“Filling The Gaps: The Role And Value Of Supplemental Benefits In Medicare Advantage,” by Allison Rizer and Laura Benzing, Health Affairs Quote: “While important debate continues on the value of managed care generally, beneficiaries are overwhelmingly satisfied with Medicare Advantage, enrollment in the program is increasing year over year, and participating managed care plans are offering a rapidly growing array of new and innovative benefits. These innovative benefits are a key feature of the Medicare Advantage program that differentiates it from traditional Medicare and a key reason for the program’s popularity among Medicare beneficiaries. As policy makers debate the future role
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“Facing stagnant Medicaid rates, this state has lost 10 percent of SNF beds in 2022,” by John Hall, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “The loss of seven nursing homes and hundreds of beds in a short period of time has set healthcare officials in Montana reeling, even as the state is trying to regain its footing following the brunt of the COVID pandemic. It’s part of a trend that has seen more than 1,000 nursing homes close since 2015, industry officials said. In just the past six months, Montana has lost approximately 10% of its nursing home beds. Operators of the
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“As new Alzheimer’s drugs have failed, scientists are shifting focus to other potential causes,” by Berkeley Lovelace, Jr., NBC News Quote: “As yet another Alzheimer’s drug targeting plaque buildup in the brain fails to improve cognition in patients, leading scientists said a significant shift is underway in the search for effective treatments for the disease. The new direction in Alzheimer’s research — away from focusing solely on beta-amyloid plaques to other potential causes, including brain inflammation and conditions related to diabetes — comes from growing evidence that multiple factors contribute to the development of the disease.”       LTC Comment, Stephen
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“American Caregivers: The Time To Plan Is Now,” Advisor Magazine   Quote: “Fidelity Investments® today released its latest American Caregivers study, revealing 7 out of 10 caregivers are so focused on caregiving duties they put off addressing their own needs. … Forty-four percent of caregivers took on responsibilities by default rather than volunteering or through family conversations. On the financial front, a majority rely primarily on a combination of their own or a family members’ work income (68%) and government benefits (52%) to pay for care.”       LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: More
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