Globe Syndicate

For release Friday September 23, 2005


The Sandwich Generation . . . Helping Your Aging Parents

by Carol Abaya, M.A.


MEDICARE IS STILL SOLVENT

Question: My parents are in their early 60s and nearing retirement. I am worried about their ability to pay for medicine and doctors. Will I have to help them? We have one young child and hope for more.

Answer: The latest study by AARP indicates that the Medicare Trust Fund (Part A) that pays for doctors is fine for the next 15 years. If actual costs are lower than currently projected, Medicare Part A will be all right for a longer period of time.
Medicare Part B pays for hospital care and is funded differently and should never have insufficient funds to cover costs.
The only glitch I can see in the solvency of Medicare is if Congress refuses to fund Part B and the new prescription drug program.

Question: I will be 65 the end of this year and am being bombarded by salespeople to go into a Medicare HMO. I’m very confused and don’t know what to do.

Answer: In spite of the lower co-payments you might have to make in an HMO, I personally strongly favor staying with the traditional Medicare program. There is the old saying, “Penny-wise and pound foolish.” This is very applicable to medical and health care scenarios.
A key difference, which I think is extremely critical, between traditional Medicare and an HMO is that an HMO can refuse you treatment even though your doctor may feel it is necessary. With traditional Medicare you can never be refused treatment. Even though Medicare may not initially or ever pay for the treatment you will have received it according to your doctor and your wishes. And you can also appeal their decision not to pay. From what I have seen, the HMO appeal process (while required by law) takes a harder position and more often will not pay.
Also, an HMO can restrict access to the doctor(s) of your choice and may not pay at all if you get sick in another part of the country.
So I advise people to stay with the traditional program as you control who will treat you, when and where.

Question: My parents (mid-80s) need more and more help to do everyday chores and monitor medicines. They have the money to hire someone to live-in. We don’t know where to start looking for an honest, capable housekeeper.

Answer: Networking and personal referrals are the top starting points. Talk with friends, family members, church leaders, and hospital discharge planners for names. If you go this route, be sure and check references and if any police records.
There are various kinds of home health care agencies, and the differences
are significant. Some companies act as a funneling agent. They simply have a list of available caregivers, who are not employees. You, then, are responsible for all federal and state taxes. In other agencies, the caregiver is an employee of the agency, which takes care of all the paperwork involved with taxes.


Are you juggling doing errands for your aging parents, your children, yourself and working at the same time? Are you tired, stressed out and upset that your once vibrant parent is now frail and needy?

Do you feel alone? Rest assured you are not alone! The Sandwich Generation is dedicated to the 50 million Americans who may have elder/parent care concerns and/or responsibilities.



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Do you have a question? Send it in. Although letters cannot be answered individually, appropriate letters will be answered in this column whenever possible. Letters may be edited. Send letters to Ms. Carol Abaya, mail direct to her at PO Box 132, Wickatunk, NJ 07765-0132 or contact her through her web site: thesandwichgeneration.com.

Carol Abaya is an international-award-winning journalist and creator of the unique magazine The Sandwich Generation: You & Your Aging Parents.

NOTES TO EDITORS: text = 556 words; other material = 160 words

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