HEARING - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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27 Mr. MCCONNELL. Yes, but you have to pay a portion of it. Mrs. RIEGER. Well, like I say, they take his Social Security check all but $25, and I am supposed to pay-well, like I say, they said they would pick up five prescriptions. Well, OK, he only takes two medicines that have to be prescribed by the doctor; the rest of it is over-the-counter, and I have to pay for that. They. will not pay for that. And that amounts to more than what his prescription drugs do. Senator WILSON. I am wondering, Mr. Chairman, what the interplay is. Chairman MELCHER. Well, might I clarify this. I think this is one of the examples Americans are faced with. Clearly, the cost of what Mr. Rieger is receiving is covered by Medicaid. His Social Security defrays that up to $470-some a month. He has a total Social Security check of $498, which would only pay a portion of his nursing home care. Mrs. Rieger does not get Medicaid because she has an income. Mrs. RIEGER. No, I do not. Senator WILSON. That was my point. Chairman MELCHER. She can either go on welfare and get Medicaid, or she can continue to work as she wants to do, to pay off the previous bills. Mrs. RiEGER. Yes, I will continue to work as long as I can. Senator WILSON. That was the point of my line of questioning, Mr. Chairman. That is my surmise as well. And her problem, I gather, arises not from a single acute illness of her husband or herself, but the need for continuing care, long-term care, which is available under Medicaid to a degree. Mrs. RIEGER. Now, the first 6 months he could have been covered had I divorced him. And that kind of got me when they told me that. I said you do not live with someone 40 years and divorce them just because they are sick. So therefore I spent what little I had accumulated. I could state several cases there in Alva, though, where they have divorced to get the help. Chairman MELCHER. To get the help immediately. Mrs. RIEGER. Yes. But I would not do it. Senator WILSON. It sounds, Mr. Chairman, as though Mrs. Rieger is in the position of really working a very tough schedule, working very hard, doing hard work and still being burdened with the extraordinary cost of these medications. My impression without knowing is that if she were not working, Medicaid might pay for most of the long-term care apart from the medications-that still, I do not think, would be included. But that looks to me like an area that the committee ought to explore. It looks as though Medigap still has a gap in that regard. Chairman MELCHER. Well, Mrs. Rieger, I think you demonstrate a rather admirable American quality of wanting to continue to work even though you are 67 going on 68, and even though you have high blood pressure and apparently a bad knee. But let me say this. You and your husband must have worked all your lives, I take it, and made a contribution to the community and to the country.
28 Mrs. RIEGER. We have; we have worked hard. I have one daughter, and she is adopted, which I am very proud of; but she and her husband are having to struggle, too. They do help me some with my utility bills, which I could not pay if they did not. But I feel bad about taking that from them, due to the fact that they need it for themselves. But my son-in-law is a wonderful person, and he just wants to help me if he can. Chairman MELCHER. Your doctor tells you no more injections in your knee-I assume those are cortisone-type, anti-inflammatorytype injections. Mrs. RIEGER. I think so. Chairman MELCHER. And after this, knee surgery will be required. Now, I think you ought to take your doctor's advice, because apparently, you want to continue making the contribution in a very meaningful way, and I do not know how you would-- Mrs. RIEGER. He says if I would go now, it will be less serious than if I wait a little while longer. Chairman MELCHER. Second, this question of not taking high blood pressure medicine when your physician recommends it is also not a very wise practice. Now, I do not have to tell you that; you know that. Mrs. RIEGER. Oh, I know that. I know what my blood pressure was the other night out at the nursing home-they take it regularly-and they just threw a fit. -Chairmnan MELCHER. 'I dmire your c-rmmeintaboiiiniot following the practice of separating from your husband just so you could avoid some nursing home coverage in that first 6 months when he entered the nursing home. Mrs. RIEGER. I just could not do that. Chairman MELCHER. I especially admire it since my wife and I have been married just slightly over 40 years, and I will take your testimony home to her to show this loyalty. This loyalty is a great thing. But in answer to Senator Heinz' question, let us get down to this. Now, you worked all your life, your husband worked all his life. Senator Heinz asked who you think ought to be taking care of this, and whose responsibility it is. I thought you kind of ducked that. You know, you have put in your time. You are a citizen of this country, and you can advise this Congress on what you think about this. Shouldn't somebody step in here and take care of this? Mrs. RIEGER. I think they should. Chairman MELCHER. Well, who? Mrs. RIEGER. I think the Government ought to. Chairman MELCHER. Well, I thought maybe that was what you thought. As a case of last resort, the Government ought to pick up the tab, should they not? Mrs. RIEGER. I do not want them to give me something that I do not deserve. But when you get older, and you are doing harder work than you have ever done-I feel like I have contributed a little bit to my country. Chairman MELCHER. Yes, you have, yes, you have. And I assume your husband has, too; the way you described him, he certainly has.
