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Show Standard Rate 3U07ahUPreSSASSOCia,io" P.O. Box 224 Milford, UT 84751 Salt l?r00SmhS City UT U S Postage Paid 5005 84101-121- Milford, UT. 84751 Perm No. 15 2 r mm P. O. Box 224 DECEMBER 18, 1997 Budget Cats Pose Post-Holid- Threat ay to Halms' Medicare Benefits, Jobs Special n Milford, Utah 84751 A5 VOL, VII NO. 50 Y Mayor Says It's to the Monitor: The holidays will be less merry for more those who care for them. beneficiaries are Medicare some with Christmas cards, Along services are home health d federally-fundetheir notice receiving being discontinued. characters in this "Care givers aren't really the Grinch-lik-e director executive of the Utah said Steven Hansen, scenario," Association of Home Health Agencies (UAHHA). "They are doing everything possible to remedy the situation for patients and to safeguard their own jobs. But they must implement federal program cuts mandated by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997." Officials cut more the $1 5 billion from the Medicare home health benefit earlier this year. This was done by eliminating venipuncture (blood draw) services as a qualifying skilled nursing service. Periodic blood draws currently qualify homebound beneficiaries for home health aide and personal care services. "Prior to February 5, these people must opt for nursing home care o-r- if they want to remain in their homes secure and pay for private venipuncture and aide services," said Hansen. "This second option may necessitate help from their families, neighbors, fellow church members, or local government programs." Affected individuals include elderly diabetics, stroke victims, congestive heart failure patients, and those who have had total knee replacements. "It's sad these patients have to be inconvenienced," said Hansen. "But it breaks your heart to know some will await downturns in their conditions, that require hospitalization, so they again qualify for Medicare benefits." Hansen said the program cuts are frustrating from a perspective, too. Federal tax savings, in some instances, are nothing more than a tax shift. On average, Medicare's annual per patient cost for home health services in Utah is a little more than $6,400. If disentitled patients require admission to a nursing home, the annual cost is around $25,000. Medicaid provisions would still federal require the government to pick up the bulk of these costs. But the state would have to pay about $8,000 for each new nursing home patient. "Some frail, elderly, Utahns could probably fare alright provided they receive home delivered meals, homemaker services, or personal care service benefits currently provided by home health aides and paid by Medicare. But alternative government programs are locally funded. To date, no federal dollars have been tunneled to the states or area aging agencies to offset the expense of these services," Hansen continued. UAHHA, and similar groups across the nation, have launched a grassroots campaign to enable beneficiaries-w- ho meet coverage requirements-- to continue to receive venipuncture as well as other necessary dependent services. Key to this effort is passage of HR 2912, the "Medicare Venipuncture Fairness Act." Repeal of the provision prior to its effective date is preferable. However, since Congress will not return from its current recess until late January, little hope exists for a remedy before February 5. "Home care agencies have already begun discharging affected patients," explained Hansen. "Discharges are being made in accordance with state licensing laws. Agencies are providing reasonable advance notice to patients, explaining the availability of alternatives (including private pay services) and informing the patients' physicians and families of the situation." He said Christmas time, while busy, provides an excellent with elected opportunity for Utahns to talk representatives about expediting passage of HR2912. Association leaders and home health agency owners have appointments with congressional delegates while they are home for the holidays. The home care industry has launched a letter writing campaign among Medicare beneficiaries. And it is taking the situation to the public. "Utahns are concerned about quality of life issues. They want to get the best value for their tax dollars. Given the facts, we think they'll rally to reverse the government's position on venipuncture. It would guarantee their elderly family members continue to receive service in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. And, most importantly, it would protect against health care