I am 67 years of age and have a $20,000 pension. The social-security payments my wife and I receive total $9,400. Our income from interest on savings and dividends amounts to approximately $12,000 a year. We have no debts. Yet in a year or so I could be virtually penniless, living on an allowance similar to that given to welfare recipients. My wife is in a nursing home. About 15 years ago I learned that my wife had Parkinson's disease. This condition triggered other problems, and four years ago a massive internal infection necessitated the removal of most of her small intestines. A chronic bladder problem and unusually low blood pressure required that she take extremely large doses of medication. Because of her weakened condition she required constant assistance with even ordinary chores, such as going to the bathroom or dressing. Then, three months ago, she suffered a stroke. Her speech is still unintelligible and the state of her health is such that she can no longer be cared for at home. Paid Help: We have been married 35 years and in all that time have never been separated. Even after her intestinal operation she had refused to go to a convalescent home and insisted on coming home to me. For my part, I was more than willing to have her. We were forced to take in paid help costing close to $400 a week but, still, I was on my own nights and weekends, doing laundry, shopping, preparing meals, cleaning our small apartment, seeing that she took all her medicine, attending to her every need. I was seldom able to sleep more than an hour at a stretch. Since the stroke, however, my wife requires even more skilled and timeconsuming care, which can best be provided in a nursing home. The cost is $105 daily, roughly $3,200 a month or $38,325 a year, which is more than our entire net income. These charges for the kind of care my wife receives are more or less standard in most major cities. Some institutions are even more expensive. Other than Medicaid (government insurance for the impoverished) there is practically no insurance that covers extended care in a nursing home. Medicare will pay most nursing-home expenses for up to a hundred days, but only under certain conditions: if the patient must be fed and medicated intravenously, suffers from bedsores, is kept on blood-thinning medication or requires throat-suctioning. The catch is that most nursing homes will not admit such a person to their custody. If I were a murderer my pension could not be touched, but having a sick wife carries a special penalty. Once I've spent my savings and disposed of other assets, my wife will be eligible for Medicaid. If there is an alternative to insolvency, I am not aware of it. It is my understanding that I will be allowed to keep $2,600 for myself and $2,600 for my wife, essentially for burial expenses. My pension, earned after 33 years with the New York City Police Department, will be attached. If I were involved in a swindle and owed money, if I were serving time in jail for murder, my pension could not be touched. Having a sick wife carries a special penalty. I will no longer be able to own anything. If I work I won't be able to keep my salary. What I will be allowed is a set amount for rent and food. I will join the ranks of the nonproductive members of society. The odd part of this arrangement is that by making us liquidate our savings, the government is depriving $1,000 a month in bank and interest that could go toward upkeep. If that income co tained, the nursing-home co icaid would be $600 or so Were I permitted to work it even less. Instead, it will co payers, through Medicaid, r $1,600 a month. Divorce: The fact is that placing my parent or an inca child in an institution, under would not be financially resp year ago an accountant sugg since I was neither a million. pauper the sensible thing to get a divorce. That way my w be entitled to a share of wha and I would not be left witho Certainly it is logical. But wh we be compelled to do someth so contrary to the feelings we each other? Half of everythi band has should and does bel wife. Why can't the same rule us? Moreover, I believe tha whatever I might be able to ea go to her. I would willingly work to lighten Medicaid's sh bill. Why should people who h together as long as we have, feel about each other the way forced into a divorce? The one bright spot in all thi I was able to get her placed in nursing home where she is w for. As long as I've known her, has agonized over the fact grandmother, who raised