Reports

This study asked adults age 50-80 about their use of opioids for pain management, perceptions of opioid policies, and the education they received about the drugs and their disposal. More than one in four older adults (29%) said they filled a prescription for an opioid pain medication for themselves within the past two years. Nearly half had leftover opioid medication, raising important concerns about misuse or abuse and highlighting the importance of communication with healthcare professionals.

This paper explores mid-life and older Americans' knowledge of the risk factors of social isolation. Overall, people tended to underestimate the health dangers of social isolation. Many people also incorrectly believed that social isolation is brought on by a single event, such as the death of a spouse. In reality, social isolation is often the result of a variety of factors.

This paper assesses how well various organizations achieve the Culture of Health Framework laid out by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Most respondents were familiar with the Culture of Health and reported strong alignment with its guiding principles. The authors also asked respondents how RWJF could further advance the principles that make up the Culture of Health. They then issued a series of recommendations for the Foundation based on these answers and their own observations.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released their monthly report for May 2018 on Medicaid and CHIP application, eligibility determination, and enrollment data. This report includes point-in-time data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including the number of applications submitted directly to Medicaid and CHIP agencies, the number of eligibility determinations made on these applications, and the total number of individuals enrolled in the Medicaid and CHIP programs.

This white paper discusses the issue of dental insurance coverage. Traditional Medicare does not include coverage for routine oral health care, creating disparities in access to checkups, cleanings, and x-rays, or restorative procedures, tooth extractions and dentures. This paper recommends a Medicare Part B dental benefit to close the gap between uninsured and insured older adults and proposes a theoretical structure for the benefit.

"This document provides guidance to CCBHCs on how to use the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) cost report for the two Certified Clinic Prospective Payment System (CCPPS) rate methodologies—CC PPS-1 and CC PPS-2. The cost report may be used to determine the clinic-specific PPS rate and to annually report demonstration costs. These payment rates were provided through the Demonstration Program to Improve Community Mental Health Services."

This paper examines the success of grants given to initiatives that address the employment gap between people with and without disabilities. Independent evaluations identified five elements which were common to successful projects, namely, 1) A focus on changing attitudes about people with disabilities and their ability to work, 2) A person-centered approach to employment, 3) Technological platforms or model documentation, 4) Strong community partnerships, and 5) Wraparound services.

This book describes strategies for engaging a community in the process of planing to become a better place for people of all ages to live, work and play. It is intended to be used as framework to help people working to improve health services plan, evaluate and implement appropriate efforts in their communities.

AARP's Public Policy Institute (PPI) publishes a monthly update on employment numbers for people ages 55 and over. AARP PPI has recently released its June 2018 version of the digest. The labor force participation rate for people ages 55 and older remained unchanged from the previous month, while the unemployment rate for people ages 55+ increased to 3.1 percent. The rest of the digest summarizes various employment statistics and compares June numbers to previous reports.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released their monthly report for April 2018 on Medicaid and CHIP application, eligibility determination, and enrollment data. This report includes point-in-time data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including the number of applications submitted directly to Medicaid and CHIP agencies, the number of eligibility determinations made on these applications, and the total number of individuals enrolled in the Medicaid and CHIP programs.