HEARING - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

36
rich. Indeed, in the academic community and elsewhere, the
middle-classes are almost left out. In some cases, they are not
thought to be a challenging subject for study.
But what we see here are middle-class Americans in trouble. We
see no fraud. We are not talking about any fraud. We find nobody
who really wants a handout. We are finding working people, no
question about their honesty. Most of the witnesses here have been
women taking care of men, although this particular witness is
taking care of a woman. But, I can assure you there are some men
taking care of women from my activities in the Alzheimer's group,
and the people have had no warning of what was to come, and they
are almost penalized for having-made some savings or owning some
property or trying to hang onto a house or some little bit of property.
They are in a category that they would almost be better off if
they were impoverished.
So I think we have a very special set of problems that are presented
here this morning. I want to compliment staff on their selection
of witnesses. I am one who does not believe in Government
action except where it is extremely necessary. But here, I see
people who are trying everything, who have done everything they
can do, and yet they are in great difficulty. I commend these witnesses.
But do you ever get a feeling-if I may address this to you-do
-you ever get a feeling that you would be better off in this current
set of circumstances if you were impoverished; you could get aid
easier, could you not?
Mrs. FISH. Yes.
Senator PRESSLER. I think that is very significant. So once again,
we are sort of penalizing those people who have some savings, who
have a job, who try to pay their bills and find that it is impossible.
It may not be a story that will make for great editorials, it is not a
story that will make for great adjectives. But it is a real story of
what a lot of middle-class America is experiencing, is that not correct?
The people you know who are in similar circumstances, are
they people who have worked hard and have some savings, own a
house or a small business, or something of that sort?
Mrs. FISH. Right, yes.
Senator PRFISSLER. I think that is a very significant thing. I hope
as we go forward with our hearings on catastrophic illness expenses
that we keep that in mind, because I think this is a very
significant hearing from that point of view. I again want to compliment
staff for the choice of witnesses because I think they illustrate
very strongly a problem that is going to the roots of-not impoverished
America; there is not racial prejudice here-it is reaching
to the very roots of middle-class America. If you were very
wealthy, you would probably be all right for a period of time, at
least.
I think your testimony illustrates what I have been talking
about. I have no specific questions. I thank you for your testimony.
I am going to have staff again tell me, if we had had Secretary
Bowen's plan in place, would that have made a big difference in
your case? Or, if you had bought more Medigap insurance would
that have made a big difference?