Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Medicare Part B premiums for 2012 lower than projected

Excerpt from HHS.gov: (click for entire article)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Medicare Part B premiums in 2012 will be lower than previously projected and the Part B deductible will decrease by $22. While the Medicare Trustees predicted monthly premiums would be $106.60, premiums will instead be $99.90. Earlier this year, HHS announced that average Medicare Advantage premiums would decrease by four percent and premiums paid for Medicare’s prescription drug plans would remain virtually unchanged.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, people with Medicare also receive free preventive services and a 50 percent discount on covered prescription drugs when they enter the prescription drug “donut hole.”  This year, 1.8 million people with Medicare have received cheaper prescription drugs, while nearly 20.5 million Medicare beneficiaries have received a free Annual Wellness Visit or other free preventive services like cancer screenings.

“The Affordable Care Act is helping to keep Medicare strong and affordable,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “People with Medicare are seeing higher quality benefits, better health care choices, and lower costs. Health reform is also strengthening the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and cracking down on Medicare fraud.”

Deal on James Brown Estate, Charity Challenged

Excerpt from The Chronicle of Philanthropy: (click for entire article)

A deal brokered by the State of South Carolina to settle myriad disputes over James Brown’s estate and give about half the late soul superstar’s assets to his charitable trust faces a court challenge from two former estate officials who were cut out of the deal, writes the Associated Press.

The South Carolina Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday on the claim brought by two ex-trustees of the Brown estate, who say former state Attorney General Henry McMaster did not have the authority to push through the 2009 settlement.

Infestation of Maggots Found in Michigan Nursing Home Residents’ Tracheas and Catheters

Patti's Comments:  This makes me PHYSICALLY ILL.

From Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc.:

Abuse and Neglect in Michigan Nursing Homes Must be Stopped and Those Responsible Must be Held Accountable

Lansing, MI – After reviewing nursing home surveys, collected by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) – the very state department responsible for licensing and oversight of nursing homes in Michigan – Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service (MPAS) has found that many nursing home residents have experienced severe neglect and abuse – sometimes resulting in death.

“The LARA nursing home surveys document abuse and neglect in nursing homes that is absolutely unacceptable,” stated Elmer L. Cerano, executive director of MPAS, the nonprofit disability advocacy agency.

From the surveys, MPAS learned that a woman from a nursing home in Washtenaw County had been complaining of itching and burning around her catheter. She was not ambulatory and could not attend to her own personal hygiene without help. She had refused showers due to complaints of pain in her hip area although she consented to bed baths which, according to the survey, were not routinely provided. During one instance of personal care being provided, staff noticed something of concern and brought it to the attention of a nurse. Upon closer examination of the vaginal area, maggots were found to be infesting in and around the catheter area. The resident was not given a shower until several hours later. The survey also indicates that a registered nurse manager was instructed by clinical corporate staff to document the discovery as “debridement” (dead tissue) rather than “maggots.” The resident was later treated at a local hospital and also found to have a hip fracture that was causing her severe pain.

Similar surveys from a nursing home in Oakland County indicate that a resident who used a trachea had been coughing more than usual but she was not immediately assessed because staff was “rushed.” The resident’s condition became so severe that emergency medical services were called to the facility where they found her airway obstructed by maggots. As they began suctioning her throat and airways, they found very active maggots, estimated to be in the first to second stage of development.

Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents – these and other reported cases of neglect and abuse occur on a regular basis in nursing homes throughout the state. Such incidents often go unnoticed or unreported by nursing home staff, hospitals, and emergency personnel, even though such “mandated reporters” are required by law to report incidents of abuse or neglect. Many cases are never brought to justice simply because required reporters fail to comply with the law and report these crimes to law enforcement.

“Nursing home staff AND the owners and administration of these nursing homes absolutely need to be held accountable for their negligence,” says Cerano. “The failure is system wide and the people of Michigan have been short-changed by regulatory agencies, health departments, licensing, and those who are responsible for reporting and pressing charges against those who tolerate such abusive conditions.

This is a disgrace and an outrage, not only are there outrageous abuses occurring, but the multiple layers of agencies and regulatory safeguards to protect the residents have failed miserably. Our goal is to eliminate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in all settings. Increasing the public outrage of the conditions in some nursing homes is only our first step.”

MPAS, the agency federally mandated to advocate and protect the legal rights of people with disabilities, will soon be releasing a comprehensive public report highlighting numerous examples of abuse and neglect of individuals with disabilities in nursing homes throughout the state. The state must take immediately and drastic measures to protect its citizens who are living in these deplorable conditions.

