Seniors May Have To Pay For Medicare Home Health

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional advisers are calling for a new out-of-pocket charge for Medicare home health care, a service that until now has been free of charge to patients.

The recommendation Thursday from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission comes as lawmakers look for health care spending cuts to help get control of federal deficits. The advisory panel did not prescribe an amount, but its staff has suggested the charge be $150 for a series of related visits.

---snip
The service was once seen as a cost saver, since it's much cheaper than putting patients in the hospital, but costs are approaching $20 billion a year and rising.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MEDICARE_HOME_HEALTH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-01-13-15-54-06

[timtom]

1. To paraphrase:

"It's the illegal occupations and bank bailouts, stupid!"

[SkyDaddy7]

27. It is the tax cuts & occupation no the Bank Bailouts...

If you are talking about the deficit which I think you are. The Bank Bailout has almost all been paid back...Even AIG is going to be able to pay back what they borrowed. The Fed Gov could even make a profit after it is all done with.

[timtom]

29. It's true that I spoke out of ignorance.

But I do remember hearing that the amount given to bolster the financial institution, if divided among the adults in America would have been something like $10,000 per person. The details are sketchy just now, but a big windfall like that would have certainly stimulated the economy, at least for a short run.

Instead, we got record bonuses several years in a row.

I do appreciate the correction, however. Thank you.

[sulphurdunn]

37. But the tax free lending

and unlimited lines of credit still stand that permit risk free speculation and are worth trillions of dollars in free money to the biggest banks. Furthermore, the transfer of the nation's wealth continues unabated through upper income tax reductions, military spending, corporate criminality and even more obscene corporate welfare schemes. The day the fed makes a real profit off Goldman Sachs and makes it pay income taxes will be the day I believe we've turned the corner.

[mbperrin]

46. AIG is paying nothing. They are trading special stock for regular stock,

which might be able to be sold for something someday, perhaps, but not all at once, and no guarantees, unlike the CASH we gave them.

Shoulda let them crash, this is moral hazard.

[No Elephants]

50. Google hidden costs of bailout

[DJ13]

2. They act like being on SS is living large

[Cleita]

3. They giveth and they taketh away.

My mother and I could have used this when my dad needed care. Instead we were forced to put him in a nursing home or figure out a way to get him care even though we both had jobs and had to work. They finally passed a bill providing this and it has been a blessing to families with elderly who need care, so now they are going to go back to the old model, which was more costly. I don't believe for a minute that there is a good reason, but no doubt a nursing home lobby stands to gain from this.

[glinda]

17. Why is it all of the nursing home owners I have met are Republicans????

[pinto]

4. Bad call. Home Health saves money, decreases hospitalizations, ER visits and

helps seniors / disabled stay in their homes.

[William769]

6. Agreed 100%

[SoapBox]

23. Ditto to the Agreed 100%

...Mom, that now lives with me, hasn't much money.

About $75,000 was drained away by an Assisted Living place in
just over 2 years.

I told her...she had to come live with me or be destitute...and
I will not allow her to be destitute.

[Journeyman]

7. And now, compassionate doctors will look for justifications for hospitalization. . .

Where before the patient was sent home and set up with in-home visits, now they'll stay in the hospital, cost substantially more, and not be as happy or content as they would if they were home.

[glinda]

18. Just another way to take the house and any savings left.

[Mimosa]

28. That sounds like the reason at base.

I know a couple of home health nurses. They are excellent caring human beings. Both have told me hours are getting cut back now and it's huting their patients. :(

[FloriTexan]

41. Except for those who don't have homes or savings to trade.

If only.

[foxfeet]

11. Bingo. This is well-established.

[ChazII]

15. +100 n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

48. +100

And with most seniors, security/peace of mind is everything. :( :hi:

[DrDan]

5. $20 Billion. That will buy us another 2 months of war.

To hell with the seniors. More war.

[indepat]

12. And there are almost 48 months until the end of 2014, or is the Afghanistan pull-out supposed to be

somewhat earlier? (if 2 months equal $20 billion, then 48 months must equal $480 billion). ;)

[DrDan]

31. actually I understated the costs significantly

The costs are around $4B per week for both wars - $16B per month.

So 48 months will be closer to $650B.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030702846.html

[indepat]

45. It's beginning to look like future funding will be provided by reduced social security and Medicare

benefits now that tax cuts for our wealthiest have, for all practical purposes, been made permanent. After all, our pols would much rather send countless millions of seniors into dire poverty rather than ask those wealthiest to forgo having their tax cuts made permanent. :shrug:

[DrDan]

47. or end the wars

[colsohlibgal]

8. Great

Stick it to the seniors, they can always chow down on cat food. Just so zillionaires can keep their tax breaks. Nice to see we have our priorities straight.

Seriously this is outrageous - the right accuses us of starting class warfare when they, with the help of way too many democrats, has been conducting it since 1981 and Reagan. The transfer of money from bottom to top is ongoing.

It's a disgrace that more middle class people don't exercise their brain enough to figure this out.

[Autumn]

9. How sad is that.

Screw the Seniors. The rich need more and Obamas wars roll on with nary a quibble.

[old mark]

10. K&R-Just the beginning, I am afraid...I suppose no one could forsee

the boomers getting old over the last 40 years and actually needing these programs...Our government had decades to get this right and continually fucked the dog instead, Democrats and republicans both, and now it is a crisis.

