SAC MIN 1997-07-23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Senior Affairs Commission Page 2 Minutes of Thursday, July 23, 1997 Commissioner Anthony voiced his concurrence with the issue of attacking fraud vs. reducing benefits. Increasing the age limit increases the medi-gap problems increases costs to those earnings over $50,000 per year. HICAP Information -Raising Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67. Chairperson Walsh expressed his concern for those who retire earlier without benefits. Commissioner Anthony felt it was an apparent move to push costs to the State Medi-Cal. Home Health Care Changes Commissioners commented that any increase on fixed income is significant. Few long term care beds were available and that it represents a hardship to shift these costs to Part B. Medigap -Commissioner Anthony concurs that Medigap programs should support the ability to get specialty referrals so that chronic illness is covered. Provider Service Organizations -Chairperson Walsh felt PSO's should be held to some standards as HMO's. Medical Savings Accounts -Commissioner Anthony expressed his belief that it was a person's right to establish a fund to pay medical costs tax free. Medicare Appeals Process Commissioners reviewed information provided by HICAP. Increasing Part B Premiums Chairperson Walsh noted his concern was that this could be the beginning of a trend to greater increases in patients which may cause wealthy to opt out of Medicare program. Chairperson Walsh asked for comments from other Commissioners or guests. -Manager Linda Griffith commented that the proposed change will result in increased instututionalization which will ultimately cost taxpayers more money; and women are particularly taxed by being not generally provided life time medical or retirement benefits. Commissioner Harrison noted that instututionalization warehousing causes greater depression on the part of long term institutional care.