Health Affairs Publishes New Age-Friendly Health Papers in August and September
Health Affairs has published three new Age-Friendly Health research papers, three policy-focused Health Affairs Forefront articles and a Health Podyssey podcast episode in August and September as part of its Age-Friendly Health series, which is supported by JAHF.
Growth In Participation Of Mental Health Counselors, Marriage And Family Therapists After Medicare Coverage Expansion by Yanlei Ma, Hefei Wen, Jiebing Wen, John Orav, Ezra Golberstein and José F. Figueroa
This study examined the impact of Medicare's 2024 expansion of coverage to mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists. More than 27,000 of these clinicians billed fee-for-service Medicare in the first year, expanding access particularly for beneficiaries who were rural, dually eligible for Medicaid, disabled or new to mental health care.
MA Dental Plan Enrollment And Generosity Increased, But Continuity Of Coverage Declined, 2010–25 by Hawazin W. Elani, Benjamin D. Sommers, Eric T. Roberts and Renuka Tipirneni
An analysis of Medicare Advantage dental benefits from 2010 to 2025 found substantial growth in enrollment and benefit generosity. However, continuity of dental coverage declined after 2021, with some underserved communities more likely to experience losses in coverage.
Hospice Acquisitions By Certain Firms And Corporations Were Associated With Reductions In Care Intensity, 2010–21 by Jiebing Wen, Alexander Soltoff, Mark A. Unruh, David G. Stevenson and Robert Tyler Braun
Using Medicare claims from 2010 to 2021, researchers examined changes in hospice care following acquisitions by private equity firms and publicly traded corporations. Acquisitions by certain firms were associated with reductions in nursing, social work and home hospice aide visits, including during patients' last seven days of life.
CMS’s New Risk-Based Nursing Home Surveys by David G. Stevenson
Stevenson argues that CMS's new risk-based survey process for nursing homes could make inspections more efficient, but that stakeholders should focus on the broader goals of improving nursing home oversight and, ultimately, quality of care.
Growing Up In An Aging America by Jennifer L. Wolff
As Americans live longer and older adults make up a growing share of the population, younger generations will experience aging in new ways. Wolff explores how these demographic shifts are reshaping families and the roles people may take on throughout their lives.
Recent Immigration Policies Threaten The Sustainability Of The LTSS Workforce by Bianca K. Frogner
Frogner examines how recent immigration and other policy changes could deepen existing workforce challenges in long-term services and supports (LTSS), a sector that relies heavily on immigrant workers. She highlights the need for federal, state and local efforts to strengthen the LTSS workforce as demand for care grows.
Health Care Acquisitions: What Happens to Patient Care Intensity?
In this episode of the Health Podyssey podcast, Rob Lott speaks with researcher Jiebing Wen about her research on hospice acquisitions by investor-owned firms. Their conversation explores what the findings show about changes in staffing intensity and patient visits following acquisitions.
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