Hello, to all caregivers that have to find somebody to stay with your loved one while you have to leave him or her to enter the hospital.
To say that it is stressful to have to leave your loved one while you go into the hospital is an understatement. How can you be sure she will be cared for, will the person you select be pleasent, kind, and helpful.
A case in point, I had orders from my Doctor that I needed a heart Cath. I had an induced stress test performed on my heart and the result was not good. A heart cath was then scheduled. I would be in the hospital as an outpatient assuming no stent or angioplasty was needed. Should either or both be required I would be in the hospital overnight and possibly two nights.
I checked with my daughter and her family and they were in no position to take time off from work to stay with Claudia. Today's economy being what it is, and the advantage that the bastards in charge are taking is criminal. Management can and will fire you for taking time off for family emergencies. So no help there.
Fortunately I have some wonderful friends that I was able to call on for help. One person was able to come and stay with Claudia from 8am until noon, at which time the caregiver from medicare would be able to come and stay for as long as it took, even if it meant staying overnight. We informed her that we would pay for the hours that medicaid would not cover. (Ostensibly, the company supplying the help will not allow a person to stay longer then 7.5 hours, and will not allow them to stay overnight).
I have another friend that willingly drove me to and from the hospital. Believe me when I say I will help him whenever and however I can.
Can you believe that, medicaid will pay for a caregiver to stay with a person but not overnight. You will find that if your loved one must have 24/7 care they will move her to a nursing home. That's so, only if the beaurocracy thinks they should allow it in the first place.
Do I sound bitter! you bet I am.
Really, really disgusted with Medicare and Medicaid on certain issues.
Yes I am certainly grateful for the help we are getting.
God Bless us all, Victor Winebrenner
All comments are welcome.
"(C) Copyright by Victor Winebrenner"
Showing posts with label medicaid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicaid. Show all posts
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Thursday, August 27, 2009
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
I have been reviewing the National Health Bill H.R.3200 and I find that it is way too long to read and understand.
MY OPINION is that we need and must have a National Health Plan.
Why, well my wife has had no health plan of any kind for over nine years. Nine years ago is when I had to retire with congestive heart failure. In my case I was able to apply for and receive 100% disability from Social Security. I was 64 at the time. Prior to nine years ago, Claudia was covered under my companies health plan.
The company I worked for had a short term disability plan and then a long term disability plan. Under those plans I continued to be covered under the companies health plan. At age 65 I automatically was covered by Medicare.
I took the precaution of buying a supplemental health plan, which has paid off big time, since I have been in the hospital at least 18 times in 9 years. I think it has been more than that, anyway, virtually all of my medical bills have been covered. Up until two years ago I had to pay for all of my prescriptions.
Now Medicare part D screws me over. Medicare part D is the so called prescription drug program administered by Medicare. But the law was written by the Drug Companies, not by our Senators or Congressman. So the drug companies are making money hand over fist, while us common folks continue to get screwed. I won't go into the over 50 different Part D Prescription PLans that are available in Georgia alone. Trying to pick one that will cover all of your medicines is difficult.
Anyway, back to Claudia and no Health Insurance. We could not buy health insurance for her at any price because of her pre-existing condition. That condition being post-polio syndrome. It is incurable and degenerative. There is no cure and there is no research being done to find a cure as it is terminal, period.
In the past two years Claudia has had to go into the hospital twice for emergency surgery. The first time was in 2006 for pancreatic disease and gall stones. She damn near died from it.
The second time was in March of this year for a broken leg, her femur was snapped in two and required a metal rod be inserted in order to repair it.
In both cases we had no money to pay the hospital and doctor bills. Each time the bills exceeded $70,000. We had applied to Medicaid several times and each time were told I receive too much money from Social Security, so tough luck. With the money that both I and my wife recieve we are not able to pay all of our bills each month, so go figure.
Here are some questions that I think are the Right Questions:
1. DO WE NEED A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN?
2. SHOULD THERE BE A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED PLAN?
3. CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO HAVE A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN?
4. IS FREE SPEECH GETTING IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPING A HEALTH PLAN?
gahillbilly
People we need a National Health Plan.
Your questions and comments are welcome.
MY OPINION is that we need and must have a National Health Plan.
Why, well my wife has had no health plan of any kind for over nine years. Nine years ago is when I had to retire with congestive heart failure. In my case I was able to apply for and receive 100% disability from Social Security. I was 64 at the time. Prior to nine years ago, Claudia was covered under my companies health plan.
