Health Care Financing Review - Services, Characteristics, Read This and Form Your Opinions

Would you like to look at our health care spending? The use of services, characteristics of the population and more? Form your own opinions after looking over the data.

At the bottom of this post is the link to the Health Care Financing Review; Medicaid and Medicare Statistical Supplement.


Got an opinion or suggestion that you would like to share on this blog? Or a caregiver story? Guest writers welcome. Please submit your material by emailing it to me, Kristi, at kgott@charter.net, with the words "Caregivers Beacon" in the subject line. Thank you!


1. Health Care Financing Review: Medicaid and Medicare Statistical Supplement

The 2009 edition of the annual Statistical Supplement is now available on the
CMS web site. The Statistical Supplement includes tables showing health
expenditures for the entire U.S. population, characteristics of the covered
populations, use of services, and expenditures under these programs. The 2009
edition, as well as earlier editions, is available here

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareMedicaidStatSupp/LT/list.asp?filterType=none&filterByDID=-99&sortByDID=2&sortOrder=descending&intNumPerPage=10

Caregivers and Seniors Dilemma - Medicine, Food or Gasoline?

Caregivers and care-receivers can face a multiple choice in the current economy - medicine, gasoline, or food? Solving the problem can be like trying to find one's way through a maze and running into a wall at every turn. Forget about trying to hang on to luxuries. Many are trying to decide whether they can afford their prescription, a trip across town to a medical provider, or enough food for a nutritious diet. Below are some places to look for help on the internet.

1. FOOD RESOURCES: At the website for FRAC, the Food Research and Action Center, "Fighting Hunger In America" there are resources to help. A portion of the website is dedicated to the elderly, and has information about programs you can turn to for assistance.

Seniors Centers across the United States often have a commodities program (groceries), a brown bag program, and a senior nutrition program (hot lunches served or delivered, donation optional).

2. GASOLINE PRICE RESOURCES: If you visit gasbuddy.com you can type in your location and find the cheapest gas.

3. MEDICAL AND MEDICINE RESOURCES: The Medicare website offers explanations about prescription plans, bridging the coverage gap, and a long term care planning tool. AARP offers many resources and articles. Senior-health-insurance is a website that provides a service of helping seniors compare health insurance plans. Seniors centers often have programs to provide health insurance counseling and advice, low cost health screening and free or low cost seminars. ReverseHelpline has a variety of information and warnings about reverse mortgages.