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FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Sale of Basic Hearing Aids

September 13th, 2022

According to AARP’s Public Policy Blog, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved over-the-counter sale of basic hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss via a  final rule taking effect 60 days from the date of publication (August 16).

This means that people will be able to buy these hearing aids in pharmacies, other retail stores, and online without a prescription. Allowing over-the-counter sale of these devices is expected to stimulate competition and bring down prices. Continue reading →

MHAC Contributes to Report ‘Care Work in Massachusetts: A Call for Racial and Economic Justice for a Neglected Sector’

September 7th, 2022

Care work has forever been critical to the health and basic functioning of our society. With the steady aging of our population, care jobs are also among the fastest growing in our economy. A new report from Boston indicators and SkillWorks with input from the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) discusses trends, data and policy solutions around improving the quality and conditions of care work through an equity lens. Continue reading →

NORC Report: Many Middle-Income Seniors Will Not Be Able to Pay for Long-Term Care and Housing in 10 Years

August 31st, 2022

A new NORC analysis updating the groundbreaking “Forgotten Middle” study finds that there will be 16 million middle-income seniors in 2033, many of whom will struggle to pay for the health, personal care, and housing services that they need. For instance, excluding home equity, nearly three-quarters of middle-income seniors in 2033 will have insufficient financial resources to pay for assisted living, if they need and want it. Even with home equity, nearly 40% will not be able to afford assisted living. Continue reading →

Baker Administration Launches Common Application for MassHealth and Food Benefits

August 3rd, 2022

The Baker Administration announced that residents can now easily initiate a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application when applying for or renewing their MassHealth benefits online.

According to the announcement from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), this option will improve customer experience by streamlining the process to apply for SNAP benefits while residents are already submitting information needed to determine their healthcare eligibility benefits. Continue reading →

US HHS Issues New Reports on Long COVID to Support Patients and Further Research

August 3rd, 2022

Following a Memorandum on Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), leading a whole-of-government response, developed two reports that together, pave an actionable path forward to address Long COVID and associated conditions.

Information for stakeholders related specifically to supporting older adults is included in the “Services Report.” Continue reading →