The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1961-07-14

month, and no aged Individual will
an annual income in excess of 81 ,00(
can qualify for these benefits.
MEANINGLESS IN OTHER
STATES
Other states which either had the
authority or enacted enabling legisla.
ton to participate, found they die
not have the money. In Georgia and
New Mexico, the legislatures adj
journed early in April without appro-
priating funds for MAA. Subsequent
ly, Iowa's legislature adjourned with
out providing MAA money.
Yet under. the date of May %,
"Kerr-Mills Implementation" list
obtained from the American Medical
Association included both Georgia
and New Mexico under the heading
Legislation enacted: IL (most eff
fective July ~"
Financial eligibility qualifications
were SO arbitrary that aid was denied
to many of the needy aged. In the
home state of one of the laws auth
ors, Senator Robert S. Kerr, Demo
crat, of Oklahoma, hospital spokes-
men reported the program mutually
was considered "pig in the poke"
because aid was not given to aged
homeowners, individuals with annual
incomes in excess of 1924 prior to
the revision of eligibility require
ments in April.
Some persons in need of medical
care refused to apply because they
did not want to subject themselves
to the means test required by law.
A Massachusetts welfare official
reported resentment both mild and
marked on the part of some pa
tients referred for welfare clear
ance by hospitals.
A few more states-but nowhere
near the 46 mentioned in the ANA |
advertisements currently are i'm
the Kerr-Mills law.
The latest HEW tabulation shows
l6 states and 2 territories have en-
acted the program. All but two of /
,hese were in operation by July 1.
Cor the most part, these programs
ire limited in types of service Offered.
Only three Observation-Disclosures,
lew York and Maryland pro-
rams which provide comprehensive
ervices, HEW reports. And these
tates previously supported such serv-
les for the INDECENT.
REQUIREMENTS
AR MANY AGED
Despite the range of services, Mary
tnd's welfare director. Thomas J. S.
laxter, believes that many of the !.
eedy aged will not receive care be-
ause of the arbitrary income eligi- :
ility requirements.
Under the program which began
me 1 in Maryland, individuals can
ot qualify for home or office medi-
u services if their income is in ex- +
,ss of $95 monthly, and they can
Ut qualify for disqualification if
cir income exceeds $135 monthly.
"We know the income scale is too p
w, but we have ito start somewhere !,
determine how much this program U
going TO COST said Waxter. "There
no reason that this type of pro-
am should be financed from general
xes, as it is now, or that persons
Guild be cut off from service at
bitrary income levels. This would
t happen under the social security
proach to health care financing"
Three states, Michigan, West
irginia and Oklahoma, which have
ad experience with the MAA pro-
ram for more than months,
'und it necessary to seek more
enerous changes in their eligibil-
y requirement bescause too many
the aged were shut out.
Until April, Oklahoma denied aid
an aged individual occupying his
n home if his income exceeded
"a annually and to a couple if
ir income exceeded $1,56O. If they
d rent, single persons were denied
if their income exceeded $1,188
couples could not qualify if their
omes were more than $1,824.
But the public image of the Kerr
Is law was that it provided hos
VI care for all persons over 65,"
Cleveland Rodgers, executive d.