OPINION: How the U.S. Could Afford Medicare for All

(This article originally appeared on The Conversation site.) Health care is Americans’ No. 1 priority, based on recent polls, so it’s no wonder it’s been a hot topic in the Democratic primary. Every candidate is offering a plan, ranging from Vice Presi… Continue reading

OPINION: 2020 Election: Where Are the Debate Questions About Aging?

With the next Democratic presidential candidates’ debate on television tonight (CNN at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 pm CT), it’s worth noting something missing from the earlier debates — questions and answers about aging in America. (There have been more than enough q… Continue reading

Shopping for Medicare? What to Know About the New Plan Finder

(The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services updated its Medicare Plan Finder on October 9, 2019, to address one of the flaws that the Next Avenue story on October 8 had pointed out. The story now reflects that.) The Fall Open Enrollment Period for … Continue reading

Larry Curley: Advocating for Native Elders

Larry Curley is a member of the Navajo Nation who, with members of the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association, founded the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) in 1976. NICOA is a nonprofit that advocates for health, social services and economic we… Continue reading

What Could Help ‘The Forgotten Middle’ Afford Retirement Housing?

In the 1970s, many teenage boomers practically lived at the mall, trying on clothes at The Gap, eating pretzels at Hot Sam’s and buying albums at Tower Records. Little did they know that by 2029, they might literally be living at the mall. Converting s… Continue reading

House Calls Provide Better Care and Save Money. Why Don’t More Use Them?

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a series for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Margaret Birt, then 62, had routine surgery in 2006. But in the recovery room, she had complete cardiac arrest. Initially in a vegetative state, Birt regained much of … Continue reading

2020 Election: How the Democrats Say They’d Lower Drug Prices

All 10 Democratic candidates for president who’ve qualified for the debate on Thursday, September 12 have voiced support for various pieces of legislation to lower drug prices. Some of their ideas even align with proposals from President Donald Trump, … Continue reading

New Hearing Aid Apps Are Worth a Listen

Maybe you notice that you’re starting to miss words during conversations in noisy restaurants. Or you find yourself reaching for the TV remote more and more to turn up the volume. Hearing loss is sneaky that way. It can be a slow descent into disabilit… Continue reading

Avoiding the 10 Money Pits of Retirement

There are so many scary things about retirement: All that free time to suddenly fill. The slew of health care decisions, from Medicare to supplemental health insurance to long-term care insurance. But the scariest thing of all is figuring out how to av… Continue reading

How to Find Low-Cost Care for What Medicare Doesn’t Cover

Medicare covers most health care services, including preventative care. But as new users of the federal health insurance program soon find out, it typically does not cover routine dental, vision and hearing care. Medicare may cover some of these servic… Continue reading