Author Archives for Herb Weiss

Scully Selected to Head Federal Health care Agency

Published in the Pawtucket times on May 14, 2001

Thomas A. Scully, a Washington, D.C.-based health care association executive who holds a law degree from Catholic University and has previous experience on Capitol Hill as a senate staffer and as a high-level White House official, has been tapped by the new Bush administration to run the Health Care financing Administration (HCFA), the federal agency providing health care to 74 million Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

The nomination of Scully, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, a trade group that represents 1,700 for-profit hospitals, went to Capitol Hill in early May.  When confirmed as HCFA administrator by the U.S. Senate, Scully will replace Nancy Min DeParle, who left last October for a teaching stint at Harvard University. With her departure, a string of acting directors temporarily took the reins of the federal agency.

At press time, Jill Kozney, a spokesperson for Chairman Chuck Grassley of the Senate Finance Committee, stated that a confirmation hearing has not been scheduled yet. “Not every piece of paper work is in, but the chairman would like to act on the nomination as soon as possible,” the Senate staffer says.

A Washington Insider

As Washington insider, Scully brings a potpourri of health policy experiences to HCFA. The health care association executive comes with legal expertise gleaned from his legal practice, which focused on regulatory and legislative work in health care. Scully also brings an understanding of the intricacies of Capitol Hill, gained by serving as a staff assistant to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (R-Wash.), and as associate director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and later as deputy assistant to the president and counselor to the director of OMB under the senior Bush administration.

Ties to the former Bush administration were forged when Scully served on the communications staff of the Bush-Quayle campaign in 1988 and as deputy director of the congressional affairs for the president-elect’s transition team.

“Scully is smart, quotable, and politically savvy,” says Edward Howard, executive vice president of the Alliance for Health Care Reform. “He’s described as a problem solver rather than an ideologue,” Howard adds.

Howard expects Scully to turn his attention to internal problems at HCFA, because the agency has “substantial management problems.” He notes that HCFA has lost a number of good people and Congress will most certainly give the agency new tasks to handle.

“At least Scully will not have to spend one and a half years to learn about the programs he supervises, because he knows them well with his past OMB experience and at the Federation of American Hospitals,” Howard adds.

Bill Benson, former deputy assistant secretary for aging and president of the Maryland-based Benson Consulting Group, warns “Don’t look for Scully to, be much of a consumer advocate,” because he will be sympathetic to providers because of his ties to the hospital provider community.

“That does not mean Scully’s going to be in any position to get hospitals any more money but he will be more attuned to less regulation and more flexibility in rules, and regulations or health care providers,” Benson states.

According to Benson, one of Scully’s first tasks will be to carry out Health ad Human Service Secretary Tommy Thomson’s wish to reorganize HCFA because “this agency is one that everyone loves to hate, especially Republicans.”

Providers Rally Around Scully

Meanwhile, provider groups give thumbs up to Scully’s nomination as HCFA administration.

“Tom Scully has a unique combination of both real-world perspective and public service experience,” states Rick Pollack, executive vice president of the American Hospital Association. “That makes him a great choice for HCFA administrator.”

“From crafting Medicare regulation and budgets to building strong relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, Tom has the right mix of knowledge or the job,” Pollack adds.

In a letter being distributed to U.S. senators, who must vote to confirm Scully, Dr. Charles H. Roadman, II and AHCA Legislative Counsel Bruce Yarwood states: “As HCFA administrator, Tom Scully will have the responsibility for leading dramatic change.”

The opportunity for HCFA reform is the brightest it’s been in years,” Roadman predicted, expressing confidence that the controversial survey and enforcement apparatus will be closely scrutinized by Scully and the Bush White House.

In a public statement, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging’s senior vice president Suzanne M. Weiss states that her nonprofit provider group looks forward to working with the new HCFA administrator.

“As we look for ways to improve the current nursing home and inspection and enforcement system and reimbursement system.  We hope Mr. Scully will be o pen to our efforts in his new position,” Weiss says.

The Best Of…Day Services Help Seniors Stay at Home

Published on May, 7, 2001, Pawtucket Times

            Like apples and oranges, senior centers and adult day care are quite different.  But when viewed as complementary community-based services, each can be instrumental in keeping elderly Rhode Islanders independent and at home.

           While senior centers serve the independent older population, programs and services provided by adult day care centers are specifically designed for functionally or cognitively impaired adults.

          Senior centers can serve as “brokers” between the elderly and the surrounding community, creating access to a wide variety of programs and services, states Rick Ryan, former chair of the Washington, DC-based National Institute for Senior Centers and director of senior services for South Kingstown.

        According to Ryan, some people today still believe the myth that senior centers are drop-in centers or “play pens for the frail aged where persons are spoon-fed programs and services.”  Not true, he says.

        “Indeed we have come a long way,” Ryan noted, stating that “senior centers are not developed through a cookie cutting process.”  Programs across the nation are as varied and diverse as the older population that they serve.  In fact, he says, senior centers evolved in response to their surrounding communities and reflect the interest and values of those older adults who not only participate in their programs, but also help shape them.

        For those participating, Ryan stated hat senior centers offer a menu of activities, with older participants being allowed to develop and design their own programs. Activities can range from computer labs offering Internet access, yoga, line dancing, aerobics, playing cards, art classes or even shooting pool.

         Since the early 1970s, adult day care centers have existed. According to the National Association of Adult Day Services in Washington, DC., here are more than 3,000 adult day care centers currently operating nationally.

         “There are 16 state-certified adult day care centers in Rhode Island,” noted Ryan, who also is a member of the Rhode Island Adult Day Services Association, a group representing programs in all of the state’s 39 cities and towns.

