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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Seniors Trying To Cope With Fear, Turmoil

Frank Bartel The Spokesman-Revie

Hundreds of retirees jammed into the auditorium of Spokane’s new downtown library for a public forum on health care.

Scores more were turned away.

“Agitation, confusion and fear prevailed,” recalls forum co-host, panelist and volunteer adviser Reed Hansen. Why such anxiety among so many older citizens?

“Their concerns are generated by three recent developments,” explains Hansen, retired Washington State University economics professor and an unpaid organizer for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

“First, they are being pursued by insurance companies and told they should move from their comfortable and familiar Medicare plan and sign on to an HMO,” says Hansen, former 5th District congressional coordinator for the AARP-Vote program. “HMOs come in a myriad of sizes, shapes and bewildering footnotes. Elders are asking, ‘What do we do? How can we protect ourselves?”’

“Secondly, there is deep concern over the avalanche of congressional rhetoric on the evening news promising dramatic cuts in Medicare and Medicaid expenditures.

“We are told frequently of a $270-billion cut in the Medicare budget over seven years, and that this is not a cut but a savings. The confusion deepens when the involuted rhetoric claims there is no cut, only a slowing of growth.

“However, it is obvious to most elders that future inflation and future needs of more people are being ignored. Being rational, they feel threatened, and conclude that what is one person’s reform is another person’s fiscal nightmare,” says Hansen, whose areas of economic specialization are government finance, taxes, budget and fiscal policy.

“Finally, seniors are acutely aware of soaring health care costs, and the grim predictions that medical costs will double in the next five years,” Hansen says. “Clearly, those on fixed incomes live in fear of declining availability of medical services at a time of life when their medical needs are rising.

“Their middle-aged offspring struggle to finance kids in college and wonder if they will be expected to pay the medical bills of parents. All know only too well that old age can be hazardous to one’s health.

“Choices are confusing,” says Hansen. “Risks are high. HMOs can be for-profit or non-profit. Some give a degree of choice of doctors, usually with a penalty. Some give a choice only among a network or union of doctors. And some give no choice at all, but assign a doctor.”

Joining the AARP as forum co-sponsors were the Washington Medical Association and the Washington State Insurance Commissioner’s Office.

In Managed Care, Medicare and You, a new guide produced by the state, Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn agrees seniors have “good reason to be afraid” of managed care.

“The truth is,” she cautions, “managed care is not for everybody.” The guide is designed to help Medicare subscribers:

Decide whether Medicare HMOs are a good choice given an individual’s circumstances.

Decide whether managed care is the best way for an individual to bridge the gaps between Medicare coverage and actual health care costs.

Learn where to go for further assistance.

For example, the commissioner’s office puts out a table that compares features of the top dozen managed care plans.

Also, the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program prints a booklet titled The Senior Health Insurance Handbook, A Guide to Making Your Best Choices About: Medicare, Medicare Supplements, Long-term Care.

SHIBA is a statewide network of volunteers trained to provide advice and assistance to seniors on health insurance and related issues, including Medicare, medigap supplements, long-term care and employer retirement benefits.

Volunteers are not affiliated with any insurance firm or product. Advice is free. Phone 1-800-397-4422, ext. 114 for the number of a SHIBA advisor near you.

Succeeding columns will shed additional light on how to make use of help available from the experts.

, DataTimes MEMO: Associate Editor Frank Bartel writes on retirement issues each Sunday. He can be reached with ideas for future columns at 459-5467 or fax 459-5482.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Frank Bartel The Spokesman-Review

Associate Editor Frank Bartel writes on retirement issues each Sunday. He can be reached with ideas for future columns at 459-5467 or fax 459-5482.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Frank Bartel The Spokesman-Review