

  When public policy undermines the public’s health, patient empowerment is not really on the table. Patients may be well informed, doctors may share unbiased, good information, but if public policy does not support public health, patient empowerment is just … Continue reading →

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How Avoidable are Hospital Readmissions for Heart Failure?

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Laura Newman

I knew an elderly man who suffered from heart failure. Every few years, he would get to the point where he couldn’t walk very far, his feet swelled, and he had repeated hospitalizations to get stabilized and get his medication … Continue reading →

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Underused, Shingles Vaccine Beset with Problems

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Laura Newman

If you talk with people who have had shingles, many will tell you that it took a terrible toll on them and that they wish that they could forget about the entire experience. Some can’t. “Freddy” had shingles three years … Continue reading →

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My $5,000 Tooth and the Institute of Medicine Dental Report

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Laura Newman

What a coincidence! The Institute of Medicine released a report today titled Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations and I am one step further in my saga of trying to save a tooth! It is … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to care, dental care, Institute of Medicine, Medicaid, Medicare | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Alzheimer’s Disease Issues – Day 2:
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Laura Newman

I spent today at an all day Alzheimer’s meeting, taking notes and tweeting. I am also exhausted. Many of you know that this is my 23rd consecutive day blogging here. There are a lot of pluses to posting every day, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alzheimer's disease, long term care, Medicare | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

When Colorectal Cancer Screening is Too Much, Too Frequent, or Not Enough

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Laura Newman

No other disease advocacy group has built as effective an awareness campaign as the cancer societies. It has helped to build support for prevention, research, and treatments, but I wonder whether excess awareness could be contributing to the overuse of … Continue reading →

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