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Navigating the Long Term Care
System in 2005
© 2005 Charlie Robinson
November 15, 2005
When a senior citizen
suffers from acute illness such as heart disease or cancer, the individual
and her family work through a variety of health care options. What is best
for the elder patient- surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation, or
is the most effective treatment non-surgical?
Whatever the final
course of treatment may be in acute illness, there is one common comfort-
the necessary procedures for the chosen course of treatment will be mostly
or completely covered by Medicare and a relatively inexpensive supplement
or by a managed care plan leaving patient share of cost from hundreds to a
few thousand dollars.
A senior stricken by
chronic illness such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, ALS (Lou
Gehrig’s), MS, has a different scenario to deal with. Chronic illness is
at least as devastating to an individual and her family as acute. In
Alzheimer’s we watch a parent, sibling or friend lose the ability to take
care of personal needs and become a virtual stranger to the person we have
known and loved.
On top of the care
needs, the chronically ill must risk her hard-earned financial security as
well as her health. If long term care starts with a hospital stay of at
least three days followed by the need for skilled or rehabilitative care,
the most covered care possible for most folks will be an additional 100
days of Medicare coverage. After the rehab is terminated the elder or her
family have three possible sources of payment;
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Charlie
has been installed as President of the