conditions. acute exacerbations of their loved-one- s' than 2,000 homebound Utahns-a- nd dollars-and-cen- ts cost-shari- ng one-on-o- ne Milford Elementary School Program Milford elementary Schxl will present their annual Christmas Program December 22 at 7:00 in the Milford High It is entitled " 'Twas One Crazy Night Before School Gym. Christmas. " Everyone is invited to attend. Come out and kick off the Christmas vacation with an exciting program featuring dancing, singing, andfun. ipiiKi llilillilillliill' ft ( It Business Previous media attention that has portrayed Milford as less than a desirable place to live, may also have an up side. A number of companies who say they have technology to stop odor, eliminate the threat of groundwater contamination, and the less mentioned threat of evaporated waste products which move downwind before falling back to the surface as nitrogen deposition. Company representatives, however, not Circle 4. ...and certainly not say that nobody wants to talk to them Milford City. When questioned on the subject in a city council meeting Tuesday evening. Maj or Man' Wiseman answered that she thinks that the city should have absolutely nothing to do with investigating technology that would protect the community. "That's my stand. I don't know what the (position of) the rest of the council is but I feel that they (Circle 4) have brought men in from back east; they have brought them from all over and they report on what they are doing, and that would be like someone telling us how to run the city. If I have some questions, I go talk to Rob Adams." she said. The mayor added that she is willing to put pollution matters into the hands of the company. "It's their business." she said. Ll L ,JEL 1 Wyatt McDermott's first visit with Santa yffy to Christmas all fromfhe staff of - tyt Umutt (Hoimtn monitor The Monitor will be closed next week to observe the holiday. Reappraisal of Minersville Town Beaver County Assessor, Max Limb, is required by the State Tax Commission to physically review each property every five years. In order to complete this process, the assessor div ides the count) into areas according to group properties of similar use, location and value into workable units. The schedule for the 1998 tax year is to appraise the town of Minersville. Max Limb and Chris Branvall arc currently collecting data in Minersville. The will be in the area until all properties in Minersville have been appraised. They will also be updating our records to include a current photo of the property. If you have any questions in regard to how you property is assessed, you are w elcome to call the Beaver County Assessor at 438-640- Final Prize List Prizes galore will be given away at the final Christmas Drawing on December 20th at 1:00 P.M. In Store Drawings: Todd's and Western Family -$50.00 Shopping Spree; Souther Utah Federal Credit Union -$25.00 Saving Certificate; First Security Bank - $25.00 Saving Certificate; Todd's - Turkey; Circle Four Farms - Hams; Milford Valley Health Care -Physical; Alan and Mike Schow -2 lb bag pinenuts; Todd's -Remote Controlled Car; Scholzens - Mini Leatherman; Scholzens Products Hat; Station Restaurant Station Special for two; Hong Kong Cafe - Lovers Delight Dinner (2) ; Station Motel -$25.00 Cash Drawing. A & F True Value Hardware - Hitachi Breadmaker. Chamber of Commerce Prizes: Camp Chef; $25.00 Gift Certificate Case; $10.00 Gas Certificate (Milford Chevron); $10.00 Gas Certificate (John's Service) ; Mens Stetson Cologne; Women's Stetson Cologn;; Snake Carbon BBQ Grill; Light; Monoxide Detector; Gadget Organizer; Set of 4 Chili Bowls; Porcelain Gingerbread House; Battery Powered Screwdriver; Glass Christmas Tree Tray; (2) Subscriptions to Beaver County Monitor. 0. Tiger Sports Wrestling: Brett Thomas has a in the 103 season record of lb. class. He placed st at both the and Panguitch Wayne tournaments. 1 -0 1 Steven Florence is 1 -1 in the 125 lb. class. He also placed 1st at Panguitch and at Wayne. Trent Thompson, in the lb. 130 class, placed 6 th at Panguitch and 4th at Wayne. Millard will be on the Tiger mat this Thursday Girls Basketball: The Lady Tigers garnered a 40-3- 3 victory over Wasatch Academy last week, before loosing a very close 4 39 game to Kanab. Lindsay Barnes led the scoring in both games, with 13 points against Wasatch and 16 points against Kanab. They travel to Escalante for a game this Saturday. Boys Basketball: Valley rack up a 63-5- 3 win against the Tigers last week. Craig Wiseman was top scorer in that game with 5 points. Clayton Williams scored 11 rebounds in addition to 13 points. Dustin Whiltakcr was credited with 9 rebounds '"We've had our difficulties. It's time to put them behind us and move forward," Coach Hoagland commented The Tigers will play on their home court this Friday. December 19. against Wayne. 