News release from the Council on Aging

One of my heroes, Robert F. Kennedy, once said, “The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to make things better.”  Last year, all of us here at the Milton Council on Aging became aware of a growing unfairness being imposed on our elderly.  It was called “Observation Status” and it is a term that many seniors don’t know about until it is too late.  So began our ongoing crusade to let everyone we met learn about Observation Status and what you need to ask if you are in a hospital.  Years ago, Observation Status meant a short stay in the ER until it could be determined if you needed to be admitted.   Now it can be as long as 8 days in a hospital without being considered a full hospital admit.  No matter how long you stay in the hospital under Observation Status you are considered an outpatient. If you need to go to rehab for further treatment, you can be held responsible for thousands of dollars on your own that Medicare will not cover.

A few months ago, I meet with Congressman Stephen Lynch and talked with him about this growing problem.  I asked if he could come to Milton and give us an update on the issue from a federal perspective.  Congressman Lynch agreed and he will be here on Friday, April 11^th at 11:30AM to give us that update.  He will be joined by the new President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Peter Healy, and one of the most dedicated advocates in this battle, Attorney Diane Paulson, who spearheads the Medicare Advocay Project at Greater Boston Legal Services.  This is a presentation you don’t want to misss!!!!!

What started out with two frustrated elder advocates here in Milton has taken on a life of its own.  There was an in-depth story in the Patriot Ledger, a front page story in the Boston Globe, and even a segment on the NBC Nightly News.  It just goes to show that you can make a difference and your voice can be heard.  We know this will be a very well attended presentation so we are asking you to call and register for the program.

Special thanks to Congressman Lynch, Peter Healy, and Attorney Paulson for taking time out of their busy schedules to speak to the seniors about this important issue.