European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 08, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday. October 1989 the stars and stripes Page s catastrophic insurance plan survives Senate vote but unpopular surtax killed Washington api the Senate refused Friday night to repeal catastrophic health coverage for retirees and voted instead to preserve some benefits while killing the unpopular surtax that pays for them. A plan introduced by sen. John Mccain a Ari. That would wipe out the surtax along with extended reimburse ment for physicians fees and coverage for prescription drugs was approved by a 99-0 Vole. That would leave a program built around nearly unlimited reimburse ment of Hospital charges. Although Mccain s plan wipes out some major benefits its big Selling Point was that it would kill the surtax of up to $800 a year which has drawn the pro tests of Many retirees and which has been the focus of attention in Congress. His amendment was endorsed by most National organisations of senior Citi cons. The i Louse voted earlier last week to re peal the entire program. Negotiators from the i Louse and Senate will have to work outa Compromise Between the two Bills. The Senate paved the Way for accept ing Mccain s proposal when it refused to repeal the program outright. The vote against a repeal amendment offered by Sens. William Roth r-dcl., and John Danforth. A to. Was 73-26. We promised too much we taxed to much but let s not throw it All out said Republican Leader Hob Dole of Kansas adding that would lace Many Low in come retirees with no insurance against an expensive illness and no Way to buy it. Earlier the Senate rejected by a 62-37 vote a plan that would have preserved most benefits As Well As part of the sur tax. That plan offered by sen. David do run Burger. R-minn., would have retained almost total reimbursement for Hospital charges and after the patient pays the first ,780 a year All doctors fees. Coverage for prescription drugs would have been eliminated. The decisiveness of the vote against Durnberger s amendment was Surpris ing because of impassioned pleas for its passage from Senate leaders of both Par tics and its endorsement by health and human services Secretary Louis Sulli Van. Dole said the biggest problem for catastrophic coverage is that Many  do not understand the Bene fits. He blamed an extraordinary amount of misinformation Given to the  the voices of retirees who oppose the program have been heard noted majority Leader George Mitchell. A Mainc. But there arc Many whose voices have not been heard. The majority of the elderly who Lack private insurance and the Money to pay for it he said. Hospital costs Are rising by 5 / per cent a year and doctors fees Are going up by 15 percent. Durenberger said. Thai is the catastrophe wailing to happen to elderly  Congress has been under heavy pres sure from retirees to repeal or make significant changes in the catastrophic pro Gram enacted last year to protect older americans from being wiped out financially by an expensive illness. All people eligible for medicare arc required to in Roll in catastrophic care coverage. Most of the complaints arc coming from higher income retirees who pay a is percent surtax on top of their income taxes to finance catastrophic care for themselves and poorer seniors. About 40 percent of retirees pay a surtax this year the maximum of $800 per person is paid by about 6 percent. Lawmakers also arc hearing fro Many of the estimated 5 million to 7 million retirees who already have private or employer financed catastrophic cover age. They object to paying for something they say they Don t need. In other votes the Senate rejected an amendment by sen. Edward Kennedy d-mass., that would have retained coverage for Hospital charges and prescription drugs but eliminate expanded Protection for physicians fees and kill the surtax. A proposal he sen. Dob Graham d-fla., that would Nave allowed individuals who could prove they have equivalent private coverage to drop catastrophic coverage. An amendment by Sens. Tom i Lar kind Lowa. And Catl Levin. A Mich. That would have repealed the surtax in Tai cd All catastrophic benefits and paid for them by raising income taxes on the nation s 600,000 wealthiest couples and individuals. A plan by Sens. Don Riegle. D Mich., and John Chafee. R-r.i., to repeal the surtax retain Hospital coverage and reimbursement of some doctors fees and create a new voluntary program under which the beneficiary could buy coverage for drugs Home care and other benefits for $ 15.40 a month. Actress daughter arrested at . Drug spot new York a the daughter of film actress Jane Fonda was arrested Fri Day on disorderly conduct and other charges after narcotics officers observed her entering a building known for drug trafficking police said. Vanessa Vadim. 