The hospital bill is $56,000 and I owe the various specialist doctors another $20,500. I am working with a social worker there to try and get some (maybe all) of the costs forgiven, or have a long term payment plan. Really, if I can’t afford health insurance, how am I going to afford payments on $76k? However, the hospital and doctors performed a very important service for me and I feel they should get paid.
Can you help me help the health care providers? They provided great care and I am very grateful. If I could pay them, I would.
]]>The state Senate on Tuesday narrowly approved two bills to set up an insurance exchange that would allow people to shop for health insurance. The exchange would let people compare insurance plans and buy coverage through a consumer-friendly website.
Republicans who opposed the bills said the measures could create unaccountable bureaucracy.
Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, said California should leave it to the federal government to create its own exchange to let people compare and buy insurance coverage.
He called the state-operated exchange “a scary proposition.”
“Let the federal government take on the full responsibility for this program,” said Dutton, who is set to take over as Republican leader next month.
But Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said opponents should put aside their objections now that the federal health care system has become law.
“If we don’t embrace federal health care reform, we are going to be jeopardizing billions of dollars” as the state faces a $19 billion budget shortfall, Steinberg said. “Why would we once again turn our backs on the opportunity to draw down billions of dollars in federal funds?”
SB900, which creates the exchange, passed the Senate on a 22-13 vote and now goes to the governor for his review. A companion bill that establishes the duties of the exchange, AB1602, passed on a 21-13 roll call and returns to the Assembly for final action.
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dropship wholesalers
Boat Rocket Launchers
A little background on Dr. Cutler – he is a Harvard professor, and he served on the economic council during the Clinton years. More recently, he was senior health care advisor to President Obama. And, he is intimately involved in strategies around financing health care in our country. So his points of view were particularly eye-opening.
As the Massachusetts Medicaid director, Thomas Dehner led efforts related to the Medicaid components of the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law. Now a principal with Health Management Associates, Inc., his viewpoints on lessons learned and future implications were also very enlightening.
There was a point in the presentation where Dr. Cutler gauged the difficulty for the health care industry to convert. He proclaimed the following:
Insurance reform is easy
Coverage expansion is more difficult (he called it Medium)
Improving the value of care is the most difficult (or Hard)
It was an interesting assessment, and it sparked a lot of conversation.
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dropship wholesalers
Boat Rocket Launchers
Agents and brokers are so concerned they will be viewed as redundant under the new law that they successfully lobbied to get state insurance commissioners to publicly acknowledge their importance. At a meeting of the powerful National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) last week in Seattle, 25 commissioners sponsored a resolution stating that implementation of health reform should “recognize and protect the indispensable role that licensed insurance professionals play in serving consumers.”
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dropship wholesalers
Boat Rocket Launchers
The demonizing of the current health care reform bill, as I’ve said ad nauseam here and elsewhere, has little or nothing to do with health care or even with ideology when considering most congressional Reps. It is political. Nothing more. The Reps and most people residing here at BC of whatever ilk are absolutely soiling their Fruit of the Looms at the prospect of dumping the Dems in November and Obama in 2012 — or what would provide even more of enematic effect would be his early resignation. The country would be awash in the “Red State Runs.”
]]>Cancer patients often feel more comfortable and secure being cared for at home. Many patients want to stay at home so that they will not be separated from family, friends, and familiar surroundings. Home care can help patients achieve this desire. It often involves a team approach that includes doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, family members, and others. Home care can be both rewarding and demanding for patients and caregivers. It can change relationships and require families to address new issues and cope with all aspects of patient care. To help prepare for these changes, patients and caregivers are encouraged to ask questions and get as much information as possible from the home care team or organizations devoted to home care. A doctor, nurse, or social worker can provide information about a patient’s specific needs, the availability of home care services, and a list of local home care agencies.
Services provided by home care agencies may include access to medical equipment; visits from registered nurses, physical therapists, and social workers; help with running errands, meal preparation, and personal hygiene; and delivery of medication. The state or local health department is another important resource in finding home care services. The health department should have a registry of licensed home care agencies.
Financial assistance to help patients pay for home care is available from public and private sources. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and some government-sponsored programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act, cover home care for those who meet their criteria.
Some people may qualify for Medicare, a health insurance program for the elderly or disabled that is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare may offer reimbursement for some home care services. Cancer patients who qualify for Medicare may also be eligible for coverage of home hospice services if they are accepted into a Medicare-certified hospice program. Hospice provides medical, psychological, and spiritual support for terminally ill patients. Information about Medicare services and coverage is available from the toll-free Medicare hotline at 1–800–633–4227 (1–800–MEDICARE), or by writing to 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. Deaf and hard of hearing callers with TTY equipment may call 1–877–486–2048. Medicare information can also be accessed at http://www.medicare.gov on the Internet. Information about Medicare-certified home health agencies can be found on the Home Health Compare Web site, which is located at http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/Home.asp on the Internet. This site also has general information about home health care and patients’ rights.
Medicaid, a jointly funded, Federal-State health insurance program for people who need financial assistance for medical expenses, is also coordinated by CMS. Although the Federal Government establishes general guidelines for the program, Medicaid program requirements are established by each state. Medicaid coverage includes part-time nursing care, home care aide services, and medical supplies and equipment. Information about coverage is available from local state welfare offices, state health departments, state social services agencies, or the state Medicaid office. Check the local telephone directory for the number to call. Information about specific state contacts is also available by searching the CMS.gov Contacts Database at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/contacts on the Internet (select State Health Departments as the Organization Type).
The Older Americans Act provides Federal funds for state and local social service programs that help frail and disabled people age 60 and older remain independent. This funding covers home care aide, personal care, meal delivery, and escort and shopping services. Older persons, their caregivers, or anyone concerned about the welfare of an older person can contact their local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for information and referrals to services and benefits in the community. The AAAs are usually listed in the white pages of the phone book under the city or county government headings. A nationwide toll-free hotline operated by the U.S. Administration on Aging, the Eldercare Locator, provides information about AAAs and other assistance for older people. The Eldercare Locator can be reached by phone at 1–800–677–1116.
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