Health (no)Care

On the way to work this morning I heard on NPR that an estimated 40,000 Americans will die this year due to lack of or insufficient health care insurance. So sad, I thought. It got sadder once I got to work. Shawn told me about one of our patients. Nice lady. Younger than me. Works for the state (sucky insurance, huge deductible). We watched the family barely get through last year when their teenage son died in an accident. Hospital bills piled up. She needed a follow-up test which she put off for over a year since she couldn't afford it. She finally had it done and we got it back today. Cancer. Dr. Everythingwillbealright said it's bad. Then yours truly had to call her.

Something needs to change. The latest solution in the current budget war circling around Washington involves cutting even more money (Go Mr. Ryan! What's up with Wisconsin lately? Too much Koch in the water?), reducing eligibility, giving more power to insurance companies. Today I got a list of some of our Medicaid patients that are due for an Adult Preventative Health Screening -  "Based on our claims records as of January 31st the adults shown in the attached listing are now due for a preventative screening before April 30th. Please use this information to help schedule a visit before the due date and help maintain high rates of timely preventative care for your patients." Great idea. Thanks for the list. Then this. Asterisk ******


*****Adult preventative care is no longer a covered benefit.

At least NPR will be going off the air shortly. Fewer negative statistics in my brain and lots more funds available for health care. Right?