Fiscal Note
There will be no fiscal impact on revenue or expenditures in the Public Health Adopted Operating Budget. No appropriation is required.
Title
Release Funds from the Catherine M. Corscot Trust for Zostavax Purchase.
Body
PREAMBLE
Catherine M. Corscot (1875-1952) was a member of the City of Madison Board of Health from 1922 until the late 1940s, when she retired from the Board because of ill health. When Catherine died in 1952, her will created a trust to support two family members, with the stipulation that upon their death the remainder of the trust be given to the City of Madison for the maintenance or replacement of the East Washington Avenue Hospital, the hospital for contagious disease maintained by the City of Madison.
The last beneficiary died in 1996. In 1997, the remainder of the trust was given to the City of Madison. Since the East Washington Avenue Hospital had closed in December 1953, the Circuit Court for Dane County ordered that the Catherine M. Corscot Trust be used to aid in the prevention of contagious diseases. The Court stipulated that such funds could not be used to replace or supplement programs already in the operating budget.
"The City of Madison may, in its sole discretion, distribute so much of the principal for the purposes of the charitable Trust for the acquisition or construction of a facility or related equipment for the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases. Authority for the expenditure of such principal shall require an extraordinary two-thirds vote of the Common Council of the City of Madison. Any such acquisition or construction shall publicly recognize the contribution of Catherine M. Corscot." (Circuit Court in Probate, File No. 69-93-374-A, paragraph C)
Public Health-Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) has made limited use of the Corscot Trust. Funds have been used in the last two years to match donations from local health institutions to support isolation for TB clients, less than $1,500 each year. The current balance in the trust is about $362,000 and it is administered by US Bank.
Public Health is asking to use $3,500 from the Corscot Trust for the purchase of Zostavax (shingles vaccine). About one-third of the population will be affected by shingles during their lifetime, with about half of all cases occurring in individuals age 60 or older. Shingles is very painful, with possible complications of nerve pain that that can last for weeks or months that are more likely to occur for older adults. The only way to reduce the risk of developing shingles is to get vaccinated. The CDC recommends that all adults 60 years and older receive the shingles vaccine, but there are gaps for insurance coverage of the vaccine. Private insurance usually covers the cost of the vaccine for individuals ages 60 -65, but for those with no health coverage, or for those over the age of 65 without Medicare Part D, it costs $220 or more.
Merck, the manufacturer of Zostavax has a program that provides free vaccine for low-income underinsured or uninsured adults. Under this program, PHMDC would need to purchase the initial vaccine supply, but Merck would replace vaccines at no cost. The only cost to PHMDC is the initial supply-there are no ongoing costs. PHMDC has used this program for three years for HPV, Hepatitis A and B and pneumococcal vaccines. PHMDC would like to offer the shingles vaccine to adults with barriers to access, including adults without insurance or adults with only Medicare Part B and low-income adults. With the addition of the shingles vaccine, PHMDC would be able to provide the full complement of recommended vaccines to adult clients.
WHEREAS Catherine M. Corscot died on May 17, 1952 and pursuant to her will a trust was created for the lifetime benefit of Ruby Corscot and Alice Bagg, provided that the residue be turned over to the City of Madison to be used for the care and maintenance of the East Washington Avenue Hospital, which was established for the treatment of contagious disease and maintained by the City of Madison;
WHEREAS the East Washington Avenue Hospital was closed on December 31, 1953 and the last lifetime beneficiary died in 1996, in 1997 the County Court for Dane County ordered that the Catherine M. Corscot Trust shall be used for the purpose of aiding in the prevention of contagious disease, and the medical care for citizens of Madison suffering from, or threatened by, contagious disease, with the requirement that these funds not be used to be used to replace or supplant funding for programs currently funded through the Public Health operating budget,
WHEREAS the Circuit Court further provided that the City of Madison in its sole discretion may distribute the principal for the treatment of contagious disease,
WHEREAS Public Health-Madison and Dane County desires to offer Zostavax (shingles vaccine) to adults without insurance or adults with only Medicare Part B, adults with language barriers, and low-income adults.
WHEREAS the City of Madison has sole discretion of how to distribute funds from the Corscot Trust through a two-thirds vote of Common Council,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Common Council authorizes the release of $3,500 from the Catherine M. Corscot Trust for the purpose of purchasing an initial supply of Zostravax through the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that US Bank is authorized to distribute these funds from the Catherine M. Corscot Trust that it administers.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the City of Madison Common Council recognizes Catherine M. Corscot for the provisions she made through her trust for the care of people with contagious disease, which now extends more than 60 years after her death.