HEARING - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

APPENDIX
MATERIAL RELATED TO <strong>HEARING</strong>
Item I
TESTIMONY OF MRS. MARIANNE COSTLOW
Before the <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Committee</strong> on Aging
United States <strong>Senate</strong>
January 26, 1986
My name Is Marianne Costlow. I live with my husband,
daughter, and son, in St. Michael, Pennsylvania. I am testifying
on behalf of my daughter, Karri Lynn Naugle, who has been In a
coma for the last five and-a-half years.
In 1981, Xarri Lynn was employed as a security guard at
Bethlehem Steel. On June 27 of that year, Karri was Involved In
a serious motorcycle accident which caused severe internal trauma
to her brain and left her in a coma. Karri was 31 years old at
the time. Her chance of survival, on a scale of one to onehundred,
was a two. She was in intensive care at Lee Hospital in
Johnstown for 6 months and In a skilled nursing facility for
another 6 months.
Karri's hospital bills for that year totalled $125,000.
Her doctor's bills alone came to about $10,000 dollars. Karri
was Insured by Blue Cross major medical through Bethlehem Steel.
This covered the $125,000 in hospital bills. But, since Karri
was Injured on a motorcycle, the insurance did not provide
lifetime coverage.
Karri has been receiving $627 dollars a month in Social
Security Disability benefits, and qualified for Medicare two
years after her accident. But Medicare has not covered all of
Karri's medical bills. As a result, all that is left of the
$70,000 dollars which Karri received from the drivers of the car
and motorcycle as settlement from the accident, is $1,500
dollars.
(81)