We should stop the politicians pay and benefits-they are very close to useless.
Motherfuckers had no problems drafting us and sending us to Vietnam, as I recall...

mark

[Hoyt]

13. Agree with other posters, but "proposal" is only to add a copay (and not after hospital discharge).

Also, the AP article says: "The recommendation exempts low-income patients, as well as those just discharged from the hospital. . . . . . "

[JDPriestly]

14. Final blow to the middle class.

The very wealthy pay no inheritance tax on their millions. The middle class will have no inheritances because all of granny's money will go to pay for medical care in the final months of her life. That is what this is about. Impoverish the middle class and increase wealth of the wealthiest.

[freshwest]

16. That's exactly how it works.

[glinda]

19. So they can buy real estate and charge high rent. Hey... what a racket, eh?

[JDPriestly]

20. Find a cheaper way to control the check-ins at airports and fire

half of the TSA employees.

Close half of the overseas military bases. Let our allies overseas protect themselves if they wish. We cannot afford to be the watchdogs of the world anymore.

[McCamy Taylor]

21. This is going to lead to more hospitalizations.

[Gormy Cuss]

36. No kidding.

Medicare should support MORE home health, not less.

[SoapBox]

22. What "Home Health care"?

...hell, I didn't even know that there was such a thing.

I take care of my Mom...in my home. She has income of less
than $1000 a month (more than me!). Most of that goes for
her living expenses and when she hits the "drug gap", that
is where the rest of her money goes.

They want to start charging $150? Where the HELL are most
seniors supposed to come up with that? ESPECIALLY if the
are sick???

Another outrage.

[northoftheborder]

30. Home Health Care:

It is available for seniors when they leave the hospital or temporary nursing care for home, provided by Medicare. It is not full time care, but it provides for caregivers to come and do some things which are prescribed by doctor, such as taking blood pressure, helping with certain things such as baths, doing physical therapy, a long list of things; some patients might need one or two, others different help. They usually come 2 or three times a week for a set number of weeks, I think 6. There are private companies set up to provide nurses or aides trained to provide this type of service.

[Downwinder]

39. Does she get the extra Part "D" assistance? n/t

[Hubert Flottz]

24. Stopping the Bush tax cuts was a better plan.

[Dappleganger]

25. Say hello to more infections, neglect, theft and abuse.

[valerief]

26. MORE MORE MORE for WAR WAR WAR. nt

[madrchsod]

32. wow..... obama does`t want to elected does he....

he opened box and he`d better figure out how to close it or he`s done in 2012.

[williesgirl]

33. This sucks - we can bail out banks and Wall St, give tax cuts to the rich, but when it

comes to our seniors - fuck no. I sincerely hope that any Rep or Senator regardless of party who votes for this be throw out on their asses when next up for reelection.

[indimuse]

34. Shame! n/t

[somone]

35. Zillions for Wall Street, and not a dime for the poor

[sulphurdunn]

38. The most recent calculations on my own taxes

suggest that when all levels of government are accounted for I pay about 40% of my gross annual income in taxes. I'd like to see that money spent on universal health care, social services and general welfare, financial and corporate governance reform, public political financing, infrastructure repairs, green technologies, education, rapid transit, state banks and publicly funded R&D that is patented by government. This would be financially feasible if military spending were cut in half and corporations along with the wealthiest individuals and families also paid 40% of their incomes in taxes. But nobody asked me for my advise or for me to sit on a commission for making recommendation on how to spend my taxes. Imagine that.

[FloriTexan]

40. Crap - we just started this process.

My husband is soon to be 99'er and we recently began caring for this mom who has very limited SS and only Medicare. I doubt we or she will be able to afford it if this passes. Crap.

[Auggie]

42. My Dad just finished this... it was a HUGE HELP

He's cleared to drive himself to the doc again, but for the six weeks he rehabbed after his hospital discharge it was a major benefit to the family. He couldn't have done it at $150.00 a week.

[grilled onions]

43. I Am Using This Service

I am not a senior but I am disabled and after hospitals were done with their part I went home. At the start it was nurse,PT and bath care. Finally it came down to wound care of the feet. I could not wear a shoe(still cannot). Could not walk sown a step. Still cannot. While there are doctors who can handle such wounds one needs a way to get there. AN ambulance is surely not a cheap way to go. My back is in such a mess my husband changes dressings as need be. The nurse who visits does the look see of the wound,measures healing,orders supplies. It is a vital service and I would never abuse it. It is also not a technically free service since I do pay for Medicare A,B and D. Once again the idiots who love to cut off everything but their own raises should see how many would be hurt if they could no longer afford such a service.

[Kip Humphrey]

44. Its not so much hospitals, its nursing homes

Medicare Home Health care has saved hugely by allowing folks to remain in their homes instead of being committed to nursing homes. This action would cost Medicare much more than the current $20b cost.

[freshwest]

54. For those who had homes and families, that is.

[Le Taz Hot]

49. I remember a day when AARP

was a powerful lobby and the pols would have been quaking in their jack-boots at the thought of angering the senior lobby. Now all AARP does is hawk insurance.

[Vinca]

51. Heaven forbid we should end a war when we can screw over Grandma.

[No Elephants]

52. Those disabled and elderly who are so weak as to require home visits by doctors and nurses are

unlikely to fight this or hire lobbyists to fight this or to make big campaign donations or give jobs to our elected officials or their family members. That is why reducing life-saving services THE most vulnerable among us is safer and easier politically than allowing expiration of tax benefits for those earning over a million dollars a year, every year.



Medicare Payment Advisory Commission - Renamed Medicare Payment and Access Commission AND placed under the POTUS by a 2009 amendment to the Social Security Act. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.1110.IS:


Well, you can't claim no change.

[WhiteTara]

53. and just as my mother needs this very much

to keep her out of a nursing home she can't afford. I hate them.

[RobinA]

55. If They Pay

what it's generally worth, that shouldn't be a problem.