Medicare (‘Medicareless’)

EDITOR:

Medicare couldn’t care less about seniors!

Medicare kicked my husband down the alley.

Holli is in constant back pain and I know so many of you know what its like to be incapacitated by the raging pain that’s robs your will.

It’s to a point that he just gets through the day, but it wasn’t always like that, until Medicare deemed that since there was no improvement from being in physical therapy and he had exceeded the cap, Medicare will no longer cover services. Apparently, no longer is this the Washington Post (magazine) era of the way things ought to be, medical decisions between the doctor and patient, but on the cutting floor of Medicare business bean counters.

As dictated in their letter, Medicare will decide if he will be approved for further physical therapy sessions. Gosh, so big of them to starve denied seniors from receiving covered medical treatments, and I grudgingly just sent my quarterly payment for his Medicare, rather, “Medicareless.” To make matters worse, I just checked the money tree in the backyard; guess what, there is no additional cash on its barren branches to pay out of pocket (that went to them!) for him to see his physical therapist.

Is this the change Obama promised for us all?

This is my husband, a decent human being, a wonderful man who gave 21 years of his life to serve our county, and this is the appreciation which lacks any common sense and to stand by him, seeing him in so much pain and I am helpless in making him feel better. It is so hard to see someone as beautiful as he is, a proud Marine, to be reduced to crumpled gob, not able to be himself; and those who know Holli, know him as an individual who will be there for you, no matter what.

As I was recently told by a doctor I had seen, that because I was over the age of 55, routine medical procedures such as the “fun” yearly examine will no longer be ordered, or as she said, wasn’t necessary. I asked why; I was told because this is the new guidelines. Oh, you mean Obamacare? She gingerly walked around, answering my question with, “Well, it’s not necessary.”

The bitter medicine is here, and not well taken: that change is coming and it isn’t going to be nice.

I just want Holli to receive the physical therapy treatment he deserves to have.

He has paid dearly and he deserves the best.

SUE HENDERSON
Placerville