According to Tucson.com, some elderly and disabled adults who need incontinence supplies in Arizona can now get them at no cost, thanks to a legal victory six years in the making.
Advocates celebrate the news, but some patients and residents are finding it doesn’t apply to them.
Incontinence briefs are covered only for those who qualify for Arizona’s Long Term Care System (ALTCS).
That means they must earn no more than $2,199 a month and be disabled to the point of needing “a nursing home level of care.”
“It’s great that those on ALTCS will be eligible to receive the incontinence supplies. However, there is still a huge gap between those that are eligible for the program and the real incontinence item need in Southern Arizona,” said Claudette Langley, the outreach coordinator for the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona.
Robyn Molk hoped her elderly aunt would qualify, but the 91-year-old woman earns $35 a month over the cap.
It’s an added stress for her aunt, who already has needs that take up money, and time.
So Molk is chipping in and searching for help covering the expense, which used to be just a couple of adult diapers a day but now is up to several — totaling $250 a month.
“There are so many people on the cusp, especially now that people are living longer,” Molk said. “There are so many who could really use the help, but they are caught between a rock and a hard place. It’s just unfair.”
OK, Fine. 