NeuroTalk Support Groups - Healthcare Reform, what does it mean for us?

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- - Healthcare Reform, what does it mean for us? (https://www.neurotalk.org/traumatic-brain-injury-and-post-concussion-syndrome/117325-healthcare-reform-mean.html)

Healthcare Reform, what does it mean for us?

So, pretty big thing happened today. With the Healthcare reform making a significant step towards the right direction.

So what does it mean for us? Apparently it's suppose to give us with insurance right now more protection over Insurance Agencies, which I'm all for. I wonder if it means Insurance will be more likely to pay for more treatments for us.

But yeah, this seems good for us. A little happier for the future.

(let's please not get into any right vs. left fights)

I don't think Health Care Reform is going to help at all. In fact, I think there will be formularies developed that limit access to some treatments and therapies to only those with more severe symptoms. Those with obvious brain injuries will be OK. Those of us with PCS known as the "invisible wounded" will be dismissed even more than we are now.

One of the first ways of reducing costs will be by establishing elaborate protocols that must be followed before therapies and other treatments are available.

The key concepts will be "Medically Necessary" and "Medically Efficacious" relative to the cost. In other words, do the expected improvements justify the expense? This was discussed as the 'death squads.' This limited access to some care will not directly cause death but it will reduce the quality of life for many.

As for me, I will be losing my MediCare Advantage health insurance plan and need to participate in straight Medicare. My drug cost will increase greatly. It will probably cost me between $500 to $600 per year more for the drugs I am already taking.

I will likely lose access to the one specialist I like.

My wife's plan will cost a couple hundred dollars more per month because her current plan will not qualify as enough coverage due to the high deductible.

The jury will be out for some time as it is expected to require 118 new federal agencies and 15,000 to 20,000 pages of regulations to enact this Reform.

I have been running through a few scenarios trying to see a way to pay the bills if they increase. The only opportunity I see so far is to try to work 'underground.' That is, drive even though I can be a hazard on the road and do work without the appropriate licenses. I'd declare my income and pay taxes (IRS is too difficult to hide from) but not be able to carry all of the insurance limits required to be above board.

Mark is correct. Unfortunately this new healthcare bill is bad news for mTBI patients. The new policy will implement the "you're not sick enough to get treatment" mentality.

It's bad news to me. I have videos of what this administration thinks about elderly and disabled, and they say we're not worth the medical treatments since we don't contribute as much to society as non-disabled/elderly people. How sad is that?

Any tax rebates they give others for insurances etc I won't receive since my only income is disability income, yet I still have to pay for regular health insurance in addition to my disability insurance. So when those premiums go up, I'm just out of luck, so to speak, with no rebates.

They already cut medicare/medicaid benefits and increased premiums last year.... and more come with this.

I don't see how this will work financially, since our main public hospital here Jackson Memorial (U of Miami Medical center) etc who is the #1 recipient of indigent patients, and also took the Haiti refugees who needed care from the earthquake... who is funded federally ... just had to lay off hundreds of workers, and last week also the medical staff had to agree to a 5% salary deduction as an increase in their own medical insurance/hospitalization. Otherwise the hospital would close. Now if they can't keep ONE hospital open, how are they going to keep them all open with government monies, once they are all government hospitals????

Plus, there are still 25 million people without health care insurance, after the bill. Why?

JD,

Have you applied for Social Security Disability Income? It will come with Medicare health care. Maybe I should call it Medicare "almost health care" With the cuts coming from *this bill*, Medicare is going to be in trouble.

JD has a good point. *edit*

I want to remind members that our guidelines call for very limited political discussion when it becomes partisan. Discussing the issue is fine, but naming politicians or putting personal political "spin" on things is not ok when it becomes flaming toward a political party or specific politicians. Other members who hold opposite political opinions have the right to come here and not be upset because those with one view are "interpreting" things based on that view

We would appreciate if members stick to the topic of health care reform and the bill itself withouit posting negative remarks about parties and/or politicians.

thank you

*edit*

These are issues that directly impact those with PCS and other traumatic brain injuries, whether mild or severe. Will these categories targeted for limited care include those whom some consider 'socially unacceptable,' such as Tourette's Syndrome, Down's Syndrome, and Autism spectrum disorders?

A society is judged by how it cares for the weakest. We need to speak up and let others know that value is not determined by how much one contributes to the GDP.

I did request that this topic stay on the topic of health care reform and avoid the political "spin" from TV talk shows and extrapolating opinion by stating it as fact, or becoming political in nature as opposed to focused on the issues

as it seems this is not happening, this topic is now closed as per NT's guidelines on politics

if anyone would like to discuss the locking of this thread with me, please do so via PM
We do not lock threads often here at NT, but when an admin or mod request is not heeded, it becomes necessary.
This topic is causing upset for many when they are of opposing political views, which is why we request members not to become pointedly political in their posts on the subject