Blog

• Seniors are Disproportionately Affected by Breakthrough Covid Hospitalizations

  January 05, 2022: Although vaccines are proven to significantly reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 infection, breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths have been reported among some fully vaccinated people. New research has found that the majority of COVID-19 breakthro...Read more >

• Voting Rights Battle to Continue in 2022

  January 05, 2022: After passing 33 laws of restricting voting in 19 states in 2021, Republicans in at least five states — Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and New Hampshire — are working to pass even more voter suppression laws during their 2022 legis...Read more >

• New Protections from Surprise Medical Bills Go into Effect in 2022

  January 05, 2022: Federal agencies have published regulations to implement the No Surprises Act (NSA), establishing new federal protections that will take effect in 2022 against surprise medical bills. Surprise medical bills arise when insured consumers inadver...Read more >

• Biogen Cuts Price for Alzheimer’s Drug Amid Controversy

  January 05, 2022: Facing widespread criticism for the exorbitant cost of its new Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, Biogen announced it would cut the price by half, from $56,000 per year to $28,200 per year. Biogen had projected that sales of the drug would generate $12 ...Read more >

• As U.S. Passes 800,000 Virus Deaths, 1 of Every 100 Older Americans Has Died

  December 21, 2021: With the United States now having lost more than 800,000 lives due to the coronavirus, new data has uncovered a grim trend among those most likely to be affected: one out of every 100 Americans over the age of 65 has died from COVID-19, accounting fo...Read more >

• Postal Reform Act Awaits a Vote to Strengthen the Post Office

  December 21, 2021: As postal workers are working diligently to deliver holiday packages on time, the American Postal Workers Union is focused on a key piece of legislation – the Postal Reform Act, H.R. 3076 in the House and S. 1720 in the Senate. A bipartisan group o...Read more >

• Covid Booster Rates are Sluggish in Nursing Homes

  December 21, 2021: In a troubling sign, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting that booster rates were just 22% among fully vaccinated nursing home staff as of December 5. In addition, the CDC says that just over half (51%) of fully vaccinate...Read more >

• Senate Republicans and Chamber of Commerce Double Down on Opposition to the Build Back Better Act

  December 21, 2021: Last week, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (NY) said that a Senate vote on the Build Back Better Act will not happen this year. The House-passed version of Build Back Better would provide guaranteed hearing care for all Medicare beneficiari...Read more >

• KHN: ‘The Charges Seem Crazy’: Hospitals Impose a ‘Facility Fee’ — For a Video Visit

  December 17, 2021: When Arielle Harrison’s 9-year-old needed to see a pediatric specialist at Yale New Haven Health System in June, a telehealth visit seemed like a great option. Since her son wasn’t yet eligible to be vaccinated against covid-19, they could co...Read more >

• Medicare Beneficiaries’ Telehealth Visits Increased 63-Fold in 2020

  December 13, 2021: When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many Medicare recipients from going to their in-person routine medical appointments, the Medicare program responded in 2020 by offering temporary waivers to increase telehealth visits. Those waivers expanded teleh...Read more >