WASHINGTON -- Seniors aren't breaking out the champagne for President Barack Obama's health care law, and for good reason. While Democrats hail the overhaul as their greatest health care achievement since Medicare, seniors fear it's a raid on that same giant health care program - a bedrock of retirement security - in order to pay for covering younger, uninsured workers and their families.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- With a fresh sense of urgency, President Barack Obama sought to reassure seniors Monday about health care legislation approaching a final vote in Congress, pledging it would make preventive care cost-free and close a gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage.

WASHINGTON -- Republicans argued health legislation would hurt seniors and Democrats said it would do nothing of the sort as the Senate Finance Committee resumed debate Wednesday on a bill to remake the nation's health care system.

Severe financial problems have prompted Maricopa County to shut down a health plan that has given thousands of senior citizens on Medicare low premiums and co-pays since 1993.

October 18, 2004

Mayor Jay Tibshraeny’s Committee for the Aging is hosting Chandler’s 22nd annual Senior Expo 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Chandler Community Center, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave. The Senior Expo is free and open to the public.

One in three adults over age 65 will fall each year, but Banner Health hopes to prevent such falls through “A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls.”

CareMore Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage plan for seniors, has opened a full-service, one-stop neighborhood senior health care facility in Mesa, and is generating new jobs.

February 3, 2005

Banner Health plans to strengthen its presence in the northwest Valley by merging with Sun Health.

Mountain Vista Medical Center, 1301 S. Crismon Road, Mesa, will host a Senior Advantage event — arthritis foundation exercise — at 10 a.m. on Thursdays this May.

Mayor Jay Tibshraeny's Committee for the Aging will host Chandler's 21st Annual Senior Expo from 9 a.m. to noon March 9 at the Chandler Community Center, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave, according to a news release. The expo is free to the public.

At 79, Robert Pannell wasn’t going to let bone marrow disease end his life or his golf game. So when his health insurer refused to pay for a bone marrow transplant, he fought back and won.

Senior citizens in Arizona have not been affected as much as younger people this flu season, statistics show. According to state figures, a third of the patients have been ages 19 to 49 (33 percent). The next largest group has been ages 5 to 18 (24 percent), followed by the very young, newborn to 4 years old (22 percent). More than three-quarters of cases have been influenza A, which includes the H1N1 strain. H3 is the most predominant subtype of lab-confirmed influenza this year.

Esther Moeller always attends the Lovin’ Life After 50 Expo, but this year she enjoyed the event even more than usual. Moeller won a two-night stay at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino at the expo Tuesday at Sundial Recreation Center; she was very pleased and planned to use the prize as soon as possible. “I always look forward to this,” Moeller said. “I learn a lot.” The expo, now in its 23rd year, gives seniors an opportunity to obtain the latest information on retirement, health care, leisure, travel, education and casinos from more than 70 vendors.

Scottsdale was singled out for its innovation in a study of U.S. cities that showed most are unprepared for an aging population.

Scottsdale was singled out for its innovation in a study of U.S. cities that showed most are unprepared for an aging population.

Armed with a deeply ingrained sense of civic responsibility and reams of information about candidates and ballot initiatives, seniors are as engaged as ever in Arizona politics, even though the issues that most directly affect them are being routinely ignored in this year’s midterm elections.

Armed with a deeply ingrained sense of civic responsibility and reams of information about candidates and ballot initiatives, seniors are as engaged as ever in Arizona politics, even though the issues that most directly affect them are being routinely ignored in this year’s midterm elections.

Seniors faced with the loss of a loved one and the depression that follows can find help through a support group at the Via Linda Senior Center in Scottsdale.