Study: Obese Elderly Need to Diet, Exercise

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine is dispelling the belief that exercise can cause the elderly to lose muscle and bone mass. Instead, the researchers are recommending that obese residents over age 65 participate in a diet and exercise program to improve their overall health and well-being.

The study's participants were divided into three groups. One group was on a resticted-calorie diet. The second group was on the same diet, but also participated in 90-minute exercise routines three times a week. Members of the third group, a control group, did not diet or exercise. Participants in the group that both dieted and exercised lost an average of 9 percent of their body weight while retaining lean body mass, increasing oxygen consumption and improving their strength and balance. The diet-only group also lost weight, but they didn't see similar overall improvements in their health. Members of the control group did not lose weight or show any physical improvements.

At least 20 percent of elderly people are obese, and that figure is expected to grow. Obesity worsens the age-related decline in physical function, which can cause frailty, impair quality of life and result in increased nursing home admissions.

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Happy National Physical Therapy Month!

October is National Physical Therapy Month! This year, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is focusing its efforts on educating people of all ages on the importance of physical activity in preventing and combating obesity and its consequences.

When working with obese children and adults, physical therapists work to promote movement, reduce pain when it is present, maintain or restore function and prevent disability. They also incorporate behavior modification into weight loss programs, such as identifying causes of unhealthy behaviors and recognizing any barriers to forming healthy habits.

During National Physical Month, the APTA will also strive to educate the public on how physical therapists can help ease complications associated with type 2 diabetes. For example, they can perform tests to check foot sensation, help decrease cramping pain during walking, evaluate and care for skin ulcers and slow-to-heal sores and improve walking ability with orthotics and special shoes. They can also provide diabetics with an individualized program to help reduce the need for medications, lower the risk of heart disease and stroke and manage glucose levels.

To learn more about National Physical Therapy Month, click here.

Don't Panic - Medicare Part D Drug Discounts are Still Happening

Vice President Joe Biden and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius are pooh-poohing a rumor that drug makers will be hiking their prices in the coming months to offset the new healthcare law's plan to offer a 50% discount to those who fall into the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole."

During a call with senior citizens on Thursday, Biden and Sebelius stressed that as part of the healthcare law, the government struck a deal with pharmaceutical companies to begin lowering the price of drugs, effective 2011. The 50 percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs is the second phase of the Obama administration's plan to close to doughnut hole by 2020.

Sebelius added that the savings on drugs will continue even after the gap is closed.

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Survey Says: Seniors Confused about New Healthcare Law

Truthfully, this news isn't surprising, given that many Americans in general find the new healthcare bill confusing! A new survey from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) found that most seniors are either misinformed or simply unaware of how the new healthcare law will affect them.

The NCOA asked 636 seniors a series of 12 questions about Medicare, the budget deficit and other healthcare reform topics. Only 17% of the seniors knew the correct answers to more than half of the questions, and just 9% answered at least two-thirds of the questions correctly. None of the survey participants knew the correct answers to all of the questions.

For additional information, click here.

CMS Will Notify Seniors of How New Healthcare Law Will Affect Them

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that they will be mailing information to Medicare beneficiaries that explains how they will be affected by the new healthcare reform law.

The mailing will highlight the following:

• The immediate impact of the Affordable Care Act on Medicare beneficiaries
• The one-time $250 check that will be sent to seniors in the Medicare Part D "donut hole" who will not receive Medicare Extra Help as well as additional steps that will be taken to close the coverage gap by 2020
• Preventive care services that will be offered without cost-sharing, such as colorectal cancer screenings and mammograms
• New crackdowns on criminals scheming to scam senior citizens and steal taxpayer dollars

Additional information is available at http://www.medicare.gov/.

CMS Wants Nursing Home Feedback on Healthcare Reform

Have you felt like your voice has gone unheard during healthcare reform? If so, here's some welcome news - CMS is asking nursing homes for their feedback on any of the areas for which the Survey & Certification Group has full or partial responsibility.

On April 20, CMS sent letters out to nursing homes encouraging them to comment, make suggestions or express concerns on areas of healthcare reform legislation that will affect nursing homes, including:

• Section 6101: Disclosure of Ownership
• Section 6102: Ethics and Compliance Programs
• Section 6102: Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program
• Section 6103: Nursing Home Compare Website
• Section 6105: Standardized Complaint Form
• Section 6106: Ensuring Staffing Accountability
• Section 6111: Civil Money Penalties

Other areas of the healthcare reform law will require rule-making and will be addressed in a separate process managed primarily by the CMS Office of Clinical Standards and Quality.

CMS is requesting that feedback be sent to Jenny Filipovits at jenny.filipovits@cms.hhs.gov by Wednesday, May 5.

McKnight's Long-Term Care News obtained a copy of the letter and posted it on their website. You can download the letter here.

Historic Health Care Reform Bill Heads to Obama's Desk

Even with no support from the GOP, the historic $940 billion health care bill passed the House of Representatives late last night. It was approved by the Senate in December. President Obama is expected to sign off on the bill on Tuesday.

It's been through many rounds of changes - so what's in the bill now? Here are a few highlights, according to CNN.com:

• New health insurance subsidies for families of four who make up to $88,000 a year
• Small businesses, the self-employed and the unemployed will be able to pool their resources to purchase less expensive coverage
• Total out-of-pocket expenses would be limited and insurance companies cannot deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Insurers also can't cancel coverage for sick people or charge higher premiums based on gender or medical history.
• Non-dependent children can be covered up until age 26
• The Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" will be closed by 2020
• Starting in 2018, a 40 percent tax will be imposed on insurance companies that provide health plans valued at more than $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families.
• The Medicare tax will be imposed on investment income for individuals making more than $200,000 and couples making more than $250,000
• The federal government will pick up 100 percent of the costs of expanded Medicaid coverage between 2014 and 2016 and 90 percent beginning in 2020
• Individuals will be required to purchase coverage or face a fine of $695 or 2.5 percent of their income, whichever is greater, starting in 2016. However, there will be a hardship exemption for poorer Americans.
• Companies that have more than 50 employees will be required to pay $2,000 per worker if they don't provide coverage and any of the company's workers receive federal health care subsidies.
• States can choose whether to ban abortion coverage in plans offered in health insurance exchanges. If individuals purchase plans through health insurance exchanges, they will have to pay for abortion coverage from their own funds.
• Illegal immigrants will not be allowed to buy health insurance in the health insurance exchanges.

To view more information on the health care bill as it becomes available, click here.