A 1985 Report from Washington, November 1985

Hecht A 1985 REPORT FROM WASHINGTON "Nevada NOVEMBER DEAR FRIEND: THIS IS MY FIRST SPECIAL NEWSLETTER DEVOTED TO ISSUES AFFECTING OLDER AMERICANS. I HOPE YOU FIND IT OF INTEREST. THE CONGRESS HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH ARE OF CONCERN TO SENIORS, INCLUDING SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND BASIC RIGHTS TO NURSING HOME CARE. PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW THIS NEWSLETTER AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ME. AND ALSO3 FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF I CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE. SINCERELY 3 SOCIAL SECURITY PAPER CHECK CONVERSION IN DECEMBER, YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK WILL LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IN November- IT WILL FEATURE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY PRINTED ON A BACKGROUND OF PALE COLORS- THIS NEW DESIGN MAKES SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS MORE DIFFICULT TO ALTER OR COUNTERFEIT. THE NEW CHECKS WILL ALSO BE PRINTED ON LIGHTWEIGHT PAPER, SAVING THE GOVERNMENT $6 MILLION A YEAR IN STORAGE AND PAPER COSTS- SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME CHECKS WILL BE CHANGED BEGINNING WITH THE April 1986 CHECK. THOSE CHECKS, HOWEVER, WILL BE MAILED IN A BLUE ENVELOPE, RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL MANILA-COLORED ENVELOPE- THE GOVERNMENT ISSUES 600 MILLION CHECKS EACH YEAR- OF THESE, 260 MILLION ARE SENT TO SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES, AND 43-5 MILLION TO SSI RECIPIENTS- WATCH FOR YOUR NEW SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK -- COMING IN DECEMBER! 302 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510 COST-OF-LIVING INCREASES THE BUDGET COMPROMISE ADOPTED IN AUGUST MAKES NO CHANGES IN SOCIAL SECURITY, THE PENSION PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MONTHLY CASH BENEFITS TO 36 MILLION ELDERLY AND DISABLED AMERICANS. THERE WILL NOT BE ANY CHANGE IN COST"OF"LIVING (COLA) ADJUSTMENTS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY. OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (OASDI) BENEFITS ARE AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTED EACH DECEMBER TO REFLECT THE CHANGE IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI), EXCEPT WHEN THE BALANCE IN THE OASDI TRUST FUND IS VERY LOW. IN ANY EVENT, THE AMOUNT OF INCREASE, WHETHER BASED ON THE CPI OR ON WAGES, MUST BE AT LEAST EQUAL TO 3-0 PERCENT OR THE AMOUNT IS DEFERRED UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE OASDI TRUST FUND IS SUFFICIENTLY HIGH AND CPI DATA SUGGESTS THAT THE COLA FOR DECEMBER 1985, PAYABLE EARLY JANUARY, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WILL BE 3-1 PERCENT-MEDICARE IN THE BUDGET RESOLUTION PASSED IN AUGUST, THE SENATE APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL $8-4 BILLION FOR MEDICARE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS-WHILE AGREEING TO THE $8-4 BILLION FIGURE AS A GOAL, HOUSE MEMBERS DID NOT COMMIT THEMSELVES TO A SPECIFIC METHOD OF RAISING FUNDS-IN ITS EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THIS FEDERAL REVENUE INCREASE, THE SENATE REQUIRED COMPULSORY ENROLLMENT IN THE MEDICARE PROGRAM FOR ALL CURRENT AND NEWLY HIRED STATE AND LOCAL EMPLOYEES BEGINNING IN OCTOBER OF 1986- HOWEVER, THE HOUSE VERSION DOES NOT REQUIRE CURRENT EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM- DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO VERSIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING WORKED OUT IN CONFERENCE- PASSAGE IS EXPECTED BY DECEMBER. You AND YOUR MEDICATIONS OF THE PROBLEMS FACING OLDER AMERICANS TODAY, MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION AND NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS RANK AMONG THE MOST PREVALENT- DRUGS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED LONGEVITY AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MILLIONS OF OLDER AMERICANS- EVEN SUCH TRADITIONALLY