Your AARP: Maryland

June 2009

No license to steal — A bill that could have helped shield older people from financial exploitation passed the Senate but stalled in the House as the legislature adjourned in April.

The bill (SB 150) aimed to crack down on abuses of power of attorney, a legal document allowing a designated agent to act on behalf of a person who is incapacitated. The bill would have prevented such an agent from depleting an estate, for example, by changing the beneficiary on an insurance policy. Such protections are outlined in an AARP report available at bulletin.aarp.org/powerofattorney.

AARP Maryland will continue to push for legislation preventing power of attorney abuse. To join in the effort, call 1-866-542-8163 toll-free.

April 2009

More like home — A nonprofit developer plans to build a "Green House" community in Baltimore.

The Green House concept, pioneered by former AARP visiting scholar Bill Thomas, M.D., seeks to replace institutional nursing homes with smaller, homelike settings better suited to residents' needs. The Baltimore project, to be built by the Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation (GEDCO), will cluster four Green House residences in an urban community designed to promote dignity, enjoyment and quality of life for 49 older adults. Medicaid will help pay for costs for at least 60 percent of them. AARP Maryland is promoting the project, slated for completion in 2011.

To learn more about the Green House concept, go to www.ncbcapitalimpact.org/default.aspx?id=156. For more on the Baltimore project, visit www.gedco.org.

March 2009

Rx drug assistance — State lawmakers in 2008 appropriated $4 million to help Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug costs not covered by Part D.

After enrollees have used $2,700 worth of drugs in a year, they fall into the "doughnut hole" and must pay full price for their medications.

The state Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program helps pay doughnut hole costs for individuals with annual income up to $31,200 and couples with income up to $42,000. It also pays up to $25 a month for Part D premiums. AARP supported the law, which extends the program through 2010.

For details, visit www.marylandspdap.com or call 1-800-551-5995.

January-February 2009

Fair care — Thousands of Marylanders could benefit from a recent appeals court ruling that the state wrongly restricted Medicaid coverage for at-home care. By restricting eligibility for in-home services to those who need constant care from a licensed health care provider, the state improperly applied too strict a standard, the court said.

AARP and the Legal Aid Bureau filed the suit against the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in 2006 on behalf of Ida Brown, an octogenarian with several medical conditions, including Alzheimer's dementia. The suit claimed the state's criteria deprived the plaintiff—and as many as 13,000 other state residents—of help with everyday activities such as eating, bathing, using the toilet, mobility and medication management.

To learn more or to get involved in this issue, call 1-866-542-8163 toll-free.