HHS provides more than $1.8 billion to states to help low-income households with energy costs

Excerpt from HHS.gov: (click for entire article)

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the release of more than $1.7 billion to help low income citizens with their heating and home energy costs. These funds will go to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) block grant.

“We are releasing these funds now to ensure low-income families are able to meet their heating cost expenses this winter,” said Secretary Sebelius. “This program helps to offset seasonal energy costs for those families, leaving them with more opportunity to use their income for other necessities.”

LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs. The result of this funding lessens the chance of families having to choose between paying their energy bills and other necessities, such as food or medicine. States are receiving $1.7 billion now for their immediate needs, but may currently access an additional $136 million, if needed.

Was autistic man really a Marine? Military court to decide

Excerpt from Politics Wires: (click for entire article)

Los Angeles native Joshua D. Fry had been diagnosed as autistic and was living in a group home for people with mental disabilities when a Marine Corps recruiter signed him up for service.

Fry's enlistment three years ago helped the recruiter meet his quota. It turned out far worse for Fry, who ended up being court-martialed on child pornography and other charges. Now his fate is posing a mind-boggling question for military judges:

Was Fry never really in the Marine Corps in the first place?

Foreclosure Mill Employees Dressed Up In Costumes Mocking Foreclosed Homeowners

Excerpt from The Consumerist: (click for entire article)

What do the employees at a foreclosure mill - a law firm that aggressively pursues massive numbers of foreclosures, even against homeowners in the middle of working out a mortgage mod - dress up for Halloween? Well at one joint, last year they dressed up as homeless former homeowners and as the corpse of a lawyer who filed a class action lawsuit against them, according to photos sent to the New York Times.

The photos, sent by an anonymous inside source, were said to be of last year's Halloween office party. Another photo shows how employees had decorated their rows of cubicles to look like foreclosed houses.

Sexy Costumes for Little Girls Aren’t Cute

Excerpt from The New York Times: (click for entire article)

Is it Halloween already? I love this holiday: the jack-o-lanterns. The Snickers bars. The small girls coming to my door dressed as prostitutes!

Plenty of people have bemoaned the creeping (and creepy) sexiness of little girls’ costumes. As a parent, I usually solve the problem by avoiding Target for a few weeks, but this year we ran out of fake spider webs for our front door. So, against my better judgment, my 8-year-old daughter and I popped into one of those pop-up Halloween stores.

I laid down the law before we went inside: we’re not buying anything but the web. Still we had to run the gantlet of the sexy “little honey” bumblebee for 6-year-olds, the sassy cheerleaders for 5-year-olds, not to mention the ever popular Skanky Red Riding Hood.

11 Questions Students on the Spectrum Can Ask their College

Excerpt from Autism Speaks Official Blog: (click for entire article)

Below are 11 questions students on the autism spectrum can ask their college/university.

1. As a college student affected by autism, what is one of the main things I need to know?

A big difference between college and high school is that in high school you generally have a structured plan for your accommodations called an “Individualized Education Program.” However, in college that no longer exists, meaning you must advocate to your Disability Support Group on campus to receive your own accommodations

2. What are some accommodations I can receive in my classes?

Individuals on the spectrum receive accommodations only if they register with their Disability Support Group. They will then receive accommodations based on their needs. This can include extended time on tests, tape recorders for classes, individual note takers, etc.

3. Do I have to pay for accommodations?

Under The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, colleges are required to provide all learning disabled individuals with “reasonable accommodations.” However, you should check the guidelines in regards to what is and what is not available on your campus.

Getting Out the (Disabled) Vote The Arc helps clients exercise their constitutional right

Excerpt from Medicaid Waiver News: (click for entire article)

Jenny Joslyn is a model citizen: a tax-paying, working-class 30-something woman who embraces her right to engage politically. She has voted in every election since her 18th birthday. She is also intellectually disabled, one of thousands of Idahoans who require assistance for life skills. But it is her citizenship that she said defines her on Election Day.

"I think it's important for everybody to vote," said Joslyn. "I would ask anyone why they don't vote."

Her voting record is the very definition of independence, casting votes in previous elections for presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Ready, Willing and Able to Work

From Chase and More: (click for entire article)

I love this new ad from the ARC of San Francisco, posted on the facebook page of the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City.   "Businesses win when they hire people of ALL abilities"!!