Older Americans in Government Program Struggle to Buy the Basics
2023-03-28
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1Living simply is at the heart of Alex Morisey's Quaker religion.
2The 82-year-old graduated from a good college and spent years working in nonprofit organizations.
3He helped farmworkers, people living in public housing, and the mentally ill.
4He was also an aid worker in Central and South America.
5Now he lives in a nursing home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
6 But halfway through the month, he has almost no money.
7Morisey is one of many Americans living in nursing homes who face a difficult situation.
8To stay in the nursing home, they must hand over all their income and only receive a small payment, as low as $30 a month, to buy the things they would like.
9The payment is called the personal needs allowance, also called a PNA.
10Nearly two-thirds of Americans living in nursing homes have their care paid for by Medicaid.
11Medicaid is a health insurance program that is administered by the states.
12It is paid for equally by state governments and the federal government.
13In exchange for the coverage, all retirement and other income people on Medicaid would receive is used to pay their nursing home costs.
14That means the only other money residents receive from the government is the PNA.
15The allowance is meant to pay for anything the nursing home does not provide.
16This can include telephones, clothes or a birthday present for a grandchild.
17In some states, the PNA can be only $30 a month and it cannot be higher than $200.
18"It's really one of the most humiliating things for them," said Sam Brooks, a lawyer for The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.
19"It can really be a point of shame," he added.
20Medicaid is meant to pay health care costs for poor adults and children or those with other special needs.
21Medicaid was created in 1965 along with Medicare, the federal government health insurance program for retired Americans.
22In 1972, the U.S. Congress established the personal needs allowance, and set the lowest amount at $25.
23Had the PNA been linked to inflation, it would be about $180 today.
24Congress raised the minimum only once, to $30, in 1987.
25The small allowance is difficult for nursing home residents who do not receive support from family or friends.
26Marla Carter visits her mother-in-law at a nursing home in Owensboro, Kentucky.
27She sees how poor some residents are.
28With a $40 allowance, they are dressed in clothing that is the wrong size.
29Some have no socks or shoes. Basic supplies run low.
30"That's what was so surprising to us," Carter said, "the poverty."
31She was so upset that she and her husband started a nonprofit, Faithful Friends Kentucky, to give out needed supplies to nursing home residents in the area,
32"You bring a soda or a toothbrush and they'll get so excited," she said. "It's so sad to me."
33Several states have increased allowances. But most remain low.
34The American Council on Aging, a non-profit group, says 28 states have allowances of $50 or less.
35Five states give residents $100 or more each month, including Alaska, which offers $200 monthly.
36Four states - Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina and South Carolina - remain at $30.
37Morisey, of Pennsylvania, entered a nursing home after a fall and, once here, learned his income would no longer be his.
38Pennsylvania's allowance is $45, and after a monthly $20 haircut and $5 tip, it is difficult to decide what he should buy with the remaining $20.
39"It's the little things," he said.
40"You don't think about these things until you no longer have them."
41His small savings are nearly gone now. Without help from his church, he could not pay for a phone.
42I'm Andrew Smith. And I'm Caty Weaver
1Living simply is at the heart of Alex Morisey's Quaker religion. The 82-year-old graduated from a good college and spent years working in nonprofit organizations. He helped farmworkers, people living in public housing, and the mentally ill. He was also an aid worker in Central and South America. 2Now he lives in a nursing home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But halfway through the month, he has almost no money. 3Morisey is one of many Americans living in nursing homes who face a difficult situation. To stay in the nursing home, they must hand over all their income and only receive a small payment, as low as $30 a month, to buy the things they would like. The payment is called the personal needs allowance, also called a PNA. 4Nearly two-thirds of Americans living in nursing homes have their care paid for by Medicaid. Medicaid is a health insurance program that is administered by the states. It is paid for equally by state governments and the federal government. In exchange for the coverage, all retirement and other income people on Medicaid would receive is used to pay their nursing home costs. 5That means the only other money residents receive from the government is the PNA. The allowance is meant to pay for anything the nursing home does not provide. This can include telephones, clothes or a birthday present for a grandchild. 6In some states, the PNA can be only $30 a month and it cannot be higher than $200. 7"It's really one of the most humiliating things for them," said Sam Brooks, a lawyer for The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. "It can really be a point of shame," he added. 8Medicaid is meant to pay health care costs for poor adults and children or those with other special needs. Medicaid was created in 1965 along with Medicare, the federal government health insurance program for retired Americans. 9In 1972, the U.S. Congress established the personal needs allowance, and set the lowest amount at $25. 10Had the PNA been linked to inflation, it would be about $180 today. Congress raised the minimum only once, to $30, in 1987. 11The small allowance is difficult for nursing home residents who do not receive support from family or friends. 12Marla Carter visits her mother-in-law at a nursing home in Owensboro, Kentucky. She sees how poor some residents are. With a $40 allowance, they are dressed in clothing that is the wrong size. Some have no socks or shoes. Basic supplies run low. 13"That's what was so surprising to us," Carter said, "the poverty." 14She was so upset that she and her husband started a nonprofit, Faithful Friends Kentucky, to give out needed supplies to nursing home residents in the area, 15"You bring a soda or a toothbrush and they'll get so excited," she said. "It's so sad to me." 16Several states have increased allowances. But most remain low. The American Council on Aging, a non-profit group, says 28 states have allowances of $50 or less. Five states give residents $100 or more each month, including Alaska, which offers $200 monthly. Four states - Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina and South Carolina - remain at $30. 17Morisey, of Pennsylvania, entered a nursing home after a fall and, once here, learned his income would no longer be his. 18Pennsylvania's allowance is $45, and after a monthly $20 haircut and $5 tip, it is difficult to decide what he should buy with the remaining $20. 19"It's the little things," he said. "You don't think about these things until you no longer have them." 20His small savings are nearly gone now. Without help from his church, he could not pay for a phone. 21I'm Andrew Smith. And I'm Caty Weaver 22Matt Sedensky wrote this story for The Associated Press. Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English. 23_________________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25nursing home -n. a place where people who are old and cannot take care of themselves live 26allowance -n. an amount of money, usually paid monthly, to someone who does not work 27humiliating -adj. something that makes someone feel foolish or ashamed 28shame -n. a feeling of guilt, regret or sadness that you have done something wrong 29resident -n. a person who lives in a particular place 30triple -v. to become three times bigger 31quadruple -v. to become four times larger 32church -n. a Christian religious group 33_________________________________________________________________ 34We want to hear from you. 35We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 36Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.