Groups call for end to age discrimination in rationing of identity care / Public Information Service

BOISE, Idaho – Hospitals in Idaho are rationing care amid pandemic pressure. Some groups question the use of age as one of the determinants of who receives medical care, or to what extent.

A flood of COVID-19 patients has pushed Idaho to implement its “Standards of care in a crisis” guidelines. In the event of scarce resources, the standards say, the focus should be on saving as many “years of life” as possible. This could cause hospitals to choose to save a younger person, as it is assumed they have more years to live, said Lupe Wissel, state director of AARP Idaho.

“I understand the need for crisis standards for care, absolutely,” he said. “However, any health care decision should be made on the basis of individualized medical assessments of patients, their situation and objective medical evidence. Age should not and should never be used as a factor in making these very difficult medical decisions. “

According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, ensuring that patients are not discriminated against because of their age or other factors – such as race, religion or disability – is a guiding principle for patient care.

In September, the Justice in Aging group filed a civil rights lawsuit against Idaho over its crisis care standards, asking the US Department of Health and Human Services to investigate Idaho’s plan. . Wissel said doctors make decisions based on objective medical evidence all the time.

“Every life is valuable,” he said. “You shouldn’t take the number of years someone has lived or someone to guess how many years they have left, etc. No, that shouldn’t come into play.”

Hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise in Idaho. The state remains one of the least vaccinated in the country, with about 53% of people aged 12 and over fully vaccinated.

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RICHMOND, Virginia – With Virginia governor’s neck and neck race, advocates urge candidates to ease student debt burden after a new report found nearly half of Virginia voters struggling with the challenge.

The AARP survey in Virginia found that a third of Virginia voters aged 18 to 49 say student debt has kept them from getting the health care they need.

Jim Dau, state director of AARP Virginia, added that 60% of voters aged 50 to 64 said debt kept them from saving for retirement, showing that even older Virginians are suffering from debt. ‘excessive school debt.

“Let those numbers come into play,” Dau urged. “It’s huge, and it’s shocking and has a real impact not only on Virginia and Virginians today, but it’s going to impact us and where we live in our communities for years to come. future.”

He is urging voters across the state to contact the gubernatorial candidates to explain how they might bring relief.

Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin both spoke about ways to boost secondary education during the election campaign, but neither directly discussed the forgiveness of student loans or the protections.

Studies show seniors are the fastest growing population in the United States to become crippled by student loan debt. Dau pointed out that Americans 50 or older held more than $ 330 billion in student debt in 2020, largely to support family members through college.

“If you default on student debt, your Social Security benefits could be foreclosed,” Dau warned. “So at a time when you don’t have the career, the salary to make up for lost savings, you now find that this great source of retirement security is now consumed more.”

The study showed that Virginians of color are particularly affected by the pressure of student debt. Nearly three-quarters of black Virginians say student debt has kept them from saving for retirement, and more than 60% of Hispanic voters say student debt has kept them or a loved one from buying a home.

A majority of voters polled agree that the state government should protect borrowers from abusive lending practices.

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MADISON, Wisconsin – Prescription drug costs are rising faster than the wages of the average Wisconsin resident. That’s according to a new analysis, which is linked to the push for congressional action.

the last of the AARP RX Price Watch Report said between 2015 and 2019, the average annual cost of prescription drugs increased by more than 26%, while the average income of Wisconsinians increased by almost 14%.

Lisa Lamkins, director of advocacy for AARP Wisconsin, said it was becoming too difficult for people who need drugs to absorb these costs.

“Older people in Wisconsin are feeling the pinch of inflation in grocery stores and at the pumps,” Lamkins said. “And unfortunately, they feel it even more when they go to the pharmacy to pick up their prescription drugs.”

The AARP and other groups want Congress to give Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices. This approach has surfaced in a house bill, and is a focal point in the Biden administration’s fiscal reconciliation plan.

But opponents, including the pharmaceutical lobby, say that would give the government too much power fixing prices and hampering research and development.

Lamkins argued that pharmaceutical companies make a profit from innovative work heavily subsidized by taxpayer dollars.

“The new drugs introduced over the past 60 years – most of the major drugs – have been developed with the help of research conducted in the public sector, such as universities,” Lamkins said.

Looking at specific drugs, the analysis revealed the annual cost of Victoza, which treats diabetes, increased by more than $ 3,000 between 2015 and 2020. Lamkins said this was not helpful to the more than 330,000 Wisconsin residents with diabetes.

Other reforms launched include sanctions for companies that raise their drug prices faster than inflation.

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DES MOINES, Iowa – There is strong public support in Iowa to enact state law that criminalizes elder abuse, a topic also discussed by law enforcement and state agencies.

In a AARP survey this summer, 95% of Iowa residents said they wanted a law that clearly defines elder abuse as a crime, language currently not found in state law.

The issue was raised in a webinar this week, hosted by the Iowa State Bar Association.

Paul Greenwood, a retired assistant attorney with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office who has handled elder abuse cases, said financial abuse is a common form, but he sees too much hesitation among authorities to continue investigations.

“Because they gave the money to a suspect without force, without threats, without violence, the police officer will then consider it non-criminal,” said Greenwood.

But he pointed out that by digging deeper, investigators often find that lies were used to solicit funds from a vulnerable person. He noted that crimes may also go unreported because the victim is embarrassed.

Essentially a bill in the Legislative Assembly of Iowa creates a new criminal offense for financial abuse and other harm against Iowians aged 60 and over. It was passed by the Senate this year, but has stalled in the House, although records show no overt opposition.

Supporters of the bill are hoping it will be revived early next year, so it can clear its final legislative hurdle. In the meantime, some state offices are making increased efforts, including more adult protection staff within the Department of Social Services.

Greenwood argued that education can also help.

“I really think local prosecutors have a duty to go out into the community as much as they can and get the word out,” Greenwood urged. “Talk to Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, Lions Clubs, retiree meetings.”

He added that it was a good opportunity to explain the many ways in which the elderly are exploited, including by relatives or neighbors. And he agreed with local Iowa advocates, state law needs more bite to prosecute those who prey on older residents.

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