This assistance would support, rather than replace, the tremendous benefits of family care-giving. HMOs have provided more than 6 million seniors with affordable and expanded benefits on items such as coverage for eye glasses and hearing. But too often the trade-off has been a decrease in the quality of care. It is incumbent upon Congress to pass a comprehensive Patients Bill of Rights that will restore the doctor-patient relationship and allow doctors, not HMO bureaucrats, to make health care decisions. In addition, access to specialists must be guaranteed and seniors must be given the right to hold HMOs accountable for their decisions.
Seniors are the targets of fraud and abuse at much higher rates than the rest of the population.
Senator Torricelli has introduced a bill, the Seniors Safety Act, to provide law enforcement with potent new weapons to fight telemarketing and pension fraud, as well as abuse in the health care and nursing home industries. In addition, the bill provides new and enhanced penalties for crimes against seniors. Simple steps such as background checks on these workers would go far towards ensuring the safety and quality of care seniors receive. Senator Torricelli will be introducing legislation to allow these background checks to be performed. Many seniors supplement Social Security and other pensions with savings and investments.