21, the daughter of Fonda and filmmaker Roger Vadim was also charged with loitering for the Pur pose of purchasing drugs and obstructing governmental administration. Thomas pc Cal 22, was also arrested and charged with criminal Possession of a controlled substance two envelopes believed to contain heroin and a hypodermic Needle police spokesman sgt. Peter Sweeney said Vadim told police she was a student Abrown University and pc Cal said he at tended new York University Sweeney said. A third person Manuel Rivera 30, a resident of a City men s shelter was charged w Ith criminal Possession of a controlled substance an envelope believed to contain heroin and a hypodermic Needle. Sweeney said narcotics officers saw Vadim and pc Cal entering a known drug location in lower Manhattan at about 8 Sands of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Oct. 8, 1949 a communist people s Council declared the creation of an East German stale with the capital in Berlin and adopted a Constitution of communist doctrine. 30 years ago today. Oct. 8, 1959 Baghdad radio reported that an attempt to assassinate iraqi Premier and Bdl Karim Kassum had failed and a curfew had been imposed in the capital. 20 years ago today. Oct. 8, 1969 speaking at the Afl-c10 c9nvcnlion in Atlantic City n.j., Secretary of defense Melvin r. Laird said any unilateral timetable for withdrawing . Troops from Vietnam would Hurt president Nixon s efforts to negotiate peace. ? 0 years ago today. ,. Oct. 8, 1979 Pope John Paul ii completed his visit to the United states with a mass in front of the Capitol in Washington during which he called for an end to abortion and a strengthening of marriage tics. Vanessa Vadim leaves lie Manhattan criminal court build Imp Early saturday flanking the 21-year-old student Are attorneys p. Correl left and Hubert Kali ii a.m., Sweeney said. As the two emerged from the building with Rivera the officers saw Cegal give a Small Glassine envelope to Rivera he said. As the officers began to arrest the three pc Cal tried to run Sweeney said and an officer grabbed him. Vadim is the Only daughter of Fonda who also has a i 5-Ycar-old son Troy from her marriage to California state assemblyman Tom Hayden. Hayden and Fonda announced earlier this year that they were separating. Vadim was in new York to attend the premiere of her Mother s new movie old Gringo Wlinich opened Here Fri Day according to a Fonda associate. Vadim and Fonda attended a special screening of the movie thursday Loben edit the Robert f. Kennedy memorial fund. The actress had been scheduled to leave for Rome Friday but postponed her plans because of her daughter s arrest the associate said. Steve Rivers a spokesman for Fonda said the actress would have no immedi ate comment on her daughter s arrest. 2 chinese students get political Asylum in . San Francisco up political Asylum was Gram cd Friday to two pro democracy chinese students., in a move their lawyer said May open the door to Asylum requests from More of the 73,000 chinese students in the uni cd slates. Immigration judge Bernard Llorna challed China s violent crackdown on Stu Dent protests at Tiana men Square june 4 in Beijing nothing Short of a Declara Tion Owa Ragains ils own  in a denunciation of the communist government of China Hornbach ruled the two students not Only had legitimate fears of persecution for their personal political beliefs but also that. Simply by i hair identification us part of a group of pro democracy students abroad their lives might be in jeopardy. Until China changes its policy of death fear and error against dissed cols foreign students involved in the demo Crali Zavion movement should not be forcibly Clu Rcd to red China by the govern Mcnol of the United .states,1 Horn Bach stated. The students have a Well founded fear of persecution Hornbach ruled. Eugene Wong attorney for the iwo Slud cols said inc Broad language of Hornbach s ruling opens inc door to More political Asylum claims. Wong said however that he did not believe there would be a flood of request immediately because president Bush has extended until june 1990 the ability of chinese students to remain in the uni cd Stales on student visas