SR-106-023-02 (8)
, ....
e
e
I Ob -~z '3 --oz
CM:RP:DTA:VR
Counell Meetlng:
Santa Monlca, California
6/11/85
IO-A
'., j t 1911S
TO:
Mayor and Clty Councll
FROM:
Commlssion on Older Americans
SUBJECT:
Request for Councll Approval for Commission on Older
Americans to Co-Sponsor Medlcare/Medlcald Defense
Conference
A three-day national conference marklng the 20th anniversary of
Medlcare and Medlcald, co-sponsored by the Health Care Financlng
Admlnlstratlon and California Health and Welfare Agency has been
scheduled June 19-21 at the Bonaventure Hotel.
The theme of the
conference lS the "Future direction of Medlcare and Hed1ca1d. It
The registratlon fee for the conference ranges from $475 - $600
per person. Obvlously thlS fee prevents the predOffilnant users of
the Medicare/Medlcaid system from attending the conference.
As a consequence, a counter conference 15 scheduled for June 20
and June 22 by some of the Hedlcare/Medicaid user groups. A
partial llSt of conference co-sponsors lncludes Congress of
Ca1ifornla Senlors, Los Angeles Hlspanlc Counell on Aging, UCLA
School of PubllC Health I Arnerlcan PubllC Welfare Association.
The
conference
1S
entltled
"The
Medlcare/Medicaid Defense
ProJect."
The Commission on Older Amerlcans has been requested
by sponsors of the "Defense Conference ProJect 11 to co-sponsor
thelr conference. At lts May 15 meetlng, the Commission voted ln
favor of supporting the "Defense ProJect Conference" and requests
10-1/
JUN 11 1985
1
." ~
e
.
Council perm1ssion to send a letter to the leaders of the counter
conference declar1ng the Commlss1ons' support.
COUNCIL ACTION
CommiSSlon on Older Amerlcans recommends that Council approve ltS
request to co-sponsor the Medlcare/Medicald Defense ProJect.
VR:mmm
Attachment
(vrreport)
- 2 -
~...
it e
Medicare/Medicaid Defense Project
1010 S. Flmver St. 5th FI., L.A., CA 90015 213-747-3597
May 24, 1985
Ms. Margaret Heckler, Secretary
Department of Health and Human ServIces
Rm 615F
Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue S. W.
WashIng ton. D. C. 20201
Dear Ms. Heckler:
The purpose of thIS letter IS to Introduce our group, MedIcare/MedIcaId Defense Project,
and to expres 5 our deep concern a.t the excluslOn of MedIcare and MedIcaid recIpIents
from your NatlOnal Conference beIng held in Los Angeles On June 19 - 21, 1985.
The MedIcare/Medicaid Defense Project IS a coa11tlOn of semor I labor, commumty
and publIc health ~rgamzatlOns whose members have the most dnect and IntImate
knowledge of the past 20 years of MedIcare and MedIcaId as well as a clear per-
spectl\. e on the "Future DlrectlOns of MedIcare and MedIcaId, II whIch 15 the
stated topic or your conference.
Our posItIon IS that your conference, and by extenSion your VIew of how publIc polley
on thIS Important ~uestlon WIll be developed, does not 10clude program reClplents as
an e-iual partner. In fact, your conference does not count them as even mlmmally
Involved In the process. We say thIs for two reasons:
1. The cost of the conference - whIle $600 (or even $425 for preregIstratlOn) IS
a drop 10 the bucket to doctors I hospital representatlves I pharmaceutlcal
companies I and others who WIll benefIt frem your" future dnectlons I" we
th10k you will agree that the fee IS prohibitive for most MedIcare and all
MedIcaid recIpients. And Just as they are excluded from your conference,
the elderly and the poor are bemg progressIvely shut out of the health care
system by service cuts and Increases In premlUffiS I deductlbles and co-
payments.
2. The agenda for your conference - we are struck by the complete absence In
your conference agenda or any prOVISIons for dIrect Input from MedIcare or
MedIcaid recipIents. We are unable to accept that dlscus Slons of the
future of these programs could proceed wlthout our mvolvement.
We are hopeful that you WIll be senSItive to our concerns and WIll take concrete
actlOn to addres S them. We demand some lTIvolvement 10 your conference I and
eIther of the followmg optlCns WIll satIsfy our needs. \'Ve thlTIK they wlll help
your conference and your pub11c pollcy-makmg process.
1. vVe re...J:uest that you grant representatIves of the Medlcare/Medlcald Defense
Pro) ect at least 30 mwutes of agenda tlme ImmedIately followmg your speech
on June 20 and lDvIte our membe~s to attenc both oresentatlOns. J1s we are
~'
-
e
Ms. Margaret Heckler I Secretary
Department of Health & Human ServIces
-2-
May 24 I 1985
planmng our own luncheon on that day I there wlll be no need to proVlde for
OUf members' meals; or
2. We request that you agree to attend a receptIon sponsored by the
Medicare/MedlcaId Defense Project near the Bonaventure Hotel pnor to
glvmg your speech so that we may acquamt you WIth our perspectIves on
Medlcare and MedicaId.
Vv"e further request that you notIfy us as to yeur cnOlce of these optIons at the offIces
of the Congres s of Califorma Semors I 1010 S. Flower Street 15th floor I -
Los Angeles I CA 90015 not later than June 7 I 1985.
SIncerely I
{~~~~1
ChaIr, RegIon VI
Congress of Callforma Semors
(l.2t~ IJ~
~arol~ vVlute
Chau I Los Angeles County Project
CitIzenS Action League
JK/ g b
PARTIAL LIST OF PARTICIP.!~,TING ORGANIZATIONS
Congress of Cahfarma Semars (NCSC)
Santa Momca Area Health Actlon CoahtlOn
Older Women's League
L..n.. Hlspamc Councll on Agmg
Project Return
UCLA School of Publ1c Health
Amencan Publ1c Welfare As SOClatIon
Callformans for a Falf Share
Health Secunty Actlon Council
Amencan Public Health ASSOclatlOn
T. H. E. Chmc for Women
Citlzens ActlOn League
ChIldrens' Defense Fund