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Show Page Fridav. Mav THE HE RAID. Provo. Utah, A6 13. 1994 Group say USDA forces choice between food, medical care qualify for an average of $30 a month in additional food stamp benefits. By JENNIFER DIXON Associated Press Writer - BurdenWASHINGTON some food stamp regulations are e forcing thousands of elderly and disabled Americans to chose between paying for groceries or medical care, according to advocates for the poor who say Congress ordered the problem fixed more than five years ago. Seniors and disabled persons who claim the medical deduction are literally bringing shoe boxes, full of receipts into their local welfare offices every month to comply with the law, according to the Food Research and Action Center, an advocacy group. The policy, the group argues, puts the elderly and disabled at nutritional risk. Because of the pa- low-incom- At issue is an Agriculture Department regulation that requires seniors and the disabled to documedical ment their in to order month once a expenses perwork burden, some seniors may be unable to claim the deduction on a regular basis, while fluc et Ss J I I I we're featuring f all Nintendo - games from ment has fluctuated wildly over the $111 to $20 a month past year. The advocacy group argues that USDA's failure to issue the regulations violates congressional mandates, places unnecessary burdens on recipients and deprives the needy of vital nutritional assistance. "USDA's failure to issue appro- class-actio- priate regulations frustrates the food stamp program's purpose of assuring a steady diet and regular nutrition for many elderly and disabled persons," said Robert J." Fersh, the group's executive direc- tor. Phil Shanholtzer, a spokesman for USDA's Foqd and Nutrition Service, said the department has drafted new regulations but they are not yet ready to be released for public comment. Under the law, elderly and disabled food stamp recipients are allowed to deduct the costs of expenses over $35 from their incomes when applying for food stamps, FRAC said. They are then required to document their medical expenses every month, even when those expenses are fairly constant, the group said. Only 13 percent of all elderly households and 2 percent of all disabled households on food stamps claim the medical deduction, according to USDA. Of the .5 million elderly households receiving food stamps in 1991, 202,000 claimed the medical exemption, and of the 848,000 disabled households in the program, 16,000 claimed it. Burton Fretz,' executive director of the National Senior Citizens Law Center, said the lawsuit seeks to ensure an adequate and nutritious diet for seniors. "Poor nutrition means more hospital stays and costlier complications," Fretz said. Eleven million families, or 27 million people, receive food 1 pDl7 f """"- fg I - a 7""'7 in L"7 J ' at 20 Off Our sstock Regular Prices! U- who suffers from cancer, asthma, bronchitis and arthritis. Because of the paperwork, Anna Forsman, 69, has been unable to claim the full deduction on a regular basis. FRAC said her food stamp allot- LiSlI The great How many points can you score in 2 minutes playing the NBA Jam Game on Nintendo? Test your skills from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. over in our Midway. 1st prize is a $100 Kmart Gift Certificate. 2nd prize is a S50 certificate. 3rd prize is a $25 certificate. Along with the contest, I . Congress first voted to fix the problem in 1988 and again in 1990. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, however, never issued regulations to simplify and streamline the process. The Food Research and Action Center and the National Senior Cin tizens Law Center filed a lawsuit against USDA Thursday, seeking to force the department to cut the red tape for seniors and disabled Americans with significant medical expenses. The plaintiffs include four disabled or elderly Americans, including a Mesquite, Texas, woman Challenge 7 . tuations in their medical expenses can make their food stamp allotment rise or fall from month to month, putting their budget and their diet into turmoil. The average monthly benefit for an elderly household is $62. Potentially tens of thousands of other seniors may be discouraged from seeking the medical deduction at all. As a result, some seniors have had to spend their limited incomes on medicine instead of food, or have gone without health-car- e to buy groceries, the advocacy group said. "T f S" 'a. 