The well being of Maryland seniors depends on the Department of Aging, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Office of Health Care Quality, and the Department of Human Resources. As the senior population increases so do the demands placed upon these agencies. They must have the funding necessary to keep up with growing demand and do the jobs required of them.

Statistics confirm that the majority of adults wish to age in the communities where they live. USM supports initiatives, innovations, and services that empower older adults to maintain their homes and independence while continuing to stabilize communities. Visitability as well as other Universal Design features should be mandated in legislation in new homes and renovations. Critical low cost programs aimed at keeping seniors in their homes such as: In-Home Aide Services, Social Services for Adults, The Congregate Housing Services Program located in affordable independent housing facilities, and the Senior Group Home Assisted Living Program, should be supported and promoted.

The Adult Waiver Program should be fully funded. This program costs Medicaid about half the cost of maintaining the client in a nursing home. Applicants should be screened for eligibility and prioritized by need as well as by the application date.

Seniors on fixed incomes are having a particularly difficult time. Bankruptcies among seniors are soaring – they need consideration and help. Additional income and property tax relief is needed for those most at financial risk. There should be exemptions for supplemental health policies, and all public employee pension income for seniors should be treated equitably.

The prospect of facing high energy costs is frightening to seniors on fixed, low, or moderate income. The ceiling for energy assistance programs should be raised to ensure that seniors most in need are protected from paying a disproportionate share of their incomes for energy costs. USM favors re-regulation of energy utilities that results in lowering energy costs for seniors

Senior centers are very important to many Maryland seniors. They provide socialization opportunities, physical activities, education, meals, health and wellness maintenance, preventive health programs, and more. Funding for senior centers should be maintained.

Shifting the obligation to fund pensions of State employees and educators to the counties has a profound effect upon all citizens of Maryland. Passing that funding responsibility to the counties would create locally devastating budgetary shortfalls that would result in lowering everyone’s standard of living. The State should not shift its responsibility to local jurisdictions.

Senior Workforce development is necessary. As more seniors choose or need to work, training and job placement programs becomes more important. Private and public initiatives should be promoted.

Adequate Transportation must be available. Without the ability to "get around," seniors can end up housebound with tragic consequences. Volunteers who supply transportation and other services should be shielded from increases in their personal insurance and other negative consequences. State funding should support public and volunteer transportation services in urban, suburban and rural settings.

Fraud comes in two categories: fraud against Government which costs all citizens, and fraud against individual citizens. Increased penalties and more enforcement resources should be made available to reduce fraud and abuse against seniors as well as Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

Some seniors suffer abuse at the hands of others. The focus on adult protective services within the Department of Human Resources should be increased, mandatory reporting of suspected mental or physical abuse should be required, and penalties for such abuse enhanced.

Almost three quarters of a million Marylanders are without health insurance. There should be Affordable Health Care for All. Mental health and physical health benefits should be treated equally, and dental, hearing and vision should be included. To expand health care to the neediest, eligibility requirements for Medicaid should be further eased.

Geriatric specialists and other medical practitioners are in short supply and it is getting worse. Incentives for physicians to practice in Maryland must be strengthened. To encourage more geriatric specialists, there should be incentives for schools to offer programs in geriatric sciences and incentives for students to enroll in "senior sciences" such as gerontology and geriatrics.

Senior volunteers are a valuable resource that makes a great contribution to the State. Seniors volunteer as mentors, drivers, home repairers, auxiliary policemen, and more. Volunteering provides meaningful activities that keep seniors mentally and physically healthy, and, at the same time, saves the State scarce dollars. Volunteering should be promoted, encouraged, and recognized.

Health Care Reform must address long term cost containment, while providing quality, affordable, dependable and accessible health care for all Americans. USM supports having provisions for long term care, eliminating the "donut hole" in Medicare Part D, allowing negotiations with pharmaceutical companies, allowing importation of prescription drugs, repealing the current means-testing under Medicare, and eliminating overpayments to private Medicare plans. USM opposes taxing health care benefits. USM supports tort reform to limit awards and reduce malpractice insurance costs.

USM opposes privatization of Social Security. Social Security is a vital safety net for many seniors. Privatization would increase funding risks, leave some people without income during down markets, and generally increase the cost of the entire program. The privatization pilot program scheduled for 2010 should be abolished.

USM supports increasing Older Americans Act funding beyond the inflation rate to reflect the exploding senior population. In order to keep up with an exploding senior population, funding should be measured against the population growth, not an inflation rate.

USM supports passage of Nursing Home Transparency Improvement Act: S-647 (Grassley/Kohl) requires that information about ownership and staffing at nursing homes be made available.

USM supports passage of Elder Justice Act: The consistent goal of this legislation has been to produce a stronger and more coordinated federal response to promote elder justice in our nation through increased support to our states and communities.

USM supports increasing Medicare reimbursement rates. A growing number of providers are not accepting Medicare patients, and Maryland providers are moving to other areas where reimbursements are greater. The shortage of primary care physicians in Maryland is becoming acute.

USM encourages individuals to purchase long-term care insurance and supports allowing pre tax payment of health and long term care insurance premiums. Individuals who are able to purchase long-term care insurance will not only have more choices as they age, but the cost for long term care will not be borne by Medicaid.