Medicare

The first federal law guaranteeing medical privacy has gone into effect. "This is the biggest thing to hit the health care sector since Medicare," says one doctor. More . . .

A former head of Medicare and Medicaid says that covering the nation's 41 million uninsured would cost only a small fraction of the $1.6 trillion that will be spent on health care this year, and would result in unexpected savings...

The Department of Health and Human Services is alerting Medicare beneficiaries about illegal telemarketing by sellers of medical equipment like walkers, wheelchairs and hospital beds. More . . .

More medical care does not necessarily mean better care for Medicare patients, according to a new study. More . . .

Just as President Bush is about to announce proposals for huge changes in Medicare, the administration has ordered a stop to all educational activities that inform millions of elderly beneficiaries of their rights under the program. More . . .

Bookstore shelves are bursting with titles to help the elderly and their families cope with the legal decisions that confront them. ElderLawAnswers.com reviews three of the best reference works we've found so far.

The federal government has released data on the quality of care delivered at the 17,000 nursing homes around the nation that care for Medicare or Medicaid patients. But a report terms the data "inacurate" and calls its release "premature."...

A pioneering practice manual guides care management professionals in helping the infirm elderly and others with chronic illnesses live independently and with dignity.

Seniors across the nation are beginning to feel the effects of doctors leaving Medicare, and the problem is reaching crisis proportions in some areas, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times. More . . . .