Fleming & Curti, P.L.C. - White House Conference on Aging (Cont'd)

APRIL 10, 1995 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 40

White House Conference on Aging (Cont'd)

More proposals considered by Arizona delegates to the White House Conference on Aging (by topic area):

Health Care and Mental Health

•	Permit reimbursement for direct care provided by nurse practitioners and physician's assistants, for home care, preventive care and wellness programs.
•	Reduce duplication and coordinate services, particularly for those who access special services such as Veteran's programs, Indian Health Services and Medicaid.
•	Control prescription medication costs.
•	Avoid rationing of health care by caps on service reimbursement and cost-benefit analysis of the true value of high-cost medical procedures.
•	Use excess hospital capacity for alternative services, such as extended care and assisted living.
•	Share medical resources, particularly high-tech equipment.
•	Consider means-testing Medicare (though a strong minority voice opposed any discussion of such a step).
•	Expand health programs to include mental health services.
•	Promote greater patient involvement in medical decisions.
•	Deal more creatively with substance abuse and suicide among the elderly.
•	Encourage medical professionals to work in rural and under served populations.
•	Institute a single-payor national health program (though this one did not make it into the final report).

Long Term Care

•	Shift emphasis from long term care in medical institutions to home care.
•	Provide tax incentives for family caretakers.
•	Encourage innovation in state and local programs by granting federal program waivers.
•	Promote prevention practices, among both elderly and young.
•	Encourage seniors to volunteer in their communities, to help them stay vital and involved.
•	Develop a wellness check program for homebound seniors.
•	Provide loans and incentives for home repair and adaptation for the homebound elderly.
•	Increase recreational programs for the elderly.
•	Expand case management programs.
•	Provide respite care for family care givers.
•	Promote congregate housing alternatives to reduce care costs.
•	Promote family and community responsibility for the elderly.

These are just a few of the myriad of suggestions considered by Arizona delegates. Next issue, we will discuss "special populations" and "elder rights."

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