One year of home care now costs more than twice the average retiree's annual Social Security benefits, and costs are growing much faster than inflation, according to an AARP analysis shared first with Axios.
Why it matters: Most older adults will need such personal care services, which aren't covered by Medicare. The majority wind up paying out of pocket or leaning on family members as caregivers.
House Republicans are looking at paying for Iran war costs with savings from the ongoing crackdown on fraud in federal health programs as they begin the process of assembling another party-line budget bill.
Why it matters: GOP lawmakers contend Medicare and Medicaid are rife with theft, but the new effort risks crossing the line into benefit cuts that could prompt political backlash in an election year.
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday added an active sunscreen ingredient popular in Europe and Asia to a list of permitted substances, marking the first update of over-the-counter sunscreen products since the late 1990s.
Why it matters: Medical experts say sunscreens in Europe currently offer better protection from ultraviolet radiation associated with skin cancer because of better testing methods.
U.S. drug development is heavily dependent on China — and Washington is not keeping up with the whole-of-government response many experts say is needed to change that. Why it matters: The U.S. is being held back by vulnerabilities like fragile supply chains for generic drugs and the lack of a cutting-edge biotech infrastructure.