Page 1 and 2: S. HRG. 100-69 CATASTROPHIC HEALTH
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Opening statement by Senat
Page 5 and 6: 2 Second, I think the private insur
Page 7 and 8: 4 So the question before us is how
Page 9 and 10: 6 the elderly, long-term health car
Page 11 and 12: 8 ments for our retirement. I might
Page 13 and 14: 10 Mrs. YELINECK. Well, it would be
Page 15 and 16: 12 As I understand it, you have not
Page 17 and 18: 14 Mrs. YELINECK. One does not expe
Page 19 and 20: 16 Senator BURDICK. Well, thank you
Page 21 and 22: 18 Mrs. YEL.INECK. No. I started ou
Page 23 and 24: 20 Therefore-I am supposed to take
Page 25 and 26: 22 Chairman MELCHER. Well, I am ple
Page 27 and 28: 24 month. Let us assume it costs $1
Page 29: 26 STATEMENT BY SENATOR PETE WILSON
Page 33 and 34: 30 Four years ago this August was w
Page 35 and 36: 32 she has only 50 percent vision i
Page 37 and 38: 34 Senator HEINZ. So it is both a p
Page 39 and 40: 36 rich. Indeed, in the academic co
Page 41 and 42: 38 pointedly in the comment from Mr
Page 43 and 44: 40 finding out is that it is very l
Page 45 and 46: 42 industry's role in providing cat
Page 47 and 48: 44 Senator HEINZ. So things are wor
Page 49 and 50: 46 Chairman MELCHER. In exactly the
Page 51 and 52: 48 plement policy, what should that
Page 53 and 54: 50 - 2 - I am Robert Shapland, Vice
Page 55 and 56: 52 - 4 - CATASTRIPC PROTECTION IiDE
Page 57 and 58: 54 -6- MiCIGAP INSJRANCE: A RPL1C/P
Page 59 and 60: 56 To ensure that all of these cont
Page 61 and 62: 58 - 10 - The HJAA also endorses Me
Page 63 and 64: 60 - 12 - Finally, given that Congr
Page 65 and 66: 62 - 14 - A recent HLAA survey of o
Page 67 and 68: 64 Chairman MELCHER. Senator Heinz.
Page 69 and 70: 66 Mr. SHAPLAND. I think we are in
Page 71 and 72: 68 Those problems are real problems
Page 73 and 74: 70 Mr. SHAPLAND. Oh, no. There are
Page 75 and 76: 72 comprehension, and it is growing
Page 77 and 78: 74 that educational process, and we
Page 79 and 80: 76 So we have supported and activel
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78 Mr. SHIAPLAND. How much would nu
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80 rently being offered by the indu
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82 Recently, Karri Lynn has started
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84 Mr. Chairman and Members of the
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86 standards for voluntary certific
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88 non-group subscribers of reporti
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90 We believe a new federal program
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92 However, public awareness is nee
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94 Item 3 Testi~ony of GAIL SHEARER
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96 to Secretary Bowen's proposals c
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98 -4- most-states do not monitor t
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100 Catastrophic Protection within
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102 - a - participants and in part
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104 - 2-- Consumers Union suV orts
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106 29), but fails to acknowledge t
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108 explore all alternatives to lon
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110 adds to the complexity of Medic
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112 - 10- Consider first the propos
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114 - 12- insurance premiums and me
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Consunmer Unon Pubtishcr of Consume
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FOR RELEASE AT 9:00 P.M. H2ST) TUES
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120 Itema I CENTER FOR MEDICARE ALw
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Page 3 122 aide services, however,
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Page 5 state treasuries." 124 Judge
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126 462 6485 New Developments 10,05
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128 462 6-85 New Developments 10,05
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130 462 6-85 New Developments 10,05
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132 10,930 New Developments tI.PZ ;
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10,932 134 New Davelopments 492 346
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136 10,934 New Developments It! ;6
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10,936 138 New Developmenlt I. Thc
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140 10,938 New Development. 492 S-8
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10,940 142 New Developments i92 586
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ATroR EYS -HARLES C. -ULiIN JUDITH
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146 reformed its decision-making pr
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148 : 14 2i57 New Developments 13,1
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~ 150 a>, rsn Cdw ~w (e d rum 0A7,.
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152 All Of these figures are based
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154 The requirements of this Act sh
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156 Drefting Note: Where the word "
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158 (b) The issuance of the group p
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160 (2) Contain a provision establi
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162 and competitive reasons. It is
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164 -13- E. Affordability of Long T
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NAIC LTC ADVISORY COMMITEE EXPOSURE
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Setinzn IS. Poicyx D~efinitieno aid
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170 3. The term "noncancellable' ma
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172 extension of benefits beyond th
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artinM B Requirmnts for Rplnmacwt 1
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176 The above "Notice to Applicant"
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(pinnal Rasting &mdsninn 178 Benefi
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APPEMI!X B 180 OCWARISCN OF lVLCY i
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COMPAIeSON OF LOtG TEIM CoAt PfLtCI
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COMPABI:SZN OF LC#C TE" CAiE -OLICI
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COWaPAISON Of LOSt TERM CARE POLICI
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cowRiiSOi or touTE reM CasE nOuczcS
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COGPARISON OF LONG TERM CARE POLICI
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SOME BASIC THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW M
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Private health insurance is availab
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WHAT MEDICARE PART B PAYS 196 MEDIC
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EXPENSES NOT COVERED BY MEDICARE Me
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HEARING - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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