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Integrating Social Services IT Brings Benefits, Risks
June 19, 2013
Whether or not they’re expanding coverage eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, state Medicaid programs are subject to a fair amount of financial and policy flux these days.
Full Story.

Leaving Behind the Digital Keys to Financial Lives
June 18, 2013
In its annual Wealth and Worth study, U.S. Trust said 45 percent of the high-net-worth people it polled had not organized passwords and account information for their digital lives in a place where heirs or an executor would find them. (By contrast, the bank said that 87 percent knew the location of important documents and most had a will.)
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Retirement Account Balances Grow 10 Percent: Study
June 17, 2013
Americans with savings in retirement plans have something to celebrate: Average 401(k) account balances rose 10 percent in 2012, to $86,212, according to mutual fund company Vanguard Group.
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Medicare Prescribes More Brand Name Drugs Than VA
June 14, 2013
Medicare Part D beneficiaries are two to three times more likely than those covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be prescribed brand name diabetes drugs rather than generics, a new study suggests.
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U.S. Agencies Announce Guide For Teaching Seniors How to Avoid Financial Exploitation
June 13, 2013
U.S. regulators have a new guide for teaching older adults how to detect financial scams and avoid being exploited.
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Facebook Hate Speech Problematic, Advocates Say
June 12, 2013
Under pressure, Facebook recently said it will improve its efforts to weed out hate speech on the social network. Disability advocates say the move is long overdue.
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Alzheimer's Drugs May Benefit Heart, Study Finds
June 11, 2013
Drugs used to treat early-stage Alzheimer's disease may also reduce patients' risk of heart attack and death, according to a new study.
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House Debates Measure Boosting Veterans’ Programs, But Cuts Loom to Other Domestic Spending
June 10, 2013
The GOP-controlled House advanced the first of 12 spending bills for the budget year beginning Oct. 1, a popular measure providing more money for veterans’ programs, including health care.
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Policing of Medicare Fraud Explodes Over Two Years
June 7, 2013
The government has revoked the ability of 14,663 providers and suppliers to bill Medicare over the past two years — almost two and a half times the number that had been revoked in the previous two years, new Department of Health and Human Services statistics show.
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Nearly 1 in 3 With Autism Have ADHD Too, Study Finds
June 6, 2013
Almost one-third of children with autism also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and symptoms appear to be more severe in kids affected by both conditions, new research suggests.
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Veterans' Claims Put Pressure on Obama Even as Backlog Dips
June 5, 2013
A long-growing backlog of U.S. military veterans' disability claims, which has stoked congressional anger, has dipped in recent weeks, however tentatively. But that is not taking any pressure off President Barack Obama, his Department of Veterans Affairs or the Pentagon to fix a system that has left veterans waiting - sometimes for years - to get answers from the U.S. government about their disability claims.
Full Story.

Updates

Latest NAELA Advocacy Update
Read more about NAELA's public policy and advocacy efforts in the June newsletter. (June 18, 2013)

National Guardianship Network Names State Courts for Guardianship Improvement Awards
The National Guardianship Network (NGN) is pleased to announce four awards of incentive grants and technical assistance to states to create innovative, consensus-driven Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS). See press release. (June 11, 2013)

NAELA Commends Congressman Moran and Sen. Hagan for Their Dedication to Improving the Lives of Military Families with Disabled Children
The Disabled Military Child Protection Act would allow more than 1,000 severely disabled military dependents to receive survivor benefits through a special needs trust without fear of losing access to their Medicaid or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. See press release. (June 5, 2013)

NAELA Members Invited to Join Delegation to China
NAELA is organizing a delegation to visit Beijing and Xian, China for the purpose of researching the rights, representation, and support for the aging population in December 2013. Learn more. (June 4, 2013)

Press Conference Announces Introduction of Special Needs Trust Fairness Act of 2013
At a press conference held May 28, 2013, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and H. Amos Goodall, CELA, Pennsylvania Elder Law attorney and NAELA Public Policy Committee Chair, announced legislation that will remove the current barriers preventing an individual with disabilities from creating his or her own special needs trust. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) joined the fight as the lead Democrat to sponsor the bill. See photos.  (May 31, 2013)

NAELA Commends Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) Dedication to Strengthening and Improving the Older Americans Act
NAELA joined almost 60 national, state, and local organizations in support of Sen. Sanders’ efforts to reauthorize the Older Americans Act last week. See press release. (May 30, 2013)

NAELA Announces 2013-2014 Board of Directors
See press release. (May 30, 2013)

NAELA Public Policy News
Check out the Veterans Issues page to view NAELA's recent testimony to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Public Policy Positions page to see the letter from CMA to CMS on Medicare Program; Part B Inpatient Billing in Hospitals. (May 24, 2013)

NAELA Commends Reps. Thompson and Pallone for Protecting the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities
NAELA supports Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in their dedication to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. On Thursday, May 23, Rep. Thompson introduced the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act of 2013 (H.R. 2123). See press release. (May 23, 2013)

Elder Justice Coordinating Council Meets to Address Elder Abuse
NAELA and Elder Justice Coalition (EJC) recommendations adopted by the EJCC. See press release. (May 23, 2013)

NAELA Presents Outstanding Chapter Member Awards
Each year, the award is presented in recognition of the NAELA Chapter members who demonstrate outstanding initiative and leadership on behalf of their Chapters. See press release. (May 20, 2013)

NAELA Applauds Overdue Protections for Low-Income Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities
NAELA supports Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) in his dedication to improving the lives of low-income older Americans and individuals with disabilities. Rep. Grijalva recently introduced the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2013 (H.R. 1601), which includes long overdue efforts to modernize the SSI program. See press release. (May 3, 2013)

NAELA Announces Winner of National Writing Award
NAELA announces that Susan P. Shapiro, PhD, will receive the John J. Regan Writing Award for her article, “Advance Directives: The Elusive Goal of Having the Last Word,” published in the Fall 2012 NAELA Journal. See press release. (May 1, 2013)

NAELA Announces 2013 Fellow
NAELA is proud to announce the 2013 NAELA Fellow: H. Amos Goodall, Jr., CELA, of State College, Pa. See press release. (May 1, 2013)