Gov't sanctioned elder abuse

[SHRED]

My wife and I are attempting to manage her father's medicare and supplemental insurance.
He is on expensive meds.

Anyone else trying to manage an elder's care?
Anyone else amazed at the complexity and cost?
How do old people deal with the insane details and complex choices?

It appears that the private sector has been allowed (by our elected officials) to all but ruin Medicare.
Especially when attempting to find an affordable prescription plan.

It is absolutely CRIMINAL how our system is set up here in the USA.


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[Faux pas]

1. I did my Mom's for 10 1/2 years. Where she lucked out was

just making it under the income line (she makes $1167 a month). That waived her premium for the supplemental and left her with just the copay for meds. The low income got her into Medicaid. Have you contacted Senior Services to see how they can help you guys out? Best of luck to you!

[kickysnana]

2. Check out your local Senior Help Line usually also online...

It is overwhelming for almost everyone. Juggling interacting medications, dealing with doctors, specialists, and insurance is a full time job.

Here in Minnesota it is www.seniorlinkageline.com. California should have something similar. If they don't know they know they who will know on almost everything.

I am in the middle of it with my Aunt who lives with me and did it recently for my late Dad with my siblings. He had sudden onset dementia and getting help for him rather than just sedating him was a major problem. There were facilities but all had waiting lists.
Most hospitals and some clinics have Social Workers, not just for the poor, who help and use your Dad's Insurance Case Worker too. It can take days and weeks to discover what they already know.

Often clinics have Medication Techs to help to keep medications costs down and watch for interactions. Your Pharmacist may help. We stayed with an independent Pharmacist we trusted and counted on them a lot.

We all hated our Dads Medco Part D plan. They almost always messed up the original prescription and then there was always a delay and then we had to get a temporary supply locally for a second copay until it was straightened out which sometimes took weeks. CS was poor.

Good luck. Eldercare puts the exclamation point on "Health Insurance is not Heath Care."