Governor’s supplemental budget would impact area seniors

Regional meetings set for next week
    PRESQUE ISLE — The Aroostook Agency on Aging is hosting three regional meetings next week so residents can share their concerns with local legislators over Gov. Paul LePage’s supplemental budget that would significantly reduce the cost of the MaineCare (Medicaid) program.
    Stephen Farnham, executive director of the Aroostook Agency on Aging, said that if passed — as is — many older people would be hurt and some of the most vulnerable elderly would face homelessness.
    “Threatened with closure June 30, 2012 are places like Northwood Manor in Ashland, Crest View Manor and Madigan House in Houlton, Limestone Estates, Southern Acres in Westfield, Crosswinds in Fort Kent, Ridgewood Estates in Madawaska, Franciscan Home in Eagle Lake and several other care providing facilities in northern Maine,” said Farnham. “Throughout Maine, 4,291 elderly people with Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia and other late-in-life debilities make their home in and receive their care from facilities slated to close June, 2012. If they are lucky to have a family member that can and will provide care, that family member will get the call from the facility to come and get them by June 30. Unfortunately some have no family able to provide care and no home to go to. Where do they go?”
    If enacted by the Legislature as is, these care providing facilities will close by July 1, 2012.
    The governor proposes to eliminate the Maine Low Cost Drug Program for the Elderly as of April 1, 2012 which would mean higher drug costs for 72,000 seniors and people with disabilities including more than 7,600 Aroostook people. In addition, LePage proposes to remove from the Medicare Buy-in program those seniors with monthly incomes greater than  $1,225 for one and greater than $1,655 for a couple. This means about 20,000 Maine seniors (about 3,000 in Aroostook) would lose all assistance to help pay for Medicare premiums, co-payments, coinsurance, deductibles, prescription drug costs and coverage in the “donut hole.”
    Listening sessions will be held:
• Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m. at the Fort Kent Senior Center, Pine Street, in Fort Kent (Northern Aroostook).
• Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. at The Gathering Place Senior Center, 33 Davis St. in Presque Isle (Central Aroostook).
• Thursday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. at the Houlton Higher Education Center, Room 109, 18 Military St. in Houlton (Southern Aroostook).
    For more information, call the Aroostook Agency on Aging at 764-3396 or 1-800-439-1789.