non-existent nursing
We haven't had a day nurse in over two weeks. Laura and I haven't left the house together during those two weeks. Well, there was the day when we visited two of Ira's doctors but that hardly counts.
This past week, we had two nights without a nurse. On those nights without nurses Laura and I take shifts. One of us goes to bed at 9 or 10 while the other stays up watching Ira. We then switch around 2 a.m.
So why is our nursing so spotty? Because of Medicaid.
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When we were preparing to go home from the NICU back in October people kept warning us of how spotty in-home nursing could be. "Sometimes those nurses won't show and won't give you a call to warn you!" or "They aren't the world's greatest nurses so be forewarned!"
But this wasn't our experience at all in October and November. Our nurses were great. They were consistent and didn't call in sick. Ever.
At that time the insurace my work provides covered our nursing care. And apparently when private insurance picks up the tab on in-home nursing the pay is quite nice. Not so with Medicaid.
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When getting ready to be discharged from the PICU back in mid-April we were told our insurance denied us in-home nursing care. This was due to a policy change my workplace enacted at the beginning of the year. We began immediately filling out the paperwork for a Medicaid program for middle-income families called Care at Home.
---------------------------------
After waiting for the paperwork to be pushed through we started realizing the difference in having private insurance cover our in-home nursing as compared to Medicaid footing the bill. The pay is not at all the same. The nursing agencies don't make much off Medicaid patients and neither do the nurses. So the agencies don't work too hard trying to work your case and when they do actually attempt to fill your schedule, nurses would rather hold out for the cases that are covered by private insurance.
---------------------------------
To say the least, Laura and I stay exhausted.
---------------------------------
When I consider our situation I can't help but think about the millions in our country who depend on the government for aid. I can't help but feel for them as they wait for paperwork to be pushed through, as they deal with non-existent nursing day in and day out, as they deal with agencies who aren't real hip to helping because these dependants' pockets aren't lined with money.
Many will say that all of this should motivate the poor to get out of bed and get a job so they don't have to be dependant on government aid and agencies. Statistics tell us most of these folks already have jobs and aren't actually in bed but I wouldn't blame some if they were in bed, it's an exhausting life.
-
This past week, we had two nights without a nurse. On those nights without nurses Laura and I take shifts. One of us goes to bed at 9 or 10 while the other stays up watching Ira. We then switch around 2 a.m.
So why is our nursing so spotty? Because of Medicaid.
--------------------------------
When we were preparing to go home from the NICU back in October people kept warning us of how spotty in-home nursing could be. "Sometimes those nurses won't show and won't give you a call to warn you!" or "They aren't the world's greatest nurses so be forewarned!"
But this wasn't our experience at all in October and November. Our nurses were great. They were consistent and didn't call in sick. Ever.
At that time the insurace my work provides covered our nursing care. And apparently when private insurance picks up the tab on in-home nursing the pay is quite nice. Not so with Medicaid.
---------------------------------
When getting ready to be discharged from the PICU back in mid-April we were told our insurance denied us in-home nursing care. This was due to a policy change my workplace enacted at the beginning of the year. We began immediately filling out the paperwork for a Medicaid program for middle-income families called Care at Home.
---------------------------------
After waiting for the paperwork to be pushed through we started realizing the difference in having private insurance cover our in-home nursing as compared to Medicaid footing the bill. The pay is not at all the same. The nursing agencies don't make much off Medicaid patients and neither do the nurses. So the agencies don't work too hard trying to work your case and when they do actually attempt to fill your schedule, nurses would rather hold out for the cases that are covered by private insurance.
---------------------------------
To say the least, Laura and I stay exhausted.
---------------------------------
When I consider our situation I can't help but think about the millions in our country who depend on the government for aid. I can't help but feel for them as they wait for paperwork to be pushed through, as they deal with non-existent nursing day in and day out, as they deal with agencies who aren't real hip to helping because these dependants' pockets aren't lined with money.
Many will say that all of this should motivate the poor to get out of bed and get a job so they don't have to be dependant on government aid and agencies. Statistics tell us most of these folks already have jobs and aren't actually in bed but I wouldn't blame some if they were in bed, it's an exhausting life.
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posted by jch at
7:55 PM
7 Comments:
Joe, I am so sorry that our healthcare system is so crappy. I don't know what the solution is but I do know that it can't stay the same...it is only getting worse. Right now I will pray that something changes so that Ira receives the care that he needs and that you and Laura get some rest.
A good case for keeping health care out of the hands of the government.
In the meantime, I am asking God to send you the help your family needs.
Joe, this is an excellent case for our government, which represents "we, the people," to get going and give health care to all people in this country regardless of income or work status. What kind of people say to each other, "Your right to have your body cared for, and our responsibility to care for it, is dependent on whether you work"? Or "Your right to have adequate care for your child depends on whether you work at a job that pays you enough money to afford private nursing care on your own"? What a crock.
It would be great to keep health care "out of the hands of government" if, say, the churches were caring for people's health. But local congregations don't even care for the expensive health needs of their own members, much less for the strangers and widows and orphans the prophets of God were always so concerned about.
Why, by the way, can the government always find billions more for killing people way over there and cannot find enough to adequately pay nurses for the poor and the working poor and the too-poor-for-private-nursing people over here? Why have we allowed them to believe that's where our priorities lie?
I want my tax dollars to go toward health care for all, so that Medicaid nurses don't get paid less than private care nurses, instead of buying any more weapons or paying for any more wars. Period.
PEACE -- Katie
Katie, preach on sister!!!! I am with you all the way on this.
and yes, peace, Julie
Amen sister Katie. Amen!
while your situation with the medicaid debacle is truly unfortunate, it does provide an opportunity for others to "see first hand" what it is like to be dependent on a system that is mediocre at best.
i hope that the nurses are able to come more often so that you and laura are able to get some rest.
We don't depend on Medicaid for nursing care; but we DO use Medicaid as secondary insurance for our son. He has autism and needs speech and occupational therapy once a week.
Several months ago, due to a change in the qualifying criteria, we lost the Medicaid, as did many other parents. It took a lot of howling, but we did get the Medicaid back. Not every parent was so fortunate.
Theoretically? I would like to depend only on private insurance to foot the bill. I'm not so sure that government should be involved in health care.
Practically? If we didn't have Medicaid, we would be facing slow bankruptcy in order to care for our son.
What's the answer? I truly do not know.
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