Transitioning From Medicaid Expansion Programs to Medicare: Making Sure Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries Get Financial Help

The Affordable Care Act allows states to offer Medicaid coverage to low-income adults who would not have qualified under previous law. This population will face higher cost-sharing requirements when they transition to Medicare, although some may be eligible for traditional Medicaid benefits and/or Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) that will reduce their costs. This report discusses how Medicare beneficiaries can qualify for traditional Medicaid and MSPs. It also provides new state data on the number and characteristics of eligible individuals and discusses the potential impact of expanding traditional Medicaid income and asset rules in the Medicaid expansion states. Finally, the report outlines policy options that would make it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to qualify for traditional Medicaid benefits and MSPs

Narcissism and the strategic pursuit of short-term mating : universal links across 11 world regions of the International Sexuality Description Project-2.

Previous studies have documented links between sub-clinical narcissism and the active pursuit of short-term mating strategies (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality, marital infidelity, mate poaching). Nearly all of these investigations have relied solely on samples from Western cultures. In the current study, responses from a cross-cultural survey of 30,470 people across 53 nations spanning 11 world regions (North America, Central/South America, Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and East Asia) were used to evaluate whether narcissism (as measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory; NPI) was universally associated with short-term mating. Results revealed narcissism scores (including two broad factors and seven traditional facets as measured by the NPI) were functionally equivalent across cultures, reliably associating with key sexual outcomes (e.g., more active pursuit of short-term mating, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression) and sex-related personality traits (e.g., higher extraversion and openness to experience). Whereas some features of personality (e.g., subjective well-being) were universally associated with socially adaptive facets of Narcissism (e.g., self-sufficiency), most indicators of short-term mating (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality and marital infidelity) were universally associated with the socially maladaptive facets of narcissism (e.g., exploitativeness). Discussion addresses limitations of these cross-culturally universal findings and presents suggestions for future research into revealing the precise psychological features of narcissism that facilitate the strategic pursuit of short-term mating

Narcisismo y búsqueda estratégica del emparejamiento a corto plazo a través de las culturas: Enlaces omnipresentes a través de 11 regiones mundiales del Proyecto de la descripción de la sexualidad internacional 2

Previous studies have documented links between sub-clinical narcissism and the active pursuit of short-term mating strategies (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality, marital infidelity, mate poaching). Nearly all of these investigations have relied solely on samples from Western cultures. In the current study, responses from a cross-cultural survey of 30,470 people across 53 nations spanning 11 world regions (North America, Central/South America, Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and East Asia) were used to evaluate whether narcissism (as measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory; NPI) was universally associated with short-term mating. Results revealed narcissism scores (including two broad factors and seven traditional facets as measured by the NPI) were functionally equivalent across cultures, reliably associating with key sexual outcomes (e.g., more active pursuit of short-term mating, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression) and sex-related personality traits (e.g., higher extraversion and openness to experience). Whereas some features of personality (e.g., subjective well-being) were universally associated with socially adaptive facets of Narcissism (e.g., self-sufficiency), most indicators of short-term mating (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality and marital infidelity) were universally associated with the socially maladaptive facets of narcissism (e.g., exploitativeness). Discussion addresses limitations of these cross-culturally universal findings and presents suggestions for future research into revealing the precise psychological features of narcissism that facilitate the strategic pursuit of short-term mating.Estudios previos, en primer lugar a través de las muestras de culturas occidentales, han documentado asociaciones sistemáticas del narcisismo subclínico con múltiples indicadores de estrategias del emparejamiento a corto plazo (p. ej. sociosexualidad ilimitada, infidelidad, caza de pareja). En este estudio se han usado respuestas de la encuesta transcultural de 30.470 personas de 53 naciones de 11 regiones mundiales (América del Norte, América del Sur/América Central, Europa del Norte, Europa del Oeste, Europa del Este, Europa del Sur, Oriente Próximo, África, Asia del Sur/Sudoeste de Asia, Asia del Este y Oceanía) para evaluar si el narcisismo (medido por el Inventario de Personalidad Narcisista; NPI) se asocia panuniversalmente con los indicadores del emparejamiento a corto plazo, tanto en la dirección, como en la intensidad. Los resultados sugieren que el narcisismo (incluidos muchos aspectos suyos medidos por el NPI) tiene las mismas asociaciones básicas con los rasgos de personalidad relacionados con el sexo (p. ej. extraversión alta) y con los resultados sexuales claves (p. ej. búsqueda más activa de las estrategias del emparejamiento a corto plazo) a través de las 11 mayores regiones mundiales del PDSI 2. La discusión se enfoca en las implicaciones y limitaciones del estudio actual

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Influenza and Pneumococcal Immunization Rates among Medicare Beneficiaries

Influenza (commonly called flu) and pneumonia are both vaccine-preventable diseases. Yet together they represented the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2003.1 Influenza epidemics are responsible for approximately 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the U.S. More than 90 percent of these deaths occur among those age 65 and older

Whos Gained Affordable Care Act Coverage with Financial Help? Estimated Characteristics of Adults Ages 50 to 64 Gaining Health Insurance Coverage with the ACA Premium Tax Credit

The ACA Premium Tax Credit provides federal financial assistance to help make health insurance coverage affordable for people up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). As of the end of 2015, the Premium Tax Credit provided assistance to an estimated 1.4 million adults ages 50 to 64 who were previously uninsured and not yet eligible for Medicare. This fact sheet takes a closer look at the characteristics of this population who were able to gain health insurance coverage with the assistance of the Premium Tax Credit. The majority of these older adults reported being employed and in good health. The impact on these individuals should be taken into account as any future policy changes are considered

Pairing pedagogical and genomic advances to prepare advanced practice nurses for the era of precision health

Abstract Background Broadly accessible curriculum that equips Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) with knowledge and skills to apply genomics in practice in the era of precision health is needed. Increased accessibility of genomics courses and updated curriculum will prepare APNs to be leaders in the precision health initiative. Methods Courses on genomics were redesigned using contemporary pedagogical approaches to online teaching. Content was based on the Essential Genetic and Genomic Competencies for Nurses with Graduate Degrees. Results The number of students enrolled (n = 10) was comparable to previous years with greater breadth of representation across nursing practice specialty areas (53% vs. 20%). Prior to the first course, students reported agreement with meeting 8% (3/38) of the competencies. By completion of the 3rd course, students reported 100% (38/38) agreement with meeting the competencies. Conclusions Content on genomics sufficient to obtain self-perceived attainment of genomics competencies can be successfully delivered using contemporary pedagogical teaching approaches

Medicare Spends More on Socially Isolated Older Adults

Socially isolated older adults are at greater risk for poor health and death than their well-connected counterparts. However, information is lacking on whether social isolation among older adults affects health care spending. This study is the first to examine whether social isolation also affects health care spending among older adults. By examining Medicare spending data, this study found that a lack of social contacts among older adults is associated with an estimated $6.7 billion in additional federal spending annually