The company I worked for had a short term disability plan and then a long term disability plan. Under those plans I continued to be covered under the companies health plan. At age 65 I automatically was covered by Medicare.
I took the precaution of buying a supplemental health plan, which has paid off big time, since I have been in the hospital at least 18 times in 9 years. I think it has been more than that, anyway, virtually all of my medical bills have been covered. Up until two years ago I had to pay for all of my prescriptions.
Now Medicare part D screws me over. Medicare part D is the so called prescription drug program administered by Medicare. But the law was written by the Drug Companies, not by our Senators or Congressman. So the drug companies are making money hand over fist, while us common folks continue to get screwed. I won't go into the over 50 different Part D Prescription PLans that are available in Georgia alone. Trying to pick one that will cover all of your medicines is difficult.
Anyway, back to Claudia and no Health Insurance. We could not buy health insurance for her at any price because of her pre-existing condition. That condition being post-polio syndrome. It is incurable and degenerative. There is no cure and there is no research being done to find a cure as it is terminal, period.
In the past two years Claudia has had to go into the hospital twice for emergency surgery. The first time was in 2006 for pancreatic disease and gall stones. She damn near died from it.
The second time was in March of this year for a broken leg, her femur was snapped in two and required a metal rod be inserted in order to repair it.
In both cases we had no money to pay the hospital and doctor bills. Each time the bills exceeded $70,000. We had applied to Medicaid several times and each time were told I receive too much money from Social Security, so tough luck. With the money that both I and my wife recieve we are not able to pay all of our bills each month, so go figure.
Here are some questions that I think are the Right Questions:
1. DO WE NEED A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN?
2. SHOULD THERE BE A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED PLAN?
3. CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO HAVE A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN?
4. IS FREE SPEECH GETTING IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPING A HEALTH PLAN?
gahillbilly
People we need a National Health Plan.
Your questions and comments are welcome.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Claudia's Having a Very Bad Week.
Hello folks,
Well folks, this past week has been an extreme trial for Claudia and I. Last Thursday Claudia got dumped face first on the concrete in our driveway. She was tooling her power chair down the driveway and she hit a very steep area that she normally avoids and the chair tilted forward and slammed her down face first. Her leg caught between the wheel and the foot rest and broke her right leg. In addition she was bleeding from her forehead which later required two stitches.
I called 911 right away and the paramedics arrived to care for her and take her to the hospital.
The next day the doctor operated on her and had to go in through the knee, drill a hole in the femur and stick a rod up through the middle of the bone. All in all she has been very miserable.
I was able to bring her home today, March 24, 2009. When I came to work I left her resting fairly comfortably.
The biggest problem with all of this medical stuff is the fact that we have no medical insurance and haven't been able to get medicare or medicaid. Not for lack of trying. Hopefully, this time the Patient Advocate from the hospital will be able to have better luck getting her approved for medicare or medicaid or both. I certainly hope so.
When we add this problem to the fact that Claudia lost the little business she had back in October of 2008, our income has suffered as a result of that loss.
If it sounds like I am rambling a bit here, it is probably because I am so upset. Claudia and I will be married 38 years this year.
really worried,
the ga hillbilly
Well folks, this past week has been an extreme trial for Claudia and I. Last Thursday Claudia got dumped face first on the concrete in our driveway. She was tooling her power chair down the driveway and she hit a very steep area that she normally avoids and the chair tilted forward and slammed her down face first. Her leg caught between the wheel and the foot rest and broke her right leg. In addition she was bleeding from her forehead which later required two stitches.
I called 911 right away and the paramedics arrived to care for her and take her to the hospital.
The next day the doctor operated on her and had to go in through the knee, drill a hole in the femur and stick a rod up through the middle of the bone. All in all she has been very miserable.
I was able to bring her home today, March 24, 2009. When I came to work I left her resting fairly comfortably.
The biggest problem with all of this medical stuff is the fact that we have no medical insurance and haven't been able to get medicare or medicaid. Not for lack of trying. Hopefully, this time the Patient Advocate from the hospital will be able to have better luck getting her approved for medicare or medicaid or both. I certainly hope so.
When we add this problem to the fact that Claudia lost the little business she had back in October of 2008, our income has suffered as a result of that loss.
If it sounds like I am rambling a bit here, it is probably because I am so upset. Claudia and I will be married 38 years this year.
really worried,
the ga hillbilly
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