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By Trudy Lieberman
Rural Health News Service
Older Americans may be in for a
rough ride if the changes Washing-
ton politicians are considering come
to pass.
Because good, explanatory jour-
nalism is in short supply and TV
shouting matches don't tell you
much, I decided to use this space to
discuss some of the possible
changes that could soon affect mil-
lions of people in their 60s and
older.
First, let's consider Medicaid, the
federal-state program that finances
healthcare for the poor and long
term care for the middle class. Vir-
tually all the talk about cutting Med-
icaid by more than $800 billion over
the next 10 years has centered on the
11 million people who gained health
coverage under the Medicaid provi-
sions of the Affordable Care Act,
also called Obamacare.
Most of those Americans will
lose their health coverage if legisla-
tion the House passed in early May
to replace Obamacare gets through
the Senate. Equally affected will be
seniors and their families who now
count on Medicaid to fund long-
term care.
Medicaid pays for about half of
all nursing home stays, but it also
pays for care elders receive in the
community under special waiver
programs. These might include
home care, adult day care, and other
services that help people stay in
their homes.
I asked Medicaid experts what
would happen if the funds families
now depend on disappear. All said
that if federal allocations to the
states are capped or reduced in some
other way, states would have less to
give families needing long-term
care assistance. More families will
be on their own to pay for some or
all of the care a loved one needs.
The U.S. has never had a policy
to pay for such care, so Medicaid,
by default, became the vehicle for
funding. And as Judy Feder, a pro-
fessor of public policy at George-
town University, told me recently
Medicaid dollars have never been
sufficient to pay for the growing
number of Americans needing
longterm care. Proposed changes
will only make things worse.
Stacy Sanders, federal policy di-
rector for the advocacy group the
Medicare Rights Center, puts it this
way: "Cuts of this magnitude will
end Medicaid as we know it, putting
older adults' access to home and
community-based long-term care,
nursing home services and other es-
sential supports in jeopardy."
Also, people now receiving
health coverage under the Afford-
able Care Act could find themselves
paying much higher premiums if a:
bill to repeal and replace eventually
passes. The House-passed bill
changes the rules for insurance com-
panies so that they can charge older
people a lot more than younger ones
in states that decide to opt out of cer-
tain Obamacare protections.
In a state that opts out, according
to the Congressional Budget Office,
a 64-year-old with an income of
$26,500 could pay as much as
$16,000 in annual premiums while
a 21-year-old with the same income
might pay only $1,700. People
would get tax subsidies depending
on their age, but subsidies gradually
phase out the higher the income,
still leaving older people with a
Services
(Continued on Page 8)
Billings County Sheriff Pat Rummel, at far right, waits for bids as others, from left, County Au-
ditor Marcia Lamb, State's Attorney Jay Brovold, Roy Hutcheson Sr., and Deputy Sheriff Shawn
Thomas look on during a sheriff's sale at the county courthouse on June 12. (Photo by Richard
Volesky)
Lend
,r acquires former Fryburg school
By Richard Volesky which made Hutcheson the new Resource Group. Morgan Chase
Editor/Reporter owner, sought permission from Billings
MEDORA - One of the lenders Prior to the bidding, Hutcheson County to build an $18 million, 238-
involved with a $2.15 million debt said he had spoke n to a representa- bed lodge, which would have been
for a project that would have con- tive of the proposed Davis Refinery, connected to the school building.
verted the vacant Fryburg school into which may be built east of the school Prior to that, the Billings County
an oil field housing project bought property and in Billings County. The School District sold the building to
the property at a sheriffs sale on June refinery may have a use for the Energy Resource Group.
12. school property, Hutcheson indi- The Billings County Commis-
Southwest District Judge Rhonda cated, sion, however, turned down the proj-
Ehlis ordered the sale on May 5. Bis- Hutcheson said he was told the re- ect, saying it didn't fit the
marck attorney Sheldon Smith, who finery has all of the permits it will community. Morgan Chase's man-
represents lenders Roy Hutcheson, need, except for an air quality permit, agers then appealed the matter into
Roy Hutcheson Jr. and Tom Hutche- "I don't know if they can get it Southwest District Court. District
son of Huntsville, Ala., had filed a (the refinery) done or not, but they Judge Zane Anderson ruled in July
motion for a default judgment on think they can," said Hutcheson. 2015 that Morgan Chase was af-
April 13. The defendant, Morgan The former school was twice forded due process as the county
Chase Management L.L.C, hadn't planned to become a lodge for oil made its decision.
replied to any of the demands or field workers. Making Morgan Chase's purchase
pleadings in the case . The lenders The more recent proposal came possible were the Hutcheson s, who
then wasted no time in moving the from Morgan Chase, a company that lent a $1.7 million promissory note
matter toward a sheriffs sale. was formed in North Dakota, but was and mortgage in January 2015 to
On June 12, Russ Lapp of Medora based in Jackson, Miss., which pur- Morgan Chase . The debt has since
bid $500 for the property, and Roy chased the vacant school in early been accumulating interest.
