SAY AGAIN, ranting here

[hunterd]

i don`t often do this but here goes.
i need help with transfering and dressing. my wife just isn`t strong enough to do it. so i called the home health care place. they informed me that what i needed isn`t covered by insurance!!!!!!! why not? there is nothing "medical" i need help with. so i called the insurance co. they said the same thing!!! so i asked who ends up paying for the medical problems that ensue because i couldn`t get proper care to begin with? THEY WOULD COVER THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! what????? look out world, i`m ready to explode!!!!!!!!

dave

[Scooter24]

I would check with local agencies, my mother was able to get assistance with my dad who had Parkinsons. Also are you a VET by any chance if so contact the VA they may be able to provide some assistance.

[hunterd]

thanks. not a vet. waiting on a call from an organization that may be able to help.

[Scooter24]

I just spoke to my mother and some how thier nuero got something set up thru a Hospice care agency,and thier medicaid paid for it, I know that doesn't sound good but he had parkinsons as I said and was not in bad enough shape to expect him to pass and was still taking meds food etc. they had someone come out 3 times a week to help him shower, and what ever else he needed, he was 6'4" and my mom is 5'2" so I understand what you are saying about having difficulty moving with your wifes assistance. He is gone but went from heart failure unexpectedly.

[aitch10]

Sucky I'm sorry.

[heliotrope]

Call some of the churches in your area, even if you don't belong. There's some limit (based on insurance) as to what they can do, but usually you can find someone that's willing to help.

[Sir-Voor]

With the economy and unemployment numbers the way they are, your best bet may by the most direct way.
Run an ad in the local paper looking for someone to hire to help, a lot of people are looking for a little un-taxable cash.

I would check with insurance to see if they will cover transferring aid devices.
They may realize it will be cheaper to hire someone, or pay for a device that will allow you or your wife to do what you need.

Good luck.

[Anomalie]

careful...

Sir-Voor wrote:With the economy and unemployment numbers the way they are, your best bet may by the most direct way.
Run an ad in the local paper looking for someone to hire to help, a lot of people are looking for a little un-taxable cash.

Be very careful about running a ad.
Do not put any personal information in ad.
Acquire a post office box to accept applications.

Require references from at least five people...that you can contact.

Require applicant to provide you with proof of no arrests/jail time.
(not sure how that is done, but should be a priority)


We would all like to believe that there are alot of good-hearted folks out there, but the truth is there are
more that would take advantage, even possibly harmful.

Especially folks that are unable to do home tasks for
themselves...could be targets of criminals.

Just be careful...

[0485c10]

Hi dave---your way ahead of me knowing about sources for long term care--if you have time you might want to look at the healthgov site about long term care--especially the new CLASS and PACE programs, you might qualify for one of those? I think I thought I read at one time you were doing some self-employed stuff? I'm not sure though, I get post mixed up a lot.

http://www.healthcare.gov/foryou/con.../longtermcare/

http://www.healthcare.gov/foryou/con...ass/index.html

http://www.healthcare.gov/foryou/con...ace/index.html

[KoKo]

Hello Dave

so i asked who ends up paying for the medical problems that ensue because i couldn`t get proper care to begin with?

You make a very good point here. Insurance companies are usually harping on prevention to keep their costs down.

Besides the usual tests that are covered to prevent medical issues (mammograms, colonoscopies, etc.) they also help with smoking cessation, overweight issues, etc.

So, why not assist in the prevention of broken bones, hurt backs, strained or torn muscles, skin ulcers, etc. that could happen due to your wife trying to do this care by herself.

Hoping you and your wife can get the help you need.

Take care,
KoKo

[hunterd]

thank you everryone, just mailed the final paperwork to the local assistance office. most states have programs to help with homecare, not to be confused with healthcare. contact your local agency for elderly care and they have the phone numbers for you.

dave

[angelpach]

Dave I'm glad you were able to find someone to help... or at least might be able to.

I just got out of the hospital and have no insurance but they gave me a paper to fill out to get free home health PT. I didn't even know they could do that but I am so Thankful.

I was going to say IF it didn't turn out putting an ad up at a hospital or nursing school for some help would be better then a news paper.

Praying you get what you need.

[salamandertom]

Oh boy do I get that. My nearly 5 year old son has complex medical issues, one of which is a bleeding disorder - his blood doesn't clot. His type of bleeding disorder is particularly troubling in the mucousal membranes. He also has severe pathological pediatric reflux - so severe he needs a fundolipication (surgery to close the flap at the bottom of the esophogus so no more acid can get up into the esophogus - stuff can only get down.). This surgery is obviously VERY risky for a five year old with a bleeding disorder that is particularly bothersome in the mucousal regions. In typical patients the risk of bleeding complications is quite high - but for him it is pretty much guarenteed. He also has visceral sensitivity (he can feel visceral pain - pain from his organs) so while most people cannot feel the bloating b/c they cannot burp etc - he would be in pain and need a gtube to vent the air build up. A gtube would cause daily bleeding for a bleeding disorder kid and he would need regular infusions to stop that bleeding (infusions of clotting factor via IV) - which means he also needs a port.

Now we have managed to keep his esophogus healthy and him as comforable as possible with prevacid - but the insurance decided recently to stop paying for it. All other meds have failed, and they wouldn't pay for prevacid. They said they would pay if he developed lesions in his esophogus - which basically is a big invitation for cancer for a kid with this - he will have it his whole life. Not to mention if this happens he HAS to have a fundo.

Why they would know all that and still insist he cannot have prevacid I don't know. They don't care about preventative care. He went 6 weeks on no meds and was vomitting regularly - when the pedi GI sent that report along with his constant coughing/gagging they finally approved it knowing lesions were immenent - surgery for him would be costly and could possibly be fatal for him. Otherwise he'd have had it!

I am sorry you are also stuck in this maddening insurance trap. I could go on and on about how backwards and infuriating it is - it doesn't even make sense financially b/c in the end it costs them MORE to do it this way. I think they bank on patients paying for things themselves. Disgusting and disgraceful is all I have to say. I have nothing nice to say about this practice at all. I hope you can find a way around it!!!!

[hunterd]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]salamandertom, what the insurance companys hope is that people just accept thier policies without question. then they can say, no one ever mentioned that (if asked about thier policies). so as a note to EVERYONE, KEEP PUSHING YOUR ISSUE!!!!!![/FONT ]


DAVE

[hunterd]

got my home health aide! she`s wonderful. helps with anything i need, housework, bathroom, transfers, and a companion! the state made all this possible! like i said before, KEEP TRYING!!!!!!!!!

dave