While Medicare may be a cornerstone of keeping older adults healthy and reducing poverty, it’s far from perfect. Closing huge gaps in coverage – some might argue chasms – could improve public health, reduce hospitalizations, help support cognitive function, maintain quality of life and save the health system millions of dollars. But it will literally take an act of Congress for anything to really change.
At October’s Gerontological Society of America Conference in Boston, experts at the “Medicare, What’s Missing” session examined links between systemic health and oral, vision and hearing health. They looked at some major policy gaps and potential fixes. While everyone agreed more needs to be done, true reform will likely happen by baby steps. Continue reading
It’s hard to imagine any physician starting an online fundraising effort to keep her practice open. But for Michelle Mitchell, M.D., a solo physician who runs Hawaii Family Health, the business model for primary care in her state is unsustainable otherwise.
Politico’s “The Agenda” section has published a 
