John Kowalko’s Letter to the JFC Worked
Maybe it wasn’t all Kowalko’s doing, but he gets props in my book.
“A package of Medicaid cost-cutting measures proposed by Gov. Jack Markell has hit a roadblock in the legislative committee responsible for drafting the state’s annual budget bill.
During their first week of budget deliberations, several members of the General Assembly’s Joint Finance Committee made it clear that they’re not ready to vote for a $5 million reduction plan that includes limits on emergency room visits, new patient copays and lower reimbursement rates for care providers.
The administration says the cuts are a necessary first step toward chipping away at a Medicaid state budget burden that’s grown by 50 percent over the past decade and is expected to total $681 million in fiscal year 2012
With all due respect, Governor, there is a revenue side to every budget.
Kowalko gets props from me for not being a typical DE politician/whore. He’ll never be Greg Lavelle or Joe Biden & that’s a GOOD thing! Kowalko is a reasonable man–a quality that’s been lacking on both sides of the political divide for more than a decade.
Markell is a latter-day Dan Frawley. I’m disappointed in him. Nice guy, smart guy, but all too willing to cave on core principles. Sadly, Obama seems to follow this same line of thought.
I have no problem w/ cutting out the $95 checks to the “poor.” Most of these people (I see many of them EVERY day) are homeless drunks & drug addicts. There is no need for DE taxpayers to fund the addictions of the people who contribute NOTHING to society yet take as much as they can. I’m sure there are some legitimately disabled or otherwise poor people who are hurting from the lack of a state subsidy, but I’m ALSO sure they constitute a small minority of $95 check recipients.
I agree w/ jason330 RE: revenue. Our household income is just under $100k & we pay the same state tax rate as those who earn $100M/year. That’s just stupid.
Cuts to Medicaid (and Medicare–see NY’s 26th Congressional District) are political and policy losers.
Raising revenues from the wealthy, if need be, are political and policy winners.
Markell is on the wrong side of the divide on both these issues, and it appears the legislators understand this.
And, with $350 mill in found revenue, it is pure folly for Markell not to retreat on this.
If the D’s are smart (big IF, I know), next year will be all about going after the Rethugs on the Ryan plan. Why the bleep would Markell want to be on the wrong side of that? Even if he harbors Presidential dreams, he won’t win many D friends with this approach.
Kowalko and the General Assembly may well end up saving Markell and his future ambitions from himself.
If we can raise taxes on millionaires in Delaware, how can we ever expect the US congress to do it? We can’t afford to undercut our message on Medicare/Medicaid. Terrible proposal, Jack!
On April 3 rd of this year my mother fell out of bed at New Caslte county nursing home and broke her hit .After painful surgery at Christiana she was moved to “rehab” facility to get her up and walking again .Last week I was notified that today is her last day of “skilled care” and she will have to start paying her bill out of her funds . The good news is that since April 3 rd 100 % of her bill have been paid for by Medicare and her Medicare Supplement policy from Dupont(Dupont retiree) . The Bad news is after selling off all her assets (car,Dupont stock,land) her funds will run out near the end of this year .The old nursing home charged $6400 a month. The new nursing home charges $8000 a month . At the end of year Medicaid will not take her because she has one asset left-her home .She has been unable to sell it due to current real estate .We can sign over home to Medicaid or she can move back into it and I can take care of her .I am trained hospice volunteer but I know I will need help .Her income is $2100 a month. $1100 from Social Security and $1000 from Dupont pension. My mother is a Republican .She first got me involved in politics helping State Senator Margaret Manning .When I was in college I worked in Russell Peterson’s campaign and marched in downtown Wilmington against Gov. Terry .I went off to Lincoln University in Oxford ,Pa. and have been Democrat ever since. I wish Paul Ryan would spend one day in my mother’s shoes. peace.
Sorry to hear of your mom’s situation and yours, capesdelaware. Unfortunately that is how Medicare and Medicaid work, as I learned while I was going through the same sort of thing with my father. I hope John K or somebody can find a different answer for you.
Medicare does not pay for long-term care. Medicaid will pay, but first you must sell down all your assets to meet Medicaid’s poverty requirements, including your house.
You can protect your house and other assets from Medicaid by setting up something called a “Medicaid Trust.” It is not difficult and can be done by a CPA or lawyer. But you have to plan ahead and do it before the need for care arises, at least five years in advance I think.
Most people don’t think about it until it is too late. But everyone should consider this as part of their retirement planning. And everyone should have this conversation with their parents.
http://www.elderlawanswers.com/Elder_Info/Elder_Article.asp?id=701
The other side of the problem is that once you are on 100% Medicaid, you will not be able to afford premium care. Not every facility accepts Medicaid. Facilities reserve what they call “Medicaid beds” and you may find yourself on a wait list. So depending on the type of care needed, and the length of time you expect to need it, sometimes it can be better to sell the house and pay for premium care yourself.
