Editors’ Top 5, Week of April 4

Big Financial Costs are Part of Alzheimer’s Toll on Families
First, Alzheimer’s takes a person’s memory. Then it takes their family’s money. (Jon Hamilton/NPR Shots)

Providers Face ‘Giant Sledgehammer’ if Government Prevails in Hospice Case
Hospice and other health care providers charged with submitting false Medicare and Medicaid claims should not face stiff penalties based on only a sampling of claims, the nation’s largest long-term care provider association argues in a brief to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. (Tim Mullaney/Home Health Care News)

Home Medical Equipment Regulations Challenge Small Operators
Providers of home medical equipment in rural North Dakota say changes to Medicare payment policies could put them out of business. (Jessica Holdman/Bismarck Tribune)

It’s Time to Get a Second Opinion Before Paying that Medical Bill
The next time you get a medical bill, don’t pay it—at least not right away. It pays to check for errors first. (Kelli B. Grant/CNBC)

How Do Caregivers Learn Skills to Keep a Loved One Safe at Home?
As Americans live longer, that silver tsunami you’ve heard about is sweeping people into a new role as a family caregiver. (Taunya English/Newsworks, The Pulse)