About Liz Seegert
Liz Seegert is an independent health journalist and AHCJ’s topic leader on aging. She covers older adults, baby boomers, health policy, and social determinants of health, as well as many other health issues. Her bylines include stories for PBS/NextAvenue.org. the American Journal of Nursing, TIME Health, Medscape, Consumer Reports, and Medical Economics, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com, the Los Angeles Times, the Hartford Courant, the Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets.
What’s really happening with aging policy in Washington? At last week’s annual Gerontological Society of America Conference in New Orleans, a standing-room-only audience was privy to updates from key Congressional committee staffers.
Erika Salway, policy adviser for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, discussed the committee’s work on issues affecting older adults, including federally qualified health centers, primary care, oral health, mental health and the Older Americans Act. Funding for the OAA is $1.8 billion, which may sound high, but she reminded the audience that its programs serve 10 million seniors every year and funding constitutes less than .06 percent of the federal budget. The OAA funds essential services such as Meals on Wheels, job training, caregiver support, transportation and elder abuse services. It expired in 2011 but continues to receive federal funds under the old legislative formula. Continue reading →
Liz Seegert is an independent health journalist and AHCJ’s topic leader on aging. She covers older adults, baby boomers, health policy, and social determinants of health, as well as many other health issues. Her bylines include stories for PBS/NextAvenue.org. the American Journal of Nursing, TIME Health, Medscape, Consumer Reports, and Medical Economics, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com, the Los Angeles Times, the Hartford Courant, the Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets.