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The Necessity of Language Access in Health Care

The US health care system’s transformation toward patient-centered care and shared decision making is revealing another critical need: language-accessible materials to communicate with providers and insurers. This issue is especially true among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), with half of AAPI adults 50 and older having limited English proficiency. The implication is that English-only health resources and English-only speaking providers are insufficient to adequately include patients and their caregivers in informed health decision-making.

Health Care Barriers and Coverage for Rural vs. Urban Adults Ages 50 to 64

Gaps in health care coverage and access persist among older adults living in rural America, with those ages 50 to 64 continuing to face disproportionate barriers compared to their urban counterparts. While the Affordable Care Act reduced uninsured rates among both urban and rural adults ages 50 to 64, higher rates remain in rural areas. Possible factors in the coverage disparity include income gaps, the lower likelihood of having access to employer-sponsored plans and cost. Policymakers may consider a number of straightforward solutions that can help tackle the rural–urban coverage and access gaps.

Innovations in Rural Public Transportation: Data Standards Undergird Equity

Rural America presents unique transportation challenges for the 3.7 million residents who don’t drive. But with the help of technology, signs of improvement are emerging. Advances are ushering in a new travel paradigm that is modernizing services in public transportation and helping connect riders to needed rides. In coining the term universal mobility as a service (UMaaS), AARP is emphasizing the need for the same technological systems underpinning Uber and Lyft to help enable everyone, regardless of ability, age, income, or geography, access transportation.

Expanded SNAP Work Requirements Could Reduce Access for Older Adults

Recent congressional proposals aimed at expanding work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants could reduce participation and worsen food insecurity. More than 9.5 million Americans ages 50 and older rely on the anti-hunger program, which is associated with better health outcomes and fewer hospitalizations among low-income older adults. Given the program’s importance and success, rather than considering such barriers to program access, policymakers could focus on removing others, such as by streamlining and simplifying the application process.

Medicare Advantage Payment System Needs Improvement: Report

The federal government spends more for someone enrolled in Medicare’s private plan alternative, Medicare Advantage (MA), than it would if that same person were enrolled in traditional Medicare, a recent analysis shows. The finding confirms the need for policymakers to improve the MA payment system – particularly given that MA now accounts for nearly half of all Medicare enrollment and is projected to cover more people than traditional Medicare by 2027. Understanding what’s behind the spending difference is critical to reforming how private MA insurers are paid.

COVID-19 Deaths and Cases Continue an Overall Decline in March

COVID-19 deaths and cases declined for the second consecutive month as vaccination rates have stalled and remain well short of targets, according to the latest AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard report. Resident deaths for the four weeks ended March 26 declined 17 percent compared to the four weeks ended Feb. 19. Resident cases declined 22 percent for the same period. Staff cases also declined. But utilization of the bivalent boosters remained low with just over half of nursing home residents and less than 25 percent of health care staff receiving it.

A Decade of Progress in Nursing Education

The proportion of registered nurses with a baccalaureate in nursing has jumped to 59 percent in 2020, from 49 percent in 2008. This significant improvement puts more nurses in a position to assume leadership roles and tackle health inequities. Promoting this shift has been a decade-long effort of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Here’s a closer look at the progress across the country of bringing more highly educated, highly skilled nurses into the workforce.

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Editor-in-Chief: Susan C. Reinhard, RN, PhD, FAAN
Senior Writer/Editor: Carl Levesque

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