her, e life in a charity ward. That wa the Great Depression and tho how things were for her belove mother have always haunted know that whatever happens, am not around, she is in good ha Now, what about me? David B. Gordon is a retire officer. He lives in New York C NEWSWEEK/SEPTEMBER 27, 1982 se s depriving us of the un bank and dividend d go toward my wife's income could be reng-home cost to Med$600 or so a month. d to work it would be d, it will cost the taxMedicaid, more than fact is that if I were ent or an incapacitated tution, under the law I nancially responsible. A countant suggested that ther a millionaire nor a sible thing to do was to That way my wife would a share of what we own Ot be left without a cent. logical. But why should ed to do something that is the feelings we have for alf of everything a husld and does belong to his 't the same rule apply for , I believe that half of ght be able to earn should would willingly return to en Medicaid's share of the uld people who have been Ong as we have, and who ch other the way we do, be divorce? ight spot in all this is that I get her placed in a good e where she is well cared as I've known her, my wife d over the fact that her r, who raised her, ended her Fity ward. That was during epression and thoughts of were for her beloved grande always haunted her. I whatever happens, even if l nd, she is in good hands. at about me? Gordon is a retired police ives in New York City. PREPARED STATEMENT OF JACK RAFFERTY, MAYOR, HAMILTON, N.J. MAY CONGRESSMEN RINALDO AND, SMITH, I AM JACK RAFFERTY, HEARING IS ONE OF VITAL INTEREST TO NOT ONLY ME BUT ALL AME POSITIVE INCENTIVES TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND COST CONSCIOUS PROVISION OF CARE. THIS IS AN ACTION THAT HAS BEEN BADLY NEE YEARS, BUT HAS BEEN IGNORED AND OVERLOOKED BECAUSE IT W DIFFICULT AN ISSUE TO CONFRONT AND NOT ESPECIALLY POLI ATTRACTIVE. TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS PORTENDS FUTURE CHANGES THAT MAY BE CONSIDERATION, I AM TRULY ENCOURAGED. I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED, HOWEVER, THAT THE NEEDS OF A OLDER AMERICANS BE GIVEN THE THOROUGH AND PROPER CONSIDERAT THE COUNCILS IN WASHINGTON THAT THEY RIGHTFULLY DESERVE. PEOPLE, IN THE TWILIGHT OF THEIR YEARS, THE AMERICANS W RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS GREAT NATI INCREASINGLY FINDING THAT HEALTH CARE IS DEPRIVING TH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE WORKED A LIFETIME ACHIEVING; THAT IS A AND COMFORTABLE RETIREMENT. I FIND IT DISMAYING THAT MEDICAR HEALTH CARE PROGRAM FOR THE AGED, SPENDS LESS THAN ONE-HALF BILLION DOLLARS ON INSTITUTIONAL LONG TERM CARE, WHEREA MEDICAID PROGRAM, A PROGRAM FOR THE INDIGENT, SPENDS MANY B OF DOLLARS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF CARE. I FIND THERE ARE INEQUITIES THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE SEEM TO HAVE LITTLE RAT OR JUSTIFICATION. WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, MUST A PERSON BE HOSPIT BEFORE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR NURSING HOME BENEFITS UNDE MEDICARE PROGRAM? WHY, ARE THE MEDICARE BENEFITS FOR GENUINELY IN NEED OF NURSING HOME CARE SO RESTRICTIVE AND LIN WHY IS IT OUR OLDER AMERICANS CANNOT BE SAFEGUARDED A RICANS WHO ARE BE HOSPITALIZED CATASTROPHIC HEALTH CARE COSTS? I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A CO THAT IS CAPABLE OF PUTTING A MAN ON THE MOON IN TEN SHORT REFRESHING CHANGE TO OBSERVE. HIDING OR PRETENDING THAT A PR BETTER WAY. CONGRESSMEN, I, AS A MAYOR, LOOK TO MEN LIKE YO I TIVE AND LIMITED? EGUARDED AGAINST THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT BECOME AN ARE PARTISAN POLITICS. I DO NOT SPEAK AS A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCR RATHER AS A CONCERNED ELECTED LOCAL OFFICIAL AND IF MY MES: WASHINGTON IS ANYTHING, IT IS THAT AMERICA DOES CARE F ELDERLY AND THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES CONGRESS FOR CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. I, FOR MY AND I AM SURE THAT I SPEAK FOR VIRTUALLY ALL THE MAYO GOVERNORS OF AMERICA, STAND READY TO DO OUR SHARE TO ASSIST THIS NOBLE EFFORT IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN. I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT TES BEFORE YOUR COMMITTEE AND I COMMEND YOU ON SHOWING THE FORTI TACKLE THIS MOST DIFFICULT AND TROUBLESOME OF HEALTH POLICY I I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING YOUR PROGRESS IN THIS VITAL AREA THANK YOU. |