The Post seeks your questions about aging, healthcare and ways to finance it
The explosion is coming: The number of people 85 and older will nearly double in the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Census and, unless there's a miracle that halts aging, it's likely to increase the demand for healthcare like never before.
Early signs foretell that the cost of medical care and living into advanced age with the right support is going to be an expensive proposition, fraught with complex and costly decisions. Medical service inflation is increasing faster than the general inflation rate: by 3.1% compared with the general inflation rate of 2.3%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The golden years might start looking a little less shiny, even for people who have saved their entire lives to enjoy this tropical paradise.
The costs of long-term care, should one need it, can destroy generational wealth. A recent survey from CareScout, an information network of long-term care providers, found that the cost of a private room in a Miami-area nursing home averages about $12,714 a month. It's an expense most haven't saved for and don't have any idea how much it's going to cost, according to KFF, a national health policy research group.
Looming in the background: Pressure to change Medicaid, which provides healthcare for the poorest residents and funds about 62% of Florida's nursing home residents and a labor shortage of people willing to do the lowest-level medical support jobs that involve bedpans, laundry and home help.
Trying to navigate a complex and costly healthcare system in a world that's speeding up can be frustrating.
These issues and others are why The Palm Beach Post is starting a new series of health columns focused on navigating the financial and physical challenges likely to emerge as more and more people reach advanced age and their children confront a reality there's no preparing for. We want to hear what questions you have as you and your loved ones enter new territory.
Post insurance reporter Anne Geggis will take your questions about the ways to plan for living the best life even into advanced years.
Geggis has more than 10 years' experience covering health and health governance, first at the Daytona Beach News-Journal, where she won the national Society of Professional Journalist's Sunshine Award, and then the Gainesville Sun, where she covered cutting-edge research at the state's chief academic medical center.
She'll take your questions about health care and preparing for the future with advice from a wide range of experts. This column starts with you and your concerns, email them to her at ageggis@gannett.com or fill out the form below to submit your questions on healthcare and aging.
Look for her first column in June.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Send us your questions about aging, healthcare and ways to finance it
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Medicaid cuts in ‘big beautiful bill' become flashpoint for GOP
Republicans are increasingly on the defensive over the party's handling of Medicaid cuts in the party's 'big, beautiful bill,' underscoring how the issue has become an early flashpoint ahead of next year's midterms. A number of Republicans have been pressed about cuts to Medicaid in heated town halls and conferences, most recently Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose sarcastic response went viral and has been mocked among Democrats. The moment underscored the challenge the party faces as it seeks to message on President Trump's agenda while also responding to growing criticism from Democrats over changes to the health care program, which could lead to millions of people losing coverage. 'As Republicans are bringing this bill home, they've got to focus their message around that waste, fraud and abuse, and they need to make sure that the policy is focused around that waste, fraud and abuse as well,' said Brian Reisinger, a former Wisconsin Republican strategist and rural policy expert who's authored 'Land Rich, Cash Poor.' House Republicans last month passed their sprawling package filled with several of Trump's top priorities, including extending the 2017 tax cuts and an immigration crackdown — overcoming their first major hurdle as they look to clear a Fourth of July holiday deadline to pass the bill in the Senate and get it signed into law. One of Democrats' clearest criticisms over the bill is the impact Medicaid changes could have on Americans. Millions are estimated to be uninsured and vulnerable to losing Medicaid coverage under the bill, though it remains unclear exactly how many will be impacted. Democrats and aligned groups like the Senate Democrats' campaign arm and Protect Our Care have attacked Republicans in ads over the issue. And the issue has come up in some public events that Republicans have participated in, most recently Ernst's town hall. The Iowa Republican drew the ire of Democrats when she quipped that 'we all are going to die' after an audience member shouted that people will die amid a discussion over the proposed Medicaid changes. In that same town hall, Ernst noted that 'Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa' and that 'those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect.' Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ernst defended her remarks, saying she was 'very passionate' and that 'you need to listen to the entire conversation.' But the fallout from the incident has been swift: a well-known Iowa Democrat, J.D. Scholten, jumped into the race following the controversy, and election handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball shifted the race slightly toward Democrats as a result. Republicans have sought to counter the Democratic attacks, stressing the need for members of their party to frame the changes as part of an effort to make sure only those who really need Medicaid will have access to it. 'Narrative: Republicans are defending Medicaid for EVERY American who NEEDS and DESERVES it the most. That means seniors, low-income families, pregnant women, and disabled Americans, not fraudsters, able-bodied adults who refuse to work, or illegal immigrants,' reads messaging guidance from the House Republicans' campaign arm. 'FACT: Medicaid spending is going up year over year to support those in need.' Most immigrants without legal status can't qualify for Medicaid at the federal level, but some blue states have extended health care coverage to them. Republicans' legislation would lower the federal matching rate for states that make health care coverage available to immigrants without legal status. Other Republicans simply argue the party is tackling waste, fraud and abuse. 'The Democrats are just flat out lying about it. We're not doing Medicaid reform,' Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), an ally of President Trump, told reporters on Monday. 'We're kicking off the waste and the fraud off of it, people that should never be on it.' The Senate Republicans' campaign arm has also played up other aspects of the bill — such as tax cuts and border security — suggesting Democrats running for Senate who voted against it are also voting against the interests of their constituents. One Republican operative who requested anonymity to speak candidly acknowledged while the GOP was not 'entirely on offense on the Medicaid issue,' they noted that the party was at least 'muddying the waters and neutralizing it' by leaning into work requirements and illegal immigration. Yet not all Republicans are on the same page. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has opposed some of the Medicaid changes included in the bill, expressing concern over how parts of the legislation could impact rural hospitals. 'I'm concerned about the provider [tax]. I mean, that's not a direct benefit cut, but if it closes rural hospitals, I mean that's … people can't get coverage,' Hawley told reporters, referring to a provision of the bill that would help states fund Medicaid. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who's up for reelection next year, also said last month she was not going to support the bill 'if there are deep cuts in Medicaid that would endanger health care for low-income families, for disabled children, for other vulnerable populations, and for our rural hospitals,' according to Maine Public. Reisinger, the former Wisconsin Republican strategist, said the GOP's messaging needs to focus on the waste, fraud and abuse that resonates with rural communities. 'Right now, voters are hearing … deeply conflicting information from Republicans [and] Democrats, and here's the thing: Republicans need to remember that in rural areas, there are a lot of their voters who at one time voted for a blue-collar Democrat and could do so again,' he said. 'We don't know if that'll be in the near term, in the midterms,' he added. 'We don't know if that'll be long term, but if they're passing legislation that is not living up to the declarations around waste, fraud and abuse, and they're actually passing legislation that has a deeply negative economic impact on rural America, that's going to have an impact.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ernst risks political blowback with ‘we all are going to die' remarks
Sen. Joni Ernst's (R-Iowa) recent controversial remarks on Medicaid are threatening to become a political liability for the incumbent as she faces reelection next year. Ernst drew the ire of Democrats when she responded to concerns about potential Medicaid cuts by saying 'we all are going to die.' Despite the swift backlash, Ernst doubled down on the remarks in a sarcastic video posted Saturday on social media in which she appeared to be recording from a cemetery. While the second-term senator has been a formidable candidate and will benefit from the conservative lean of her state, some Republicans acknowledge the comments could follow her into the midterms. 'It is very, very early, but there is no question that that comment from Sen. Ernst will be on Iowa airwaves for the better part of the next 15 months,' said one Iowa Republican strategist. The election handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball on Tuesday shifted Ernst's race slightly toward Democrats — from safe to likely Republican — citing her recent comments and a new challenge from Democratic state Rep. JD Scholten, who said the senator's remarks spurred him to jump in. Another GOP strategist acknowledged the risk posed by Ernst's comments but added the political climate next year is going to ultimately have a greater impact on the race. 'It probably wasn't helpful, and the cleanup wasn't helpful,' the strategist said. 'But the race, presuming it's these two candidates on the ballot, isn't going to be decided by Sen. Ernst's comments in 2025. It's going to be more influenced on where the country's at.' Ernst had pushed back against constituents who shouted at the Butler, Iowa, town hall event that cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would cause people to die. 