DEBILITATING DISEASES AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OFTEN CAN BE CONTROLLED WITH MEDICATION- YET TRAGICALLY, TOO MANY OLDER PERSONS SUFFER NEEDLESSLY FROM IMPROPER USE AND/OR ABUSE OF THESE SAME DRUGS-FOUR FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM: 1) AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE BODY DECREASE AN INDIVIDUAL'S TOLERANCE FOR DRUGS AND INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF ADVERSE REACTIONS; 2) OLDER PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE SEVERAL DRUGS, OFTEN SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND ARE THUS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS AND DANGEROUS DRUG INTERACTIONS; 3) MEDICATION OFTEN IS TAKEN IMPROPERLY, EITHER INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY; 4) POOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PATIENT AND THE DOCTORS AND PHARMACISTS IS ANOTHER MAJOR FACTOR. PLEASE BE MINDFUL: CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH A DRUG YOU ARE TAKING, OR IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY ADVERSE REACTIONS. Uo NOT MAKE DECISIONS ON DRUG USE WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. KNOW THE NAMES OF ALL MEDICATIONS YOU TAKE, WHAT THEY ARE FOR, AND HOW YOU SHOULD TAKE THEM- Do NOT HESITATE TO QUESTION YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR MEDICATION-THE TRAGEDY OF DRUG-INDUCED ILLNESS AMONG AMERICA'S OLDER CITIZENS AFFECTS US ALL- INFORMED AND CONSCIENTIOUS USE OF DRUGS IS YOUR BEST PROTECTION-BASIC RIGHTS TO NURSING HOME CARE THE VAST MAJORITY OF NURSING HOMES ARE FEDERALLY "CERTIFIED" FOR MEDICAID PATIENTS- THAT IS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS INSPECTED THESE FACILITIES, FOUND THEM TO MEET MINIMUM STANDARDS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW, AND PERMITTED OR "CERTIFIED" THEM TO ADMIT PATIENTS ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID, AND BILL THE MEDICAID PROGRAM- IF THE NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR DOES NOT MAKE CLEAR WHETHER THE HOME IS FEDERALLY CERTIFIED, CALL THE NEVADA LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN- FEDERAL LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE THESE FEDERALLY CERTIFIED NURSING HOMES TO ACCEPT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PATIENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID; NOR DOES IT PROHIBIT HOMES FROM REFUSING A PATIENT BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS A MEDICAID PATIENT- HOMES MAY NOT CHARGE THE PATIENT MORE THAN MEDICAID PAYS, REQUIRE A CASH PAYMENT BEFORE ADMITTING A PATIENT ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID, OR DEMAND ADDITIONAL PAYMENT ABOVE THE MEDICAID RATE IN RETURN FOR ALLOWING A PRIVATE-PAY PATIENT TO STAY ONCE HE OR SHE BECOMES ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID* ANOTHER FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS NURSING HOMES FROM DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PATIENTS WHOSE CONDITIONS, SUCH AS BEDSORES OR INTRAVENOUS THERAPY, ARE MORE COSTLY- YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF BY REALIZING THESE PRACTICES ARE ILLEGAL, AND BY KNOWING WHERE TO GET HELP-NEVADA, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, HAS AN OMBUDSMAN WHO IS EMPOWERED TO INVESTIGATE AND RESOLVE COMPLAINTS BY INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, AND TO MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS REGARDING THOSE FACILITIES- THE OMBUDSMAN CAN HELP WITH PROBLEMS RELATING TO SUCH THINGS AS THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND DIGNITY, MISSING POSSESSIONS, AND TRANSFERS OF RESIDENTS AGAINST THEIR WILL- FURTHERMORE, THE OMBUDSMAN HAS A RIGHT OF ACCESS TO THE NURSING HOME TO INVESTIGATE PROBLEMS, AND EACH PATIENT HAS THE RIGHT TO MEET PRIVATELY WITH THE OMBUDSMAN, AT NO CHARGE-IN ORDER TO FIND THE NEAREST OMBUDSMAN, CALL THE NEVADA LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN IN CARSON CITY, 885-4210, OR YOUR LOCAL SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER-