Bait and Switch

I saw these words on the front page of the Bee, “Rural residents could lose home health aid”. Of course I was interested. I’m a rural resident.

Here the story in brief; two years ago, the Republican leadership offered a $100 million, one year and one time package to rural members of Congress. It was an “add-on” to the cost of Medicare services in rural areas. The offer was aimed at Republican conservatives in those rural areas. In turn, they provided the votes to secure approval of Bush’s Medicare prescription drug bill.

As a result of that action, thousands of elderly people had a chance of getting nursing care and therapy in their own homes. The effect of this would be a higher probability of keeping them out of nursing homes and hospitals. The catch is-it was only for one year. The $100 million is gone now and it’s doubtful that it will be renewed. So, all those who benefited from the money are back to square one and the pharmaceutical industry is reaping the benefits of that prescription drug bill that was passed. The rural congressmen looked good long enough to get re-elected and besides, most of the constituents who might remember what just happened to them, will have died before the next election.

Minnesota statistics…
Average monthly cost to maintain elderly in own homes: $1,345
Average monthly cost to maintain elderly in nursing home: $4,107

Score another one for the compassionate conservatives.