Posts Tagged ‘Medicare’
Tens of millions of dollars pour into Prop 8 which seeks to limit dialysis center profits
Billion-dollar dialysis companies and a labor union are spending tens of millions of dollars to sway Proposition 8 votes their way on Election Day. Health experts say the proposition is unlikely to improve care for dialysis patients and may put care out of reach for patients in low-income areas.
But they also say risky practices in the industry put patients’ lives at risk.
Read MoreStudent-run mobile Medicare clinic helps seniors manage medications
A collection of free mobile Medicare clinics staffed by volunteer pharmacists and students are helping residents navigate their healthcare plans.
Read MoreMobile Medicare Clinic to hold health fair at Allen Temple Baptist Church
The Allen Temple Baptist Church will partner with the University of the Pacific this Saturday to hold a health fair to help seniors understand their medications.
Read MoreStudent pharmacists help seniors manage healthcare
The Allen Temple Baptist Church’s large auditorium was packed with community residents young and old, as student pharmacists from the University of the Pacific helped seniors grapple with updates to their Medicare plans and manage their medications.
Read MoreTiming of Medicare and Covered California enrollment collide, causing confusion among seniors
When Barbara Witney, a 65-year-old marriage and family therapist, tried to sign up for Medicare last week, she was dismayed to find herself baffled. “I’m a pretty educated person and it was confusing for me,” she said. Witney, whose existing health insurance premium is expected to double this January, had the misfortune of turning 65…
Read MoreMedicare and Medi-Cal recipients in Oakland await health care reform
When the reforms called for by the Affordable Care Act go into effect January 2014, in addition to enrolling thousands of people who were previously uninsured, a number of Baby Boomers will also enroll in Medi-Cal and Medicare. For Alameda County health care experts, the challenge will be to explain the differences in the two similar-sounding programs and to help recipients understand the complex rules of each.
Read MoreOakland clinics spread word about flu vaccine
The waiting room at Catch Up Clinic is sparse, save for a little girl in a pink sleeveless shirt darting out the door, a tan Band-Aid barely visible on her upper left arm. Located just around the corner from the Alameda County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program at Eastmont Town Center, Catch Up is one of several County Public Health Department clinics preparing for the arrival of the autumn’s biggest contagion challenge—the flu.
Read MoreFor Oakland’s seniors, living on Medicare and Medi-Cal can be a challenge
In old age homes and residential care facilities across the country, low-income seniors are already part of a government-run healthcare system–through MediCal, the state benefits program for the poor; and Medicare, the federal program for those over 65. But for some seniors those benefits don’t necessarily provide easy access to medical care either. A special Oakland North radio podcast.
Read More