
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 21, 1995                   TAG: 9506220024
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.H.                                LENGTH: Short

OFFICIALS TAKE PLEA TO HEART, ALLOW SURGERY

A man with an IQ of 73 got a heart transplant Tuesday despite the state's refusal to give him the necessary follow-up care because it doesn't consider him mentally retarded.

Thomas Talbot, who has a congenital heart condition, had surgery at Children's Hospital in Boston.

His lawyer, Joanne Petito, said the five-hour surgery went well.

Petito had feared the hospital would reject Talbot, 22, as a transplant patient unless the state agreed to help with everyday tasks after the transplant: keeping doctor's appointments, taking medicine and providing other help he needs.

Neither his family nor the agency that helps him live by himself is equipped for such tasks, Petito said.

While the transplant was covered by Medicaid, Petito doesn't think it will pay for the services.

A spokeswoman at Children's Hospital declined to comment on why hospital officials decided to operate without the guarantee that New Hampshire would foot the bill.

- Associated Press

by CNB