July 30, 2019
Medicