Friday, September 19, 2008

LONG TERM CARE


CONCLUSION
Medicaid’s long-term care services are a critical source of support for millions of poor and lowincome
people. The long-term care system we have today is primarily financed by Medicaid,
and without significant policy changes, Medicaid is likely to be the major source of long-term
care coverage in the future. Medicaid, however, has important gaps and inequities. Medicaid is
not an option for many; for those who do qualify, Medicaid does not provide insurance
protection against large financial losses, but requires impoverishment. Eligibility and benefits
are limited in many states, and waiver programs may not be available to all who need them and
are financially eligible for them. Efforts to address these gaps are needed. Medicaid eligibility
policies could be revised to make the program’s means-testing less harsh. Federal financing
could be expanded to make it easier for states to provide community-based services for people
with long-term care needs. Barring major changes in the structure of long-term care financing,
improving Medicaid’s long-term care protections for people of modest means is likely to be a
key part of any future strategy for meeting the long-term care needs

Sunday, September 7, 2008

A need for Defibillators at new senior center Malden

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:





Bruce J. Ayers

Michael W. Morrissey









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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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I looked at the law listing, the concern of our legislators, their coming a goings
and come to the conclusion that their is concern besides mine for the safety and welfare of the Senior population. I may be "in the dark" because it is hard to keep the general population in Malden informed of action being taken I have faithfully attended the Senior Building Committee Building meetings and have made a suggestion that a Defibillator be placed in the New Senior Community Center before opening of the exercise facilities. I would rather be considered always agitating rather than wait for a tradegy, I am sure it is on the adgenda but I hope not on the back burner


An Act requiring defibrillators in senior housing facilities.




Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:





SECTION 1. Section 8B of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting before the definition of “Buyer” the following definition:-

"AED”, an automatic external defibrillator medical device approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration that: (i) is capable of recognizing the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation and rapid ventricular tachycardia in a patient; (ii) is capable of determining, without intervention by an operator, whether defibrillation should be performed on the patient; (iii) upon determining that defibrillation should be performed, automatically charges and requests delivery of an electrical impulse to the patient’s heart; and (iv) then, upon action by an operator, delivers an appropriate electrical impulse to the patent’s heart to perform defibrillation.

SECTION 2. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 57D the following section:—

Section 57E. All public and private senior housing facilities with an occupancy of 30 or more persons shall have on the premises at least 1 AED and shall have in attendance at least 1 employee or authorized volunteer as an AED provider as defined in section 12V½ of chapter 112. The provisions of said section 12V½ of said chapter 112 shall be applicable to any action under this section.

SECTION 3. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 12V, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 12V. Any person, unless the usual and regular duties of such person include providing emergency medical care, who in good faith and without compensation renders emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation, to any person who apparently requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation, shall not be liable for acts or omissions, other than gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct, resulting from the rendering of such emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation.