Medical Assistance
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New Changes in the Medicare system are here! Get up to date now.
MORE CHANGES IN THE MEDICARE SYSTEM ARE HERE! EVER HEARD OF THE “BUNDLE” SYSTEM? IF NOT YOU NEED TO!
The “Bundle” health care system is in effect now in many states across the U.S and is affecting the lives of millions of the elderly. This program is now in Arizona and will effect everyone’s care going forward. So what is it? It is known as the BPCI (Bundled Payments for Care Improvement) initiative. It’s goal? To reduce Medicare expenditures while preserving and possibly enhancing the quality of care for the beneficiary. In the past Medicare made separate payments to providers for individual services provided for a single illness or course of treatment. This meant every provider was paid based on the quantity (days) versus quality of care they provided for the Medicare beneficiary. Read More
Falls can be life threatening for elders
Falls is such a big problem among our elderly population. Falls can lead to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head injuries and can even increase the risk of early death. Most fractures among the elderly are caused by falls. The most common are fractures of the hip, upper arm, forearm, hand, leg, ankle, and pelvis. Fortunately, falls is a health problem that is largely preventable.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 3 adults 65 and older will experience a fall. Among those adults who are 65 years and older, falls are the leading cause of injury death. In 2007, over 18,000 older adults died from unintentional falls and traumatic brain injuries accounted for 46% of these fatalities. In 2006, there were 316,000 hospital admissions for hip fractures in people age 65 and older and over 90% of the hip fractures were caused by falling. Read More