Blog

• Pension Spending During Covid Pandemic Provided $1.3 Trillion to the Economy

  January 09, 2023: Retirees who spent their public and private sector pension benefits in 2020 generated $1.3 trillion in total economic output, supporting nearly 6.8 million jobs across the nation, according to a report released last Wednesday by the National Institut...Read more >

• Far-right House Members Seek Commitment that New Speaker Will Use Debt Limit to Force Spending Cuts

  January 09, 2023: Conservative rebels in the House are demanding that the next Speaker of the House commit to opposing a “clean” debt limit increase later in 2023. Their goal is to tie any vote to increase the nation’s debt ceiling to deep cuts in domestic spend...Read more >

• Kaiser Health News: Weighing Risks of a Major Surgery: 7 Questions Older Americans Should Ask Their Surgeon

  January 05, 2023: Larry McMahon, who turned 80 in December, is weighing whether to undergo a major surgery. Over the past five years, his back pain has intensified. Physical therapy, muscle relaxants, and injections aren’t offering relief. “It’s a pain that l...Read more >

• Kaiser Health News: States Challenge Biden to Lower Drug Prices by Allowing Imports From Canada

  December 21, 2022: The Biden administration is facing mounting pressure from states to let them import medicine from Canada to help lower prescription drug costs. Colorado on Dec. 5 became at least the fourth state to seek federal permission to use the strategy, fol...Read more >

• Higher Number of Seniors Living Alone Brings Housing, Elder Care Issues to the Forefront

  December 19, 2022: More older Americans are living by themselves than ever before. Despite this, researchers and advocates say too little attention is being paid to keeping them healthy as they age and ensuring that the nation is able to keep up with a growing demand f...Read more >

• Covid-19 Vaccines Have Saved Millions of American Lives; Booster Shots are Critical

  December 19, 2022: The Covid-19 vaccines have kept more than 18.5 million people in the US out of the hospital and saved more than 3.2 million lives, according to a new study by the Commonwealth Fund and Yale University. Additional data show that while the vaccines ...Read more >

• Medicare Advantage Plans Overcharged Taxpayers by Millions

  December 19, 2022: A review of 90 government audits by Kaiser Health News reveals that Blue Cross and a number of other health insurers issuing Medicare Advantage plans have tried to sidestep regulations requiring them to document medical conditions the government paid...Read more >

• Kaiser Health News: Assisted Living Facilities Pressed to Address Growing Needs of Older, Sicker Residents

  December 16, 2022: Assisted living communities too often fail to meet the needs of older adults and should focus more on residents’ medical and mental health concerns, according to a recent report by a diverse panel of experts. It’s a clarion call for change i...Read more >

• Wait Times Increase for Disability Benefits as Social Security Offices Struggle Financially

  December 12, 2022: State operations that review Social Security disability claims face massive backlogs, leaving Americans with disabilities waiting months and even years for judgments. To combat the crisis, House and Senate Democrats are calling for a drastic boost in...Read more >

• Kevin McCarthy Faces Debt-limit Dilemma in Bid for Speaker as House GOP Hardliners Ratchet Up Demands

  December 12, 2022: House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy is facing pressure from House Republicans to detail how he will handle the issue of raising the debt limit before they will commit to supporting him for House Speaker. A growing number of Republicans have signaled a...Read more >