WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU, DR. BERRY, ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING'S PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE 1987 AMENDMENTS AND YOUR IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE.

Louise Slaughter

Statement of Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter

before the Select Committee on Aging

Subcommittee on Human Services

February 7, 1990

Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to take part in this first of a series of hearings on the Older Americans Act. As you know, I have a special interest in the Older Americans Act and took an active role in its 1987 reauthorization.

As we look ahead to the

1991 reauthorization, I am anxious to learn more about how the Act has been implemented since its inception 25 years ago

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as well as how older

Americans' needs have changed over this period.

I am in the process of planning a field hearing of this Subcommittee in my district to assess the Title III programs which have not been funded and how seniors' needs are or are not being met in the absence of federal funding of these programs. Anticipating that hearing, I am interested in Dr. Berry's ideas on Title III as currently written and her suggestions for alternative ways of meeting the health education needs of older Americans.

I am also curious to learn about consumer advocacy programs being undertaken by state and area agencies on aging. During the 1987 reauthorization, I introduced a successful amendment to the Older Americans Act which provided for, among other important

programs, Medi-gap health insurance education and counseling services. These programs have never been funded. Today, I am

even more convinced of their necessity. With increasing frequency, I hear from my elderly constituents and their families that, at considerable expense and hardship, they are over-insured because of confusing Medi-gap health insurance forms and sales promotions which play on their fears of becoming seriously ill. I believe that the Older Americans Act provides an opportunity to help seniors understand their health insurance needs through education and counseling programs. This is an idea which I emphasized back in 1987, and one which will figure even more prominently during the 1991 reauthorization, given the increased import of Medi-gap insurance in light of the repeal of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act.

Additionally, I am hopeful that Dr. Berry will be able to shed some light on the fading prospect that a broad-based and adequately funded 1991 White House Conference on Aging will be called by President Bush. Given the rapid changes in the demographic profile of our society, the health and welfare of America's aging is one of this nation's most pressing and significant social issues. In the 30th Congressional District of New York, I have convened a committee of prominent medical experts and health care providers to make recommendations regarding long term care policy. This group believes as emphatically as I that a comprehensive White House Conference on Aging in 1991 is vital to shaping a national policy on aging and long term care. As the "baby-boomers" near retirement, this evolving social change must be a priority for public policy-makers in Washington and across the country.

Mr. Chairman, let me also take this opportunity to welcome Dr. Berry and congratulate her on her recent nomination for the position of United States Commissioner on Aging. I was pleased to read Dr. Berry's testimony before this Subcommittee back in June, when we were trying to assess the President's interest in calling a 1991 White House Conference on Aging. Dr. Berry's enthusiasm and commitment were evident in that testimony proof to me that she will be an effective advocate for America's senior citizens as Commissioner on Aging. I look forward to knowing more about the Older Americans Act as seen from her perspective at the Agency on Aging.

Thank you.

STATEMENT OF JOYCE T. BERRY, PH.D., U.S. COMMISSIONER ON AGING-DESIGNATE, ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Ms. BERRY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the Human Services Subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this hearing and to present an overview of the highlights of our work to implement the 1987 amendments to the Older Americans Act.

I wish to publicly thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the kind words in your press release you issued regarding my appointment. I also wish to thank your staff, Mr. Olinger and Moya Benoit, as well as Natalie Cannon on Congresswoman Snowe's staff and other staff of the committee, for their support during my tenure as Acting Commissioner on Aging.

I think we have been pro-active during the past 10 months. We have been doing a number of things to enhance AoA's leadership role in administering programs under the act. I have a prepared statement for the record, and I won't go too much into my short statement. I just want to mention, however, that we have made a concerted effort to establish coalitions with individuals, organizations, and others as we move forward to implement our agenda.

Our agenda has been simple. It has been focused on promoting and utilizing the successful network of State and Area Agencies on Aging and service providers we have in place. We and the Congress can take pride in the performance of our network, which is the only network solely devoted to addressing all of the needs of the total older person. Many of us have been with the program since its inception and look forward, with the committee, Mr. Chairman, to celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Older Americans Act this year.

Since April I have traveled to over 18 States representing the President and Secretary Sullivan, speaking with Governors, State directors, AAA directors, service providers, and older persons, hearing firsthand some of the issues they face in implementing the 1987 amendments to the Older Americans Act. Let me just say that the 1987 amendments provided us with an opportunity to make progress in a number of areas.

As I mentioned, we have consulted with a number of organizations and we have published eight goals. These goals are part of the record. They support Secretary Sullivan's priorities, and certainly the priorities of the department. As you know, our goals include promoting public-private partnerships, and that is particularly important to me; prevention and alternatives to institutional care; as well as targeting and manpower development.

I want to say that I would like to take a leadership role at the Administration on Aging, through policy statements and other efforts, to encourage the network of State and Area Agencies on Aging to forge greater linkages with the private sector to help meet the growing needs of older persons. I have met with a number of corporate executives who are dealing with issues related to elder care, employment of older workers, and corporate sponsorship of holiday and weekend meals. I convened a Commissioner's Round