'Well, we all are going to die,' the senator responded, as she defended a House-passed budget reconciliation package that proposes cuts to Medicaid and SNAP funding. The exchange drew sharp backlash from Democrats. The party's Senate campaign arm called Ernst's remarks 'stunningly callous,' and Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin accused her, President Trump and the GOP of being 'hellbent on putting their own constituents at risk.' Scholten jumped into the race Monday following the backlash to her remarks. 'I wasn't planning on doing this right now, but I just can't sit on the sidelines after Joni's recent town hall justifying gutting Medicaid because 'we're all going to die,'' he said in his video launch. He enters the race alongside Democrat Nathan Sage, who said Ernst 'has stepped in it.' State Sen. Zach Wahls, another potential candidate, said 'we desperately need a new voice for Iowa in the US Senate.' Ernst also faces three long shot primary challengers on the right. Democrats argue that the comments will play poorly with much of Iowa's aging and rural population, which depend on programs like Medicaid. But Ernst doubled down on the comments in her sarcastic apology video, saying, 'I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this Earth.' Even some conservatives took issue with her response. 'I wouldn't have posted the follow-up video,' said CNN commentator Scott Jennings. 'In fact, the answer she gave in the town hall, the first 98 percent of it was correct. She was talking about taking illegal immigrants off of Medicaid.' 'I wouldn't have posted the follow-up video myself, but I think the Republicans can actually win this debate,' he added. Last week's events would not be the first time a political candidate in the state has faced backlash for off-the-cuff remarks caught on camera. In fact, when Ernst first ran for Senate in 2014, her opponent, former Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), faced backlash when he was caught on camera at a fundraiser referring to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) as 'a farmer from Iowa who never went to law school.' 'Those things can be harmful,' said the unnamed GOP strategist. 'It won't decide the race, but on the periphery and on the edges, sure, it could have a long-term impact.' Still, Republicans are largely brushing off the criticism, arguing Ernst's comments were taken out of context. 'Anyone who knows Joni — especially the folks who heard her answer tough questions for over an hour — knows Dems and the mainstream media are purposefully replacing her core message because it helps their fearmongering,' said Iowa Republican Party Chair Jeff Kaufmann. 'But the fact is, without Sen. Ernst taking a strong stand to protect the integrity of programs like Medicaid, Iowans would be worse off.' Democrats, on the other hand, are leaning into the senator's comments because 'there's been nothing for them to really lean into' before this point, argued Iowa Republican consultant Luke Martz. 'This isn't going to win the election for them. It's just giving them something to talk about.' Tim Hagle, a political science professor at the University of Iowa, also acknowledged Ernst doubling down was 'probably not a good idea' but forecasted voters will forget about the incident on the long road to the 2026 midterms. 'Ernst's comments give Scholten some opportunity to jump into the race, get some headlines. … I don't think it's a big enough deal that it's going to have legs, so to speak,' Hagle said. But Iowa State University political science professor Dave Peterson predicted that, while Republicans will try to ignore the incident and 'hope it goes away,' Democrats are likely to make sure it dogs her. 'This just seems like something that might not go away, something that might sort of linger with her,' Peterson said. Of course, Ernst — who has not yet formally launched a reelection bid — would enter 2026 as the favorite, despite the backlash and her new challengers. It's been more than a decade since a Democrat represented Iowa in the upper chamber. Ernst won reelection by roughly 7 points back in 2020, and Trump won the state by 13 points in November. 'Joni Ernst is Iowa's winner in Washington,' GOP strategist Michael Zona told The Hill in an email. But the latest controversy, adding to scrutiny that mounted on Ernst earlier this year over her support for Trump's Cabinet picks, could give Democrats leverage to make inroads in the midterms, Peterson said. 'It's Ernst's race to lose, and the last week has made that a little more likely,' he said. The Iowa Republican strategist said the attention drawn onto Iowa this week 'opens up the door to resources being put in,' and groups on both sides of the aisle will have to make calculations. However, Democrats argue the state already presented an opportunity for them prior to Ernst's comments, pointing to recent special election victories they say signal a shift in the political environment. In January, Iowa Democrats flipped the state's 35th Senate District, which Trump won by 21 points in November. In March, Democrats overperformed in the special election for the 100th House District. 'It's still a high bar for Democrats trying to win statewide,' said Iowa Democratic strategist Jeff Link, but 'video clips like this have a way of just hanging around.' If Ernst runs next year, 'we're going to see this clip a ton, and that's not good for her,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump bill takes unfriendly fire from GOP allies
President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' took unfriendly fire from several White House allies Tuesday, including Elon Musk, complicating its path out of the Senate and to the president's desk. Musk offered stinging criticism of the bill just days after he left the administration, calling it 'a disgusting abomination.' 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,' Musk posted on his social platform X. 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,' the tech mogul continued, taking direct aim at House Republicans and drawing rebukes from GOP leaders in Congress. It's all a matter of bad timing for the president, who just went into overdrive seeking to win over GOP critics of the House bill. Trump made a series of calls in recent days as he begins the effort to get the bill through the Senate, where it faces calls for more spending cuts from the likes of Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). Separately, GOP senators such as Josh Hawley (Mo.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Thom Tillis (N.C.) have other worries, ranging from what the bill would do to those on Medicaid to green tax credits. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had to react to the Musk missive in real time, as a reporter read her his post. 'The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,' she said, brushing off Musk's bruising commentary. 'It doesn't change the president's opinion. This is one, big, beautiful bill and he's sticking to it.' A few GOP senators, though, quickly sided with Musk. Paul backed the billionaire's comments after he had doubled down on his own objections to the bill, saying that he strongly opposes raising the debt ceiling, which would be hiked by $4 trillion under the current legislation. The president earlier Tuesday had directly slammed Paul, accusing the Kentucky lawmaker of voting 'NO on everything' and 'never' having 'practical or constructive ideas.' Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) also backed Musk, calling the deficit increase 'nothing short of stunning.' Johnson, another Trump ally, has harped on the need for the bill to be slashed in size in a series of cable news interviews. The White House signaled it wasn't worried about the GOP criticism Tuesday. 'Those senators, it's not news that they disagree with this president on policy, and the president has vocally called them out for it and for not having their facts together,' Leavitt said, calling the Congressional Budget Office 'historically wrong' over its cost projections of the GOP plan. '[Musk is] entitled to his opinion. I think that's a bit strong,' added Tillis, who told The Hill earlier in the day that he would oppose the House bill if that were the final version. 'I think there's a fair amount of policy in the bill. I think what Elon is talking about is a fraction of the bill. I don't believe he's focusing on a number of the things that even the American people's not focused on.' The airing of grievances comes at a make-or-break moment for the GOP, as it tries to complete work by July Fourth, which members have laid out as a goal date as they attempt to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent and eliminate taxes on tips, among other things. Trump is getting in on the action, speaking over the phone or meeting in person with Hawley, Johnson, Paul and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in recent days. 'He knows the list,' said one source familiar with the Senate state of play, referring to the members who must be won over. According to Johnson, Trump called him recently after his multiple TV appearances where he has heaped criticism on the House bill and talked up the needed spending cuts. 'He understands my concerns. He would love to return to reasonable, prepandemic spending,' Johnson said of Trump. '[That's] hard to accomplish in the House, I recognize that fact as well. … He expressed his concerns, and I expressed mine. They're legitimate concerns on both sides.' The Wisconsin Republican also noted he spoke Monday night with White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, who subsequently appeared at the weekly Senate GOP luncheon Tuesday. Trump is 'deeply involved' with 'personally advocating' for the bill, and there will be additional meetings going forward between the administration and lawmakers to get it passed, a White House official told The Hill. Hawley told The Hill that their discussion is part of a 'rolling' one centered on his opposition to Medicaid benefit cuts — an opposition Trump shares. 'We talk on a pretty consistent basis,' he said. 'He's so involved. On the House side, they wouldn't have landed the plane without him.' 'He's very — to put it mildly — very, very involved, and I think he'll be, as the bill comes into focus on this side, I think he'll get more involved,' Hawley continued. 'He's how [Speaker] Mike Johnson passed it. Without him, they would never have passed it.' Scott said he met with Trump at the White House at the president's behest to discuss the avenue to getting it done. The Florida Republican has been aligned with Sens. Johnson and Lee in the hopes of increasing spending cuts. Paul also said he had a 'lengthy' call with the president in recent days. The Kentucky Republican has long been believed to be the toughest GOP member to win over, given his opposition to the debt ceiling hike. 'He did most of the talking,' Paul said. Although members concede Trump's impact is more acute with House members, given the political dynamics in the chamber, they still see the president as having real sway to get the package over the finish line. 'He's the closer,' Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told The Hill. 'The president clearly is very dialed in right now.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
