The Evils of Medicare and its Practitioners

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YesāIām backāsort of. Itās been a rough several months. Iām hoping itās nearly over. I broke my damn foot in a pedicure bathāI got terribly illāthen I fell in the street. https://www.bebee.com/producer/@joyce-bowen/the-saga-of-cracks-la-saga-de-las-grietas
Over the last several months, Iāve learned that even Medicare leaves me out in the cold. Iāve been on Medicare since 2006 due to disability. Iāve had no major events occur. Lucky me.
My fall on October 28th of this year has left me reeling. Iām a do-it-yourselfer. In other words, āDo it yourself, Dammit.ā By the time I needed help and knew it, it was too late.Ā I asked for it anyway. I told the Physicianās Assistant at Physiciansā Associates that I would not be able to take care of myself for a few days. I requested rehab. She declined. They kept trying to shove homecare at me. Problem wasāI could not get from the third floor to the first floor to let them in. Is this a Medicare thing?

I lay in bedāreassuring myself it would get betterāwhile being able to provide myself with only one bowl of oatmeal in five days. I was simply in too much pain to move. I kept telling myself it would be over soon. I would heal. But a whisper kept echoing in my mindāIām an old bag now. I found myself wondering how soon soon would be. Would soon come at all?
My body is considered to be frail. I have Autoimmune Disease. Iām obviously crippled through no fault of my own. And Iām on my own. My reclusive life has not served me.
Medicare slashes medical charges practically to pennies on the dollar, and then only pays 80% of that. It is necessary to purchase a rider policy to take up the slack. If youāre unfortunate enough to get on Medicaid, they want to know about everything you own in order to acquire your possessions if your expenses get too high.
I noticed the quality of my medical care declined when Medicare took me over. I had no choice. The healthy coverage I had enjoyed for years through my regular policy disappeared. They would only pay the portion Medicare would not coverāand sometimes not even that. Bills I had never experienced before piled up.
I spoke to a woman at Medicare, and after she discontinued spewing the rhetoric, she connected with me. We agreed that instead of being an avid do-it-yourselfer I should have let the people protecting me in the street call an ambulance. So essentiallyāinstead of going off to make sure I was badly hurt, I should have cost the government more. I chose badly. Silly me.
Last night I went to our local outpatient at Salem Hospital. Iām not a fan of the hospital I had to go to, but my knee was so bad, I had to hitch a ride. In babying my left hip to allow it to heal, I had put too much stress on my right knee. I was afraid I had provoked inflammation to the extent I would need the knee replaced.
The staff in the outpatient first indicated they were going to send me away with a Motrin. HellāI could have done that. When I told them I had no one to take care of me, they chose to admit meāon Observational status. Some of you may not know what that means.

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When you are admitted as an inpatient, Medicare pays. When you are admitted as Observational, you payāMedicare pays less.

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The Orthopedist came into my room and told me good news. I did not need a knee replacement, and she recommended I move around. That was comforting. But then she told me they would send physical therapy to my home. I told her getting from the third floor to the first floor was going to be impossible. She blinked, then went on. She barely missed a beat.
I told her I was going to have to cancel my daily food deliveries and rest up on the third floorāavoiding stairs altogether.
She said, āYou canāt do that.ā
She then explained the care Iād have to take traversing the stairsākeeping my right leg straight and taking them one at a time.
Waitāisnāt this how I got into trouble in the first place? Keeping my left leg straight to heal my left leg? The Medicare lady told me she had a bad knee and cued me into how this could be a neverending cycle. Iād be juggling legs for a lifetime. Iād rekill my left leg curing my right.
I canceled my food. Iāll putter around the third floor when I can. Food can wait for me to heal. What is it? You can survive without food for three weeks. My son did say he would make me a meal when he gets home from work each day, and Iām grateful.Ā (He's pretty much reneged on that.)
So those of you old codgers saddled with Medicare, watch your behind. And for those of you waiting to be inflicted by it, get your voting arm out.


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Copyright 2017 Joyce Bowen

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About the Author: Ā Joyce Bowen is a freelance writer and public speaker. Ā Inquiries can be made at crwriter@comcast.net
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Sobre elĀ autor: Joyce Bowen es unĀ escritorindependienteĀ yĀ oradorĀ pĆŗblico. LasĀ consultaspuedenhacerseĀ en crwriter@comcast.net

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Comments
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#13
Terrific advice. Jumping up and down mentally. (Can't do it physically with my knee like it is.) Fortunately, in Mass, hospitals and doctors can't sue.for medical costs. Dentists can put it on your credit records--ambulance companies can do things... But we are more protected in Mass. It's hard to think clearly when you're angry. I hope there are those that will copy your advice and keep it in a drawer somewhere.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#12
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#11
Kudos, Phil. In one of these articles, it clearly states that medicare blames this one, and the providers claim its that one's fault, and so on. The main problem is the loophole. Providers take advantage of it. The loophole needs to go. The hospital I stayed at clearly violated the law by not informing me of its impact. They really had no intention of helping me--just grabbing a few bucks. I'm fairly certain they do this lots. They were appalled when I called transport myself to get the hell out of there. They left me the wheelchair but sent the man away who could have wheeled me away. They held me up for an additional two hours (sitting in the hallway in a wheelchair, which I'm sure they believe they can charge me for. I did speak to Medicare for at least an hour deconstructing my problem. The woman was informative and kind. She was a hardass at first, and then comforting. I appreciated her efforts to help me. I just wish I had been able to go to my regular hospital.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#10
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#9
I do not believe my experience is unique. The graphics I present speak for themselves, Phil. Observation is a process by which profits are maximized. Had they informed me, I would have declined. I would have accepted the results of my X-rays and gone home with the same plan I had now. But they insisted I see the Ortho through this uniformed Observation process. She could have just called me at home today. They also prescribed Oxycodone, which I had informed them I wouldn't take. Just a personal preference. I thought they prescribed Percosett. They led me to believe rehab would be possible. Not so with the Observation process. You know you are correct about Medicare and Medicaid. However, here in Mass, these programs often go hand-in-hand. Poverty levels are so low here in Mass that it nearly impossible for elderly/disabled to qualify. Maybe it's different in Florida. I have chosen to pay my own way. It's what I've always done. I will do so for as long as possible. I just hope I run out before the money does.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#8
Problem was--they never told me. I simply confronted them with what little I knew at the time. Know a whole lot more after digging.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#7
Bullcrap. Do a little investigation before you respond.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#6
Hahaha--still laughing.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#5
Love those good vibes, Pascal Derrien. Hugging them now.
Joyce š Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
7 years ago#4
Hope so, too, Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee. Going to try to do it right this time.
Ken Boddie
7 years ago#3
Pascal Derrien
7 years ago#2
Ali Anani
7 years ago#1