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Medicaid & Older Adults - Menopause Untreated - Food Insecurity Rising

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What Medicaid Means for Older Adults: State Fact Sheets and Policy Now Video

Medicaid ensures 17 million adults 50 and older have access to needed health and long-term care services. Following up on a recently released national fact sheet on the role Medicaid plays in the lives of older adults, a new set of state fact sheets breaks down the impact by state, while an AARP Policy Now video also looks at what Medicaid means for older adults. The fact sheets detail the wide-ranging impact by state: the number of older adults supported by Medicaid for home- and community- based services such as home care aides, adult day services and transportation services; the number of older adults relying on the program for nursing home care; and the number of enrollees who get help paying for Medicare premiums, deductibles, and prescriptions through the program.

Women in Menopause Often Go Untreated

A lack of understanding of menopause, as well as shifting findings through the years concerning hormone therapies, are likely reasons behind millions of women in this phase of life going untreated. Despite 2 million women entering menopause annually and 8 to 10 million women experiencing symptoms every year, only between 20% and 25% receive treatment. And while evidence suggests starting hormone replacement therapy early delivers the most benefit, older women are more likely than younger women to go that route.

Expiration of Enhanced Tax Credits Threatens Affordable Health Coverage for Midlife Adults

Nearly 5 million people ages 50-64 could see their health coverage costs grow if enhanced federal tax credits expire this year. The credits, which began in 2014, have lowered insurance premiums for private nongroup coverage purchases through the federal and state health insurance marketplaces. Without the credits, midlife adults ages 50-64 with this coverage would see annual premium increases of as much as $4,000 a year.

One in Ten Adults Ages 50-plus Were Food Insecure in 2023

In a trend reversal that follows years of decreases, food insecurity among adults 50 and older is growing. In 2023, 12.6 million (10.4%) adults 50-plus had limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food. A fact sheet from the AARP Public Policy Institute details the prevalence of food insecurity among adults ages 50-plus by state and demographic characteristics such as race/ethnicity, sex and household size.

16 Million Eligible Adults Ages 50-plus Are Not Enrolled in SNAP

Older adults are forgoing needed support to buy nutritious food. An estimated 16 million adults 50-plus eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are not enrolled, and participation is even lower among adults 60 and older. A recent AARP Public Policy Institute report examines who these “eligible nonparticipants” are — key information for reaching those who need the nutritional support. A data visualization complements the report with a map of food insecurity at the state level as well as state data on SNAP enrollment and the number of older households lifted out of poverty by the program.

Nursing and Health Equity Innovation Grants Fund Pathway Programs

Grants to programs exposing middle and high school students to nursing and health care professions were recently awarded through the 2021 Nursing Innovations and 2022 Health Equity Innovations Funds. Each of the four programs funded aims to bring economic opportunities to people underrepresented in those fields, helping to strengthen the nursing workforce and advance health equity.

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Top 5 Retirement Tips for People over 55
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