News!

Aging in and Around AmericaFrustrations Mount for U.S. Seniors Seeking Access to COVID Vaccines
Exasperation is building among seniors across the United States, many of whom are encountering similar roadblocks trying to line up a potentially life-saving vaccination, experts say.
Related: COVID Vaccine Advised for Alzheimer's Patients, Their Caregivers

SOURCE/MORE: HEALTH DAYExecutive Orders Expand Access to Health Care
President Biden on Thursday ordered the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces reopened to give people throttled by the pandemic economy a new chance to obtain coverage, and he took steps to restore coverage mandates that had been undermined by his predecessor, including protecting those with pre-existing medical conditions.

SOURCE/MORE: NEW YORK TIMESFor Older Adults, Specific Facebook Activities More Important Than Overall Use
In a study conducted by a team that included researchers from Penn State, older adults experienced different levels of competence, relatedness and autonomy on Facebook based on the types of their activities on the site. Specifically, older adults who posted more pictures to Facebook felt more competent, which led to significantly higher levels of well-being in general, according to the researchers, who report their findings in the journal Health Communication.

SOURCE/MORE: EUREKALERTLink of the Week
Administration on Aging: A Message from Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging Alison Barkoff

READ MOREMedicare, Medicaid, and Social SecuritySocial Security Changes on the Horizon
Experts expect one Social Security issue to be on lawmakers’ agendas this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a so-called notch that would reduce benefits for those turning 62 and claim retirement benefits in 2022, as well as those who file for disability or survivor benefits that year.

SOURCE/MORE: CNBCExpanded Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Coverage During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has waived two limitations on Medicare Part A skilled nursing facility (SNF) coverage during the coronavirus pandemic: the 3-day qualifying hospital stay requirement; and the 100-day benefit period. CMS treats the two SNF coverage expansions differently from each other with regard to connection to COVID. This article discusses the two temporary waivers.

SOURCE/MORE: CENTER FOR MEDICARE ADVOCACYVeterans' IssuesMilTax Enables Veterans to File Taxes for Free
Members of the military and qualifying Veterans can prepare and e-file their taxes for free through MilTax. Taxpayers who do not qualify for MilTax have other options to prepare and e-file their federal taxes for free.

SOURCE/MORE: VA/MILITARY ONE SOURCEDisability IssuesStudy Finds Bias Against Persons With Disabilities Among Physicians
Dr. Lisa Iezzoni is all too familiar with the discrimination that patients who have a disability can face: Having lived with multiple sclerosis for more than four decades and now in a wheelchair, she has also studied health care experiences and outcomes for people with disabilities for more than 20 years. But her new survey on doctors' attitudes towards disabled patients still surprised her -- not for the attitudes the survey uncovered, but how widespread those attitudes were.

SOURCE/MORE: U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT


​