'UCB I - IIIIM fmm 0Ji?i ,sir stamps today. DuQuODQOG s J jpoD , FPiP: Onu3 ODD "Buzz" Hamburgers f. with a Drink X 'S. Vi A fV yyj2fe X W 2$3 One Case of any Ppnsi sold L- jf yy L 9 ce tickets last! m -- S. ViA fl Lrrp 0 ILooEz: v A By BOB LAMENDOLA Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentin- Limited to store stock, no rain checks AVAILABLE IN UTAH Kmart STORES ONLY LmS)f J&m&rs 0 rv Si off All children's apparel All team sports reguarty priced or clearance merchandise only.: Excludes advertised merchandise, diapers and lormula. 25 Styles for infants, tots, girls or boys. Reduction i 1 for ascUdffltiorvail 1 Dry And Happy Diapers Assorted sizes for boys or girls. Super Value price! Pkg. quantity varies depending on size S, uneBer th& "IBigi Top" ' is oti Utah Off Reg. Price FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.:-M- arie Hankerson was floored by an obituary in Sunday's newspaper on Margaret Skeete, 115, called the oldest American by the Guinness Book of Records . That's nothing. Her grandfather, Tim Newton of Fort Lauderdale, turned 119 on May 1, Hankerson .said. "I was very upset when I saw that," said Hankerson, 40. "How can she be the oldest? I feel my granddad needs to be recognized as one of the oldest persons in- the world." Hankerson and her kin said they will appeal to Guinness to crown Newton as the most senior of U.S. senior citizens. They probably will not succeed. They lack papers to unequivocably peg the age of Newton, born to freed slaves on May 1, 1875, near Wilmington, N.C. A birth certificate, a census report, even a family Bible would work, said Mark Young, the Guinness U.S. editor. "Our record is for the oldest authenticated person, which means they must be able to prove their dateof birth," Young said. "Members of the Africart American community, particularly in the southern states, nobody bothered to registered their dates of birth," Young said. "We get this all the time. We feel badly - ill otiir off $1a apparel Jazz, Salt Lake Buzz, more. Family disputes claims of record age S. - Xv. Sidewalk BBQ hamburgers with all the trimmings! CORN ON THE COB product and receive a Salt Lake Buzz baseball ticket while 14 May Saturday 8 a.m.-- 0 p.m. 'SS I IVrlV BUY V ' Any bicycle in stock Choose from our entire collection. $10 Off Reg. Prices about it." Social Security cards and driver licenses do not suffice; they do not require strict proof of age, he said. Newton's relatives had called w nt W 12-pa- Pepsi products ck Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Moutain Dew A&W Root Beer, Slice, Diet Slice. 1 Guinness four years ago, thinking he was the world's oldest person. But the honor went to Jeanne Cal-meof France, 1 19, proven born in February 1875 and still living. cans . 1 'lit Clover Club potato chips Delicious flavors; great for picnet wt. nics or anytime! 14-o- z. 20 All baseball otffr cards in stock Cards or collector's packages in group. ZO Off Reg. Prices' 1.67 Jumbo Bedding Plants Hardy, ready-to-plaflowering plants. nt vegetable and The family said they can support Newton's age. The oldest of his nine children, Earl, died at age 41 in 1940, said Mary Roberts, Newton's youngest daughter of 69. The Social Security Administration calls him 1 19. "I mean, geez, he started getting Social Security in 1949," Hankerson said. Newton came to Fort Lauderdale in 1928. He worked at an auto parts store and as caretaker of a Davie, Fla., orange grove until age 98. He has a granddaughter age 54. He has 27 26 and' two That's six generations at family gatherings. 3.&S) All terrain sandals for the family! Adjustable straps for wearing ease. Reg. ti.yy-y.sizes Available In chJdren ea. w 3 12" color bowls Decorative containers with color ful flowers for your patio, yard. "He's no crank,"- said - $1.00 Steer Manure 1 Barbara Tumblin, Cu. Ft. Natural way to fertilize! C1994 Kmart Corporation 44. Newton is oblivious to the debate. He spends his days in bed at his daughter's house, napping, looking out the window or eating his favorite Frosted Flakes. |