Health care costs for adults ages 65 and older were $100 billion higher in 2006 than in 1996, after adjusting for inflation, reported the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in August. Emergency room expenses increased substantially for the elderly (20.4% sought emergency care in 2006 compared with 13.2% in 1996), while the proportion of elderly patients with home health care decreased slightly. The cost of prescription medication also climbed from $105 to $174. To read the full report, Trends in Health Care Expenditures for the Elderly Ages 65 and Over: 2006 versus 1996, go to http://bit.ly/Ifmcw.