[Model letter to the Governor, State Representative, and State Senator by a Senior Citizen, family member or person with disability. Revise, add or delete paragraphs as appropriate]

Date

The Honorable *
Indiana State Senator/Indiana State Representative/Governor
*
Indianapolis, Indiana

Dear (insert name, title, such as Governor Daniels):

As a member of your constituency, I am writing to you regarding an issue that is of the utmost importance to the disabled and elderly in the State of Indiana. That is, the Family and Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) Proposed Rule LSA #08-325.

I am worried about the future. More than ever, families and communities need to pull together to help each other with mortgage foreclosures, uninsured illnesses, declining or disappearing investments and recovery from natural disasters.

Yet, this rule says that Indiana will penalize gifts to church and charities by denying nursing home care if that help is needed within 5 years. It says that reimbursing a family member who leaves work to provide care an aging parent will be subject to penalty unless some very specific forms were filed even before anyone knew what forms were required. It says that an annuity purchased in 2006, before anyone knew about this, will cause a penalty in 2011.

I do not believe that seniors and disabled individuals who can afford long-term care or purchase insurance should take advantage of Medicaid. But those are not the ones who will be affected by this rule. Instead, this rule will hurt thousands of responsible, caring, disabled and elderly Hoosiers, who are trying to do the right thing.

I support my church, give contributions to charities and support political candidates.

So, if I or a family member could possibly need help with nursing home care, I must stop contributing to my church, hold back charitable gifts, and withhold financial support for a political candidate if there is any chance I could be financially wiped out by nursing home costs in the next 5 years.

Since the rule says nothing about how the agency will make decisions about such transfers, I am particularly concerned if the powers-that-be after I or a family member has run out of money don’t agree with the church I attend and support or the politician whose campaign received my contribution in years past. How can the Medicaid agency claim a right to decide about my motives for a check written years ago and not even have any published guidelines?

I have had family members who have needed help at various times.

If my child suffers a disaster, such as the loss of employment, illness or foreclosure, must I choose between helping or going without care if I later need it?

Is the State really wanting aged and disabled Hoosiers who may have the misfortune of needing nursing home care to live in fear of such a punitive government?

I feel very strongly about this issue. I ask you to urge FSSA to withdraw this rule and re-work it so that the ill-conceived, punitive provisions can be studied and revised.

Sincerely,

[your name]