By Judith Stein, The Hill – May 29, 2017

When people say that the American Health Care Act (AHCA) doesn’t affect older adults or touch Medicare: don’t believe it.

As the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed again last week, if this bill were enacted, 23 million people would lose their insurance coverage, disproportionately among older people with low-income, between age 50 and 64.

One of the most damaging aspects of AHCA is its devastating $834 billion cut and restructuring of Medicaid. These Medicaid changes will significantly affect the Medicare program, Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.

From Robin Seaton Jefferson; Forbes ~ May 27, 2017

There’s a meme circulating on social media of late of the visibly weathered and slightly arthritic hands of an Esther Walton-esque lady. Her hands lay upon her aproned lap along with several green beans. She’s clearly in snapping mode. The caption reads: “Part of the problem with the world today is that no one snaps green beans with grandma anymore.”

By Emily Swanson; The Associated Press ~ May 25, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing number of Americans age 40 and older think Medicare should cover the costs of long-term care for older adults, according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

That option is unlikely to gain much traction as President Donald Trump’s administration and Republicans in Congress look to cut the federal budget and repeal President Barack Obama’s 2010 health care law. Most older Americans mistakenly believe they can rely on Medicare already, the poll shows, while few have done much planning for their own long-term care.

By Jon Reid; Morning Consult ~ May 25, 2017

The Food and Drug Administration is looking at ways to speed up the approval of generic medicines, part of a Trump administration effort to lower drug prices.

Newly installed FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told a congressional panel on Thursday that the agency is crafting a “drug competition action plan” aimed at expediting approval of generic versions of brand-name medications that lack competition.

From Matt Fellowes & Elizabeth Kelly; The Hill ~ May 23, 2017

Spending too much and saving too little has become as American as apple pie. But, there is one group that bucks this trend: older Americans.

As outlined in my recent report analyzing data from two University of Michigan surveys sponsored by federal agencies, the average adult aged 60 years or older will trim his or her spending by about 2.5 percent every year, or approximately 20 percent over a 10-year period.

By Dylan Scott; Vox ~ May 23, 2017

Donald Trump started his presidency with a pledge even more audacious than Obamacare repeal: He was going to bring down drug prices.

But four months in, with his policy agenda weighed down by Congress’s health care debate, not to mention assorted other distractions, it’s fair to wonder whether Trump will ever get around to fulfilling his pledge.

By Megan Elliott; Cheat Sheet ~ May 23, 2017

What’s going to happen to my Social Security? That question is likely on the mind of many currently and soon-to-be retired Americans in the wake of Donald Trump’s stunning election victory. During the campaign, the maverick candidate promised to “protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, without cuts.” Now that he’s on his way to the Oval Office, some are wondering whether he’ll change his tune.

From Jason J. Fichtner; The Hill ~ May 19, 2017

The national news is full of stories warning that Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement. An often-cited index of retirement preparedness compiled by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College claims that, “(Fifty-two) percent of households are ‘at risk’ of not having enough to maintain their living standards in retirement.”

By Paul N. Van de Water, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities – May 18, 2017

Early word about President Trump’s 2018 budget — which the White House plans to release on May 23 — suggests it will likely break his promise not to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

“I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid,” Trump tweeted during the campaign. But news reports indicate that the budget will propose cuts to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and more cuts to Medicaid beyond those in the House-passed health bill. That bill, which Trump has endorsed, would also threaten Medicare benefits.

By Iain Morris; Light Reading ~ May 18, 2017

US telco giant AT&T is developing smart city offerings that other carriers will be able to resell on their own networks.

The company says the move comes in response to enquiries from a number of operators that lack AT&T’s end-to-end capabilities.

“They might have connectivity in the country but not an end-to-end solution for digital infrastructure or a water management system that needs deploying,” said Mike Zeto, who heads up AT&T’s smart cities business, during a conversation with Light Reading at this week’s TM Forum Live event in Nice.