AARP Goes One-On-One With Martha Coakley
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-06-11 13:17:32.580085-04:00
Attorney General Martha Coakley took office on January 17, 2007. The first female attorney general elected in Massachusetts, Coakley has dedicated more than 20 years of her life to public service, including her work as Middlesex County assistant district attorney and then as district attorney. A Berkshires native, she has a strong history as an advocate, not only for individuals and communities, but also for the commonwealth at large.
AARP Massachusetts asked Attorney General Coakley about the top priorities for her office as she tackles diverse issues, from health care to identity theft.
Q: What are your top three priorities and how do they affect residents age 50+ and their families?
A: First, upon taking office, I established a new Health Care Division to address the rising cost of health care, and other related issues. We are also concerned about the practice of "predatory lending" and its devastating impact on consumers. In particular, seniors often accumulate significant equity in their home but instead decide to use it to pay bills. Dishonest mortgage sellers use this knowledge and propose "too good to be true" cash-out refinancing which results in unnecessary fees or foreclosure. A trusted professional should be consulted before mortgaging to avoid these risks. Energy costs, particularly for those on a fixed income, are also both a short-term and long-term priority for the AG's Office.
Q: How will your new Health Care Division impact health and long term care in the Commonwealth?
A: A main function of the division will be to assist with the implementation of Massachusetts' new health care reform law. It will also investigate and take court action to protect patients and health care providers from unfair and deceptive acts and practices, such as misleading marketing, denial of mandated benefits or fraudulent billing. Seniors who wish to file a complaint about health care or health insurance can do so by dialing 1-888-243-5337. The division also enforces the health, safety and welfare of long term care residents victimized by bankrupt or dishonest nursing homes.
Q: How do you define "elder abuse," and what will you do to make sure seniors are protected?
A: I define elder abuse as any situation where a senior is harmed or taken advantage of-be it physically, financially, or emotionally. Currently, we are identifying ways that elders are targeted for economic crime and looking at issues unique to the elder victim, such as regulation of long term care facilities. Our protection efforts focus primarily on elder outreach programming and staffing an elder hotline to assist seniors with complaints. The hotline is staffed primarily by senior volunteers who provide free mediation services for elders. The toll free number is 1-888-AG ELDER.
AARP Massachusetts thanks Martha Coakley for taking the time to answer our questions. This article was originally published in the AARP Massachusetts Update newsletter.
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