November 26, 2007

CARIE Policy Update and Meeting Announcement

Quote of the Month
“Courage and perserverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Congress Approves Funding Increase for OAA
Congress has approved $111 million in increases to the Older Americans Act (OAA) for fiscal year 2008. The bill includes: $7 million for supportive services and centers, $19 million for congregate meals, $9 million for home-delivered meals, $8 million for nutrition services incentives, $2 million for family caregiver support, and $47 million to pay the required minimum wage increase for Title V enrollees. The proposal also includes $22.5 million for the Administration on Aging's Choices for Independence initiative, $2 million for the National Center on Senior Benefits Outreach and Enrollment, $2 million for Lifespan Respite Care, $10 million for Real Choice Systems Change grants, and $45 million for State Health Insurance Assistance Programs. Unfortunately, on November 14, President Bush vetoed the underlying bill which covers many human services programs, because it spends $9.8 billion more than he wants. The veto probably will stand because neither chamber reached the required two-thirds vote for an override in passing the bill. It's likely that some program spending will be reduced, possibly across-the-board, and a final bill is expected to pass the week of 12/17. Call your Representative(s) today; you can reach any DC legislative office through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

New Study Finds Out-of-Pocket Health Care Spending for Medicare Beneficiaries Rose as a Share of Income
A growing share of Medicare beneficiaries’ income was spent on health care, with median out-of-pocket health spending up from 11.9% of income in 1997 to 15.5% in 2003, according to a new study published in the November/December 2007 issue of the Journal of Health Affairs. The study found that about four in 10 beneficiaries spent at least one-fifth of their income on health care in 2003. The top 10% of beneficiaries spent more than half of their income on health care. Using data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, the study found that growth in out-of-pocket health spending outpaced growth in income over time. Between 1997 and 2003, median out-of-pocket health spending increased by $1,116 — a 50% increase, while median individual income rose by just 15%. Premiums for Medicare and supplemental insurance were the largest component of the increase, followed by payments for medical care providers and services. Spending on prescription drugs accounted for a relatively small share of total out-of-pocket health spending in 2003 (13.7%), but accounted for 18.1% of the out-of-pocket spending increase between 1997 and 2003. The authors note that it is too early to determine the effect of the Medicare Part D drug benefit on the overall financial burden of health care spending by Medicare beneficiaries.

Application Deadline for Property Tax/Rent Rebates extended to Dec. 31
Nearly 200,000 senior citizens who qualify for a rebate have not yet applied; the application deadline has been extended until Dec. 31, so there is still time for those eligible renters and homeowners to submit an application. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The program expansion increased the income limit from $15,000 to $35,000, and since the program counts only half of Social Security as income, homeowners who earn more than $35,000 may qualify. The maximum rebate was also increased from $500 to $650. Renters with incomes between $0 and $8,000 receive a $650 rebate and those with incomes between $8,001 and $15,000 receive a $500 rebate. To learn more about the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program, visit the website or call 1-888-222-9190. 

Just the Links.....
The following are links to potential resources or documents of interest:

• PHMC’s Community Health Database invites you to attend a forum December 12, 2007 from 9:30 am – 11:30 am on the Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Medicare Part D). The Community Health Database will debut its new Medicare Part D brief from the 2006 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey data, followed by a panel of experts who will share their experiences with the Medicare Part D roll-out in our region. Use flyer to register.
• November 15 – December 31, 2007 is open enrollment for Medicare Part D. Call the CARIE LINE 215-545-5728 with any questions. 
• Don’t have time to read all the papers everyday? Subscribe to PCA’s News Bulletin.
• IRS Issues Long-Term Care Premium Deductibility Limits for 2008. The Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project has a two-page fact sheet, "Tax Code Treatment of Long-Term Care and Long-Term Care Insurance."
• The Long-Term Care Community Coalition in New York has recently published a new Toolkit to Speak Out on Nursing Home Staffing.
• The National Association of State Medicaid Directors issued a report, State Perspectives on Emerging Medicaid Long-Term Care Policies and Practices detailing the effect the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) has had on long-term care.
• A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) study finds that more than 30,000 Medicaid providers in seven states owe the federal government $1 billion in unpaid taxes.
• Take a look at the Alliance for Health Reform’s latest toolkit on Medicaid. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this toolkit features dozens of links to useful websites and articles about Medicaid.
• Let the Sunshine In: Ensuring Public Involvement in State Medicaid Policy Making examines the processes states have in place to solicit public input into Medicaid policy changes developed and implemented through Section 1115 waivers or State Plan Amendments.

Just For Fun
Missing your favorite television shows? Watch Not the Daily Show, With Some Writer.

CARIE News 
CARIE recently completed Better Jobs Better Care – Pennsylvania, a project to improve direct care worker recruitment and retention in long-term care funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We wish to thank Karen Reever for her consistent and dedicated efforts to make this project a true success. The Pennsylvania Direct Care Workers Association continues to be a viable force in Pennsylvania. For more information more information about the national program, including research projects, visit Better Jobs Better Care at the Institute for the Future of Aging Services.

CARIE is looking for a VISTA Volunteer to provide outreach to low income seniors about the low income subsidy for Medicare. The position requires an individual who has experience working with older adults and those who care for them and is comfortable with public speaking. Please click here for the job description, educational requirements and how to apply. 

Behind in your holiday shopping? Can’t decide what to give that difficult person on your list? Want to make a gift that makes a difference? Relieve your stress by making a contribution to CARIE in lieu of gifts, and we will acknowledge your tax-deductible contribution by sending a personally-addressed and signed nondenominational holiday card to the person/s of your choice. Just email Cathy Schiman at schiman@carie.org with the name and address of the person you wish to receive the acknowledgment, and opt to pay online. You may also send a personal check to CARIE, c/o Cathy Schiman, at Suite 600, 100 N. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Thank you for your support!

Remember as you do your online shopping, you can help support CARIE. Visit IGive.com and choose CARIE as your charity to shop in all of your favorite on-line stores. You can also give while searching the Internet at Goodsearch.com. Each search contributes $.01 to CARIE and now you can shop at Goodsearch, too!

December Meeting

The December meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 6 from 9:30 to 11:30 am. The agenda includes discussion of the Assisted Living Regulatory process, nursing facility eligible definition, and more.

Thank you, 
Diane A. Menio, Executive Director