<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Online</title><link>https://www.usaging.org/</link><description> </description><copyright>Powered by: Forest Blog Copyright 2006 Host Forest</copyright><item><title>USAging Member to Testify on Social Isolation Before a Senate Aging Committee Field Hearing</title><image>0</image><description><![CDATA[Next Thursday, October 29, Shannah Tharp Gilliam, Ph.D., Director, Allegheny County Department of Human Services Area Agency on Aging, will testify before members of the U.S. Senate Aging Committee, including Pennsylvania Senators Dave McCormick (R) and John Fetterman (D), at a field hearing in Pittsburgh, PA.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
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The hearing, titled Connecting Pennsylvania&rsquo;s Seniors: Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation, will examine the prevalence and consequences of loneliness and social isolation among older Pennsylvanians, highlight successful community-based approaches to keeping older adults connected and explore opportunities for federal aging programs to better support these efforts.&nbsp;<br />
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The hearing will be livestreamed on Thursday, October 29, at 10:00 AM ET on the <a href="https://www.aging.senate.gov/" target="_blank">Senate Aging Committee&#39;s website</a>.&nbsp;]]></description><guid>https://www.usaging.org/default.asp?Display=1305</guid><link>https://www.usaging.org/default.asp?Display=1305</link><author>USAging</author><theblogid>1305</theblogid><pubDate>20261023115149</pubDate></item><item><title>USAging Comments on CMS CY 2027 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule</title><image>0</image><description><![CDATA[On Monday, USAging submitted a <a href="https://www.usaging.org/Files/USAging%20Comment%20Letter_CY27%20CMS%20PFS_Final.pdf">comment letter</a> in response to the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) CY 2027 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. For the first time, the agency proposed a standing Medicare Part B payment pathway for health and well-being coaching that names community-based organizations, including Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and community care hubs by role and accepts training delivered through ACL&#39;s Older Americans Act (OAA) evidence-based programs as a qualifying coach credential.<br />
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USAging provided recommendations to support this proposal, including encouraging CMS to develop guidance on coordinating Medicare reimbursement with OAA funding to allow Medicare-covered services to be reimbursed appropriately. If finalized, this proposal would convert programs that have historically depended on OAA Title III-D dollars into services that can generate significant and recurring revenue for AAAs and the Aging Network. CMS is expected to finalize the rule in November with new policies taking effect on January 1, 2027.]]></description><guid>https://www.usaging.org/default.asp?Display=1304</guid><link>https://www.usaging.org/default.asp?Display=1304</link><author>USAging</author><theblogid>1304</theblogid><pubDate>20260918105632</pubDate></item></channel></rss>