         Ryan stated that adult day centers provide a comprehensive planned program of health, social and support services in a protective setting during daytime hours.  “Activities include mental processing programs such as current affairs and word association games to stimulate thinking more physical activities like volleyball, dancing and range of motion exercises.”

         Services at adult day centers are specifically designed to meet the individual needs of the elderly and strongly focus on ways to help relieve the stress of the caregivers.  Such programs are critical in assisting caregivers to maintain their loved ones at home in the community.

       Adds Sharon Rice, director of the Comprehensive Day Care Center, a program of the Jewish Seniors Agency, “One of the most important factors of a day care program is that adult children taking care of elderly frail parents don’t have to worry about how they can take care of their parents, work a full-time demanding job while caring for their children.”  She noted that most adult children prefer to have their parents “age in place” at home rather than have to institutionalize them in a nursing home.

   According to Rice, today’s day care centers in Rhode Island have undergone vigorous licensing procedures through the state’s Department of Elderly Affairs to ensure quality.

          Ensuring quality through licensure can increase the adult children’s willingness to place his or her parents in an adult day care program, she said.

         Currently, Rice states there are 30 frail elderly persons enrolled in her day care program, attending each day.  Although located in Wayland Square on Providence’s East Side, Jewish Seniors Agency program, established in 1974, also serves East Providence and nearby Pawtucket.

         Keeping a person at home is not always the best option. Rice says, because the older person becomes isolated. “Day care can promote friendship, social interaction and therapeutic activities,” she added.

        “Person with Alzheimer or related-dementia, Parkinson’s disease or  who have suffered strokes receive supportive services at the day care center from a registered nurse, a professional social worker, and a certified nursing assistant,” Rice added, noting that participants also are served kosher meals.

      When adult children are faced with care giving responsibilities for their loved ones they do have a choice – to keep the person at home and not in a nursing home, Rice quipped.  “Adult children should feel comfortable in knowing that they can keep a frail elderly family member at home and in the surrounding community.

         Herb Weiss is a freelance Pawtucket-based writer who covers aging, health care and medical issues.   He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

The Best of…Seniors Turn to Acupuncture to Treat Age-Related Illness

Published April 30, 2001, Pawtucket Times

            New lifestyle changes are taking hold of age 50-plus seniors.  Many are dropping junk foods, soft drinks, and coffee from their daily diets in favor of following microbiotic recipes, buying only organically grown foods and drinking spring water.

             A growing number of older Rhode Islanders are also combining visits to their personal physicians with nonconventional healing practices, from chiropractic care to Chinese medicine, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, biofeedback, message, and reflexology.

            This trend is reflected as far back as 1993 when a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine noted that about 34 percent of 1,539 people surveyed used one alternative therapy in the past year, one-third had even seen an alternative therapy provider.

And Speaking of Acupuncture…

           Acupuncture stands out as a uniquely effective treatment modality for ailments effecting older persons.

          Acupuncture needs stimulate specific acupuncture points lying on identified meridians or pathways for energy or Qi (pronounced “chee”) that are located on the head, body or ears.

          Stimulation is accomplished by inserting and then manipulating very think sterile single-use needles.  This alternative therapy can also include heat, electro-stimulation, low intensity lasers or magnets, each applied to selected acupuncture points.

         According to Nancy Emerson Lombardo, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Wellesley College Center for Research and Women, acupuncture treats the whole body rather than its isolated symptoms and may be particularly useful for a disease caused by the aging process, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

         Dr. Emerson Lombardo states that her study, the first of its kind in the nation, found that acupuncture is definitely feasible for American elderly with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

         Moreover, acupuncture relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression in most of the patients in her study.  Succesful relief of severe anxiety and depression in four study participants also improved cognitive functioning in three of the four.

         Various research studies reveal just how acupuncture works, Emerson Lombardo said, noting that researchers have found that acupuncture can: release certain neurotransmitters and hormones (including endorphins, which relieve pain and elevate mood).

          Acupuncture can also increase blood circulation, release substances known to reduce inflammation in tissues, and/or boost the immune system.

          Furthermore, the internationally recognized Wellesley College researcher added that “acupuncture has proven effective for many mental and physical complaints afflicting the elderly.”

         These include pain and arthritis; stroke; headaches and back aches; inflammations; insomnia; allergies and asthma, nausea and constipation; and postoperative pain.

         “Acupuncture is as effective as conventional drugs and has fewer side-effects for improving emotions, and helping with symptoms of anxiety, sleep disturbance, and irritability,” Dr. Emerson Lombardo said.

          In treating major depression, acupuncture has shown improvement rates comparable to those of psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy, she adds.

         Dr. Emerson Lombardo stated that acupuncture therapy should be considered a safe treatment.

          The unconventional medical treatment has been approved and is recognized as a safe and effective therapy for treating various conditions by both the World Health Organization, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration and the National Institute of Health.

Finding the Best Acupuncturist

           When shopping around for the best acupuncturist, Dr. Emerson Lombardo suggested that seniors should interview the acupuncturist briefly on the telephone, requesting information about training, licensing, and experience in treating the particular ailment(s).

          Call the American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) at (888) 500-7999 or (610) 266-1433 to obtain a list of local licensed acupuncturists who have had an average of 2,400 hours of study.  Or get this list from AAOM’s web site, (www.aaom.org).

           Herb Weiss is a Pawtucket-based freelance writer that covers aging, health care and medical issues.  This article appears in the April 30, 2001 issue of the Pawtucket Times.