My patients aren’t going through enough being dialyzed once a month, losing strength, and not being sure if they’re going to be able to buy food next month because of the stipend they’re currently receiving, much less if they’re going to be able to pay all the specialists they have to see? You just have to make it a LITTLE BIT WORSE by cutting their benefits even further?
They don’t understand their benefits, or what is covered because it changes monthly…do you really think they’re going to understand your “bulletins,” which are so involuted they end up saying nothing in as many syllables as possible? God help them if they don’t have a family member who semi-understands government speak.
Now you tell them that if they want, they can increase their benefits by going to a “tiered plan”??? WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE KIDDING??? That doesn’t increase anything but your bottom line, and usually drastically decreases the services available to members, unless they’re willing to pay out of pocket for them!!! GAAAHHHH!!! JUST COME OUT AND SAY IT! YOU DON’T GIVE A FUCK, ALL YOU WANT IS MONEY, AND WHAT THEY PAID INTO THEIR WHOLE LIVES DOESN’T ADD UP TO SQUAT!!!
Deep breath…thank you for your time. I feel much better now.
Thanks, MsRobyn. In all honesty, most people think that. There are more functionaries regulating and restricting the Medicare program than are really necessary. Many of them have functions that keep the wheels turning, and some of those people actually care. But given how huge this particular beaurocracy has grown, the potential for fraud and abuse (on either side of the fence, healthcare or Medicare) is just staggering.
It’s been very hotly debated for some time now. Yes, scrap the system and start over. But where? And, how to scrap the current system, agree on the workings of a new one, and still make sure current recipients aren’t denied services?
Unfortunately, the longer we put off making these decisions, the harder the decisions are going to get. And, right now, there’s no end in sight.
NotMrKnowItAll, some patients do dialyze in the clinic three times a week. Others, who dialyze at home, I see once a month. There are other variables as well, depending on the patient’s modality (Hemo or CAPD), and underlying factors like Diabetes.
And, of course, Medicare is the political hot potato no one wants to catch. Tell seniors that Medicare is being changed and they’ll go batshit. No sane politician wants that, at least not if he wants to be re-elected.
