Amber Willink

Health services researcher interested in policy and delivery system changes that support better care for older adults with high needs and high costs.

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

Our dental, vision, and hearing health are important to our overall health and wellbeing but many barriers exist to accessing these services. See our @Health_Affairs article cited in @nytimes @NickSReed @BonnieSwenorPhD @JHSPH_Hearing @SydneyUni_Media https://t.co/bVmnfUAPPd

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

@UOW_VC @UOW Hope Day 1 went well! Looks like a great welcome

[JHU Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health @JHSPH_Hearing]

Congratulations to Center faculty member @NickSReed for receiving @amaudsoc's Early Career Research Award at #aas2021 for his work in Hearing Loss, Health Care Seeking Behaviors, and Preventable Hospitalizations.

Bravo, Nick!

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

@NickSReed @KatPenno @JHSPH_Hearing @micasocialdesgn @LipitzCenter @JohnsHopkinsSPH @JohnsHopkinsEPI @JHSPH_HPM @Health_Affairs Among this population of hearing aid users we found that annual Medicare spending was $2,513 per person higher among those who did not use hearing care services. Hearing aids are important but not the only part of effective hearing treatment @AGSJournal https://t.co/cTce8y1lnd

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

@NickSReed @KatPenno @JHSPH_Hearing @micasocialdesgn @LipitzCenter @JohnsHopkinsSPH @JohnsHopkinsEPI @JHSPH_HPM And not everyone's hearing aid use is equal. We found those with hearing aids who do not receive hearing care services have poorer hearing outcomes than those who do, and only 1/3 reported receiving hearing care services that year. @Health_Affairs https://t.co/7jQPhKdz6D

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

More Medicare beneficiaries are choosing Medicare Advantage plans with dental, vision, and hearing coverage but still paying a lot of these costs out-of-pocket. Read more in our article published in @Health_Affairs https://t.co/H91PZ4Sk84 @NickSReed @BonnieSwenorPhD @evadugoff

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

Despite recent federal regulations reinforcing state Medicaid programs' obligation to cover hearing aids for adults, many do not. See our viewpoint in @JAMAOto for "Why State Medicaid Programs Should Cover Hearing Aids for Adults" https://t.co/MwOdSPwjpc @JHSPH_Hearing

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

High % of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans with dental (41%), vision (71%), or hearing (56%) coverage. The 38mil beneficiaries in traditional Medicare do not have the same opportunities for coverage of these services despite the need. https://t.co/GvJRJDW2h6

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

Our two @commonwealthfnd reports on #Medicare beneficiaries need for #LTSS and the financial burden they experience to meet high medical and LTSS costs highlighted by @judith_graham see article https://t.co/VsaBzmOxKf via @khnews

[Sarah Szanton @Sarah_Szanton]

No older adult should have to skip washing up or soil themselves. Thank you @awillin2 @jwolff_sph for mentioning CAPABLE as part of the LTSS solution. @CareLinx @AARPpolicy @aijenpoo @DiverseElders @DavidCGrabowski

[Health Affairs @Health_Affairs]

Will a new law allowing purchase of over-the-counter hearing aids reduce cost barriers for hearing care services for #Medicare beneficiaries? @awillin2 @JohnsHopkinsSPH #AgingandHealth https://t.co/94pkqlCFMp

[Health Affairs @Health_Affairs]

Will a new law allowing purchase of over-the-counter hearing aids reduce cost barriers for hearing care services for #Medicare beneficiaries? @awillin2 @JohnsHopkinsSPH #AgingandHealth https://t.co/94pkqll4nP

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

⁦⁦@NickSReed⁩ on our recent ⁦@Health_Affairs⁩ article "...hearing aids alone don't necessarily improve hearing--hearing care services are important too, but there are barriers that prevent many people from accessing those services." ⁦ https://t.co/CCG4r07IlZ

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

A great summary of our @Health_Affairs article on the limited access to hearing care services for those with hearing aids, particularly among low-income older adults @JHSPH_Hearing https://t.co/bQrGpiRUHg

[JHU Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health @JHSPH_Hearing]

Thanks to @medpagetoday journalist @joycefr for her article and interview with @NickSReed on the recent findings published in @Health_Affairs on hearing care access by Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries @awillin2 @DrFrankRLin @JohnsHopkinsSPH @JohnsHopkinsEPI @LipitzCenter

[Amber Willink @awillin2]

The majority of Medicare beneficiaries with hearing aids don't use the hearing care services that could help optimise the quality of their hearing, cost appears to be an important barrier @Health_Affairs @NickSReed @DrFrankRLin

[JHU Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health @JHSPH_Hearing]

📄NEW ARTICLE: Congratulations to @JohnsHopkinsSPH researchers and Center Faculty @awillin2 @NickSReed and @DrFrankRLin on their newest publication in @Health_Affairs #healthcareaccess #hearingcare @LipitzCenter @JohnsHopkinsEPI

👉https://t.co/rvQC8Wiubv

[JHU Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health @JHSPH_Hearing]

NEW ARTICLE from @nytimes reporter Jane Brody on the recent findings from research published in @JAMAOto done by @DrFrankRLin @NickSReed @JenniferADeal @OptumLabs @AARPresearch @DrCharlotteYeh @JohnsHopkinsSPH
@JohnsHopkinsEPI

https://t.co/aP6nAmEbMQ

[Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health @JohnsHopkinsSPH]

Following the 2017 OTC Hearing Aid Act, hearing care access and policy in the US should be addressed next, according to researchers @NickSReed, @DrFrankRLin, and @awillin2 from @JHSPH_Hearing. Read their newly published @JAMA_current Viewpoint: https://t.co/R1nE2TIWNJ

[Commonwealth Fund @commonwealthfnd]

Medicare does not cover personal services that help people live independently at home, meaning beneficiaries with physical or cognitive impairment are at risk of nursing home placement. https://t.co/1aqFe1AvYC

[Carrie Nieman, MD MPH @CarrieNiemanMD]

Opening doors to #hearinghealth through #HEARS, one collaboration at a time. Love our work in Toronto to expand hearing care beyond the clinic in yet one more way. Thank you @DrKateTO, the amazing @Baycrest team, & @CABHI__ ! @JHSPH_Hearing #JHSPH #JHSOM #healthyaging #hearing