Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Caregiving: MEDICAID - Custer's Last Stand of US Healthcare?

MEDICAID may well become the 'Custer's Last Stand' of our US healthcare system. In the future when time has faded the verbal alchemy propping up our current mess, any rational person will stare and wonder "What were they thinking?"

 

On one hand our collapsing US healthcare system is driving increasing numbers to medical assistance. While on the other hand those blessed with resources and abilities manipulate, perhaps even exploit, the system to protect ‘family’ assets.

         

Medical assistance should be about assisting people in financial need. Instead reality has become a mosaic of ethics.  Medicaid is not a ‘they’ or ‘them’. Medicaid is ‘we the people’, our tax dollars at work trying to patch a dam.

 

Families are increasingly facing impossible medical expenses especially when it comes to long term care. Currently about half of all people in care facilities are being funded by medical assistance, Medicaid.

 

They face REAL concerns, challenges, worries, and emotions above and beyond the economic devastation.

         

It has been 4 years since we went through the process and with increasing interest about this area I recently updated my website’s page (pictured above) entitled MEDICAID / CARE FACILITY ERA pulling together journal entries and information into one convenient location.

 

Googling ‘Medicaid application’ or ‘care facility’ will discover near infinite information. CaregivinglyYours.com simply tries to share through spouse caregiver eyes one family’s story and experiences.

 

Caregivingly Yours, J Patrick Leer 

musings:  www.lairofcachalot.blogspot.com

website: www.CaregivinglyYours.com

videos: http://www.youtube.com/daddyleer

 

(also available in Blogger edition, Caregiver Blog: "Caregivingly Yours")

5 comments:

  1. I'd be so out of luck if I had to apply for Medicaid right now; I've shredded a lot of documents we would need (old bank statements, cancelled checks etc) as recently as our last move and a lot before we moved from Montana

    its ridiculous all they make a person go through to get help; I know there are a few that abuse the system, but there are lots more that need the help and they are being put through the ringer because of the few that abuse it; just a shame

    betty

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  2. I visited your Caregiving website... you have done a tremendous work there. Certainly, you are helping to place caregiving (and related issues) in the spotlight. A great work you have done, Patrick... great work! The topic of our future care is brought up a lot around my house. It's all my husband thinks about... will we have enough when we retire? Will we be able to take care of ourselves if one of us were disabled or sick? How quickly all that security would be siphoned away if one of us needed hospital care for many years. bea

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  3. (((((((((((((CHUCK)))))))))))))))))Have a nice night.

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  4. ....we were told that there are lawyers who only work on getting medicad for people who actually don't need it....We don't qualify for anything help at this time...........we are still living on crusts of bread and heaven forbid,,, bottled water!

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  5. I remember after Charlie was born with his medical issues, Medicaid would pay for 10 days in the hospital. That was all. He had already spent 42+ days just prior to coming home the first time. It was scarey times, that's for sure! It wasn't until Clinton came to office those types of things changed for us. (Not an endorsement for Hillary, but just the fact ....)

    And I approved this message. <grin>
    Jackie

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