1 -- 1 Leo Kancll, CityCounry Attorney sees a law suit brewing. He '"The said, question is this ... if Milford City somehow tries to force the company to utilize a new technique that you ... because of your great thinks is on the cutting edge of techniques and if the expertise company then goes and spends $20 million or $50 million to use this new technique and then it doesn't work, then should the company have the right to go up against us and say we did what you said and it didn't work so would you mind paying us back that money?" Force, or even capital outlay by Circle 4, are not issues. Jac J. Adams, President of Adams Engineering, represents one of the companies trying to communicate with the city andor Circle 4. He says his company will enter into joint ventures with hog production facilities to secure funding. Options include installation of floating covers for lagoons to trap odorous gases. The gases are then admitted to a scrubber system. Recovered CH4 is then available for electric power generation. Liquid withdrawn from the top portion of the anaerobic lagoon cell, after sterilization, is then used for hydroponic vegetable production year around. "Our solutions are not without cost, but we have 30 plus years of experience. Treated hog manure is worth 26.6 times more, converted into vegetable production, than the value of the market hogs," he said. Adams said hydroponic vegetable production would provide a great amount of jobs in the community possibly more than the hog industry. John Kirk, Thermo Tech Technologies, Inc., says environmental is benefits from his company have created strong security which translated favorably into ratings for Industrial Revenue Bonds. Imagine, if you will, hog production with no lagoons no odors no into the that allows contaminates settle to back evaporation atmosphere into the community. Effluent can be trucked to a fully contained plant for refinement. The plant collects dollars on both ends: tippage when raw product is dumped and sales income when various finished products are shipped. The size of the Circle 4 project may be a little mind boggling, but Kirk thinks Thermo Tech can provide one or more turn-ke- y plants to handle it again bringing more jobs .. diversified jobs.. ..and new revenue to the community. However, he explained, it takes partnership between progressive government and industry to start the ball rolling. Murphy Farms, one of the Circle 4 parent companies is experimenting w ith a digester at a 3,600 head finishing farm in Laveme, Oklahoma. Circle 4's B. J. Moore is a w orking member of the committee evaluating that project. A number of the local Circle 4 barns house up to 12,000 head. Digester technology and cost effectiveness for those barns may be in the distant future. Rob Adams says the cover they have installed on a small lagoon may not be cost effective on larger lagoons. Actually, lawsuits are brewing. Richard Coxson, attorney for Keith Dotson in an individual suit that he has filed, questions whether agriculture protection legislation passed in 1994 is actually constitutional. If challenged in court the ultimate result could be: change the legislation or change the constitution. (Commissioner Chad Johnson told the Monitor Wednesday morning that if Circle 4 has applied for agriculture protection status in Beaver County, he is unaware of such application.) There is also the issue of a class action suit regarding quality of life. "I think the question of council position should be directed to the new council in January. My own position is that government has the of with Circle 4 and other entities in solving responsibility working Councilman Swain said. Swain was alone Enoch problems," outgoing in his opinion. Councilman Russell Smith echoed the Mayor's comments. "If they send it (technology information) to us we will take it and give it to Circle 4," he said. Terms for Smith, Mark Dotson and Junior Davis run for two more years. Doug Garrett and Nolan Davis will be replacing John Carter and Enoch Swain. The mayor was for another term. If she decides to resign, replacement is the council's choice. that advanced Kirk reminds us Meanwhile, is available right tcchnoIogy....whcther it is his or someone else's now. "It's a win-wi- n for everybody. Why allow the west to be trashed when you can double the economic development and protect the environment at the same time?" he concluded. |