Hutcheson Sr. then bid $200,000, 2015 from another company, Energy © 2017 GVN-BCP
Billings County School Board President Lynn Arthaud discusses the possible merger of her
school district with the Belfield district at the Billings County Commission's meeting on June 6. At
right is County Commissioner Joe L. Kessel. (Photo by Richard Volesky)
chool boards asked to study financing
before more
By Richard Volesky
Editor/Reporter
MEDORA - The Billings County
School Board discussed the idea of
merging with the Belfield School
District at the June 6 monthly meet-
ing of the Billings County Commis-
sion.
The Billings County Commission
and the Billings County School
Board are independently elected and
one board can't tell the other what to
do. However, Billings County School
Board President Lynn Arthaud said
her board feels that the commission
"is a part of the team" and wanted the
commissioners involved.
The county can provide
money to the school district from
funds that the federal government
,,.-- ,pays out instead of property taxes.
The payments" have averaged about
$350,00 0 per year in the past several
years.
Tony Krebs, president of the
Belfield School Board, also attended
merger discussion
the meeting. If voters of the two dis-
tricts agreed to a merger, a new
school board would be formed with
representation from throughout the
new district, he said.
A goal of the Belfield district is the
build a new school. The current high
school building, in particular, is in
need of replacement, said Krebs.
County Commission Chairman
Jim Arthaud added into the discus-
sion that the Billings County School
District is in good financial shape,
and that if the districts merged, the
Billings County School District's
building fund would be "gone."
The building fund would be
owned by the new, combined district.
The building fund's balance as of
May 31 was $7.4 million.
-Commissioner Arthaud said that if
the building fund was included, he
wondered if it would still be feasi-
ble for the combined district to actu-
ally bond, or finance, the remainder
of the new school's cost. It would be
good to figure out those projections
and spell that out on paper before
moving forward, he said.
Julie Reis, member of the Billings
County School Board, said the intent
would be that both the Medora and
Fairfield elementary schools would
continue operating. She noted that
therefore a school district merger
wouldn't result in a saving of those
operational dollars.
Ten Billings County students at-
tend high school in Belfield, while
eight go to South Heart, and three are
attending in Beach.
In other business, county commis-
sioners appointed Chris Johnson as
the new county recorder and ex-offi-
cio clerk of court. Donna Adams,
who has held the position for 30
years, is retiring` as of Aug. 4. Adams
recommended Johnson for the job be-
cause Johnson has about 17 3;ears of
experience in the clerk's office and
has been cross trained to work in the
recorder's office.
Castro plead
By Richard Volesky
Editor/Reporter
DICKINSON - A Beach man who
faced a felony charge of manslaugh-
ter from a shooting incident nearly a
year ago offered a guilty plea to a
lesser charge of negligent homicide
on June 8.
Gabriel Castro, 23, also pleaded
guilt y to a misdemeanor charge of
providing false information to law
enforcement. He faced a charge of
murder until last fall when Golden
Valley County State's Attorney
Christina Wenko opted to reduce the
charge to manslaughter , and then
discussions involving Wenko and de-
fense attorney Kevin McCabe led to
the current plea.
Richard Young, 24, was shot by
Castro on June 6, 2016, at Young's
Beach residence, according to prior
court testimony. Young died four
days later at a Bismarck hospital.
Castro, and his girlfriend who was
also at the Young residence at the
time of the shooting, originally re-
ported to law enforcement that the
gunshot was self-inflicted. However,
a report from the state medical ex-
aminer later said the shot came from
three to five feet away and was not in
line with being self-inflicted.
At Young's residence, Young
paused a movie and proceeded to
show Castro tricks with the gun, ac-
cording to court testimony. One of
the tricks involved aiming the pistol,
although it supposedly wouldn't dis-
charge. Young allegedly encouraged
Castro to aim at his head.
At the June 8 change of plea hear-
ing at the Stark County Courthouse
in Dickinson , Southwest District
Judge William Herauf asked Castro
to explain what he did at the time of
the shooting.
McCabe then told Herauf that
guilty to negligent homicid
Gabriel Castro enters a courtroom of the Stark County Court-
house in Dickinson on June 8. (Photo by Richard Volesky)
Castro will be offering an Alford what I did."
plea, which means Castro wouldn't In response to a question from
admit that he is guilt y , but ac- Herauf, Wenko said that the woman
knowledges that a jury could convict who had been Young's guardian
him. McCabe said he thinks there when he was a minor was aware of
would be a 50 - 50 chance of a con- the current plea. The woma told her
viction, to "get as much (prison time) ,ts 1
However, Wenko told Herauf that possibly could," said Wenko.
she did not make her offer based on Wenko and McCabe said they
an Alford plea. "There was no dis- didn't believe a pre-sentence investi-
cussion of anAlfordplea," she said. gation (PSI) into Castro's back-
McCabe said he believed an Alford ground would be needed. He has a
plea was a part of the discussion. The limited criminal history. However,
hearing then went into recess, and Herauf ordered an investigation to
then proceeded without including an be completed in the next 60 days be-
Alford plea. cause he wanted "some help" for the
Castro told Herauf that he went to sentencing decision. A sentencing
Young's house, accidentally shot hearing will follow the completion of
him, and lied to the cops. He said he the PSI.
didn't know the gun was loaded Wenko said the plea includes a
when he pointed it at Young. Earlier
in the hearing, Castro said, "I'd like Castro
to apologize, and say I'm sorry for (Continued on Page 8)
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