Also Capes, I hate to say it, but you did say your mom fell out of bed at a nursing home, so you may want to ask a lawyer about their liability. People aren’t supposed to fall out of bed at nursing homes, so there may be some liability there depending on the circumstances.
I guess the Governor is trying to say that Seniors shouldn’t depend on the emergency room so much. There is probably something to that, but I don’t see a cap on ER visits without some alternative being a very effective cost control.
Nobody goes to the ER because they want to.
BTW – Everything is connected. I find it ironic part of this medicaid problem is rooted in the fact that our taxes are too low relative to New Jersey and PA. We need to stop enticing freeloading geriatrics across the border by raising taxes to a reasonable level and stop making it dirt cheap for people to retire here.
I believe that Capesdelaware is receiving bad information on Medicaid eligibility. An income-qualified elderly individual may keep certain assets and still receive Medicaid. There can be a bank account (there is a maximum amount). The person can own a car. The person can own and keep a house!(as long as there is an “intent” to return home when able).
See: http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dmma/medicaid.html
Please talk to someone at DHSS or the Delaware Help Line. Too many people assume they are not Medicaid eligible and suffer as a consequence. Capes’ mother’s income of $2200/month is also below the Medicaid limit for elderly or disabled Delawareans. That limit is $2709/month from all sources.
Kowalko is so many moving pieces it’s hard to keep up! He also penned a great DE Voice post on the need to fully fund the para-professional educators and is working on a piece about chemicals in our environment.
Here’s his latest on Allan Loudell’s blog this morning:
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wind farm off the Delaware coastline: Will it ever become reality?
http://delawareliberal.net//2011/05/25/john-kowalkos-letter-to-the-jfc-worked/#comments
kowalko Thu, May 26, 2011 9:27am
It was with some dismay that I read the NJ article on the Bluewater Wind Project. Although it may be convenient to criticize NRG’s reluctance to financially commit to start up of this proposal I feel we should be concentrating on the failure of the Obama administration to honor its promises and commitments to renewable energy growth.
The loan guarantee programs and energy credit discussion has been ongoing for years now. It was acknowledged by the current investor, NRG, and previous investors, BWW as a sole owner and BWW with Babcock and Brown as financial support, that it was necessary to secure and keep investor commitment by having these guarantees/subsidies in place or at least in place for extended years.
The Obama administration and even the previous Bush administration were well aware of this. (I personally talked to one of President Bush’s Undersecretary of the Interior some four years ago in New Orleans about the need for an accelerated Federal Permit process and extended loan/subsidy guarantees). The current administration failed to act when it had a numerical advantage in congress and it continues to fail to exert any pressure to wean our energy commitments/policies from the big oil companies and place our national policy on a true renewable energy path.
It’s not unaffordable but requires some political courage and acumen that I see lacking in this administration.
Thank you,
John Kowalko
State Representative 25th District
14 Kells Ave.
Newark, De. 19711
302 547 9351
302 737 2396
John.kowalko@state.de.us
Kowalko is absolutely correct and Markell a small d is absolutely wrong. Mitch Crane is absolutely correct on his advice to the lady whose mom fell out of bed. Someone is giving her bad information. I work in this business have a patient who broke her hip, she went to rehab and then to a nursing home for over a year…Medicare paid.
I wish you kind folk were correct but unfortunately MEDICAID will not help us . They will if I sign (I have power of Att.) her home over to them but I feel that is unfair since if she dies in a month or year they get house and her family gets nothing. When her current funds run out we will move her back into home and care for her .
capes–don’t let this site confuse you on Medicaid vs. Medicare eligibility. I know they are well-intentioned, but without an age stated of your mother, it’s more difficult to direct you. See the social worker at the hospital or nursing home or rehab center. If the final outcome is as you have stated, please consider w/ your power of attorney to do a reverse mortgage on Mom. It will free up the amount of assets you actually need vs. the crap-shoot of all or nothing. Good luck–we are the sandwich generation, and it’s a bunch of work and stress.
capes–I think that you do not have completely accurate information.
First off, I feel that Mitch is a great resource on this.
I believe that you may have to grant the state ‘clawback’ rights, to refund to the state what it pays in Medicaid benefits during your mother’s stay(s), but this wouldn’t be due until she passes away, sells the house, or no longer is expected to be able to move back to the house, and even then, you are only liable for what the state has paid (this thus contradicts your concern of a one month or one year stay eating up the entire house).
If you are hearing this from a state employee, it is time for you to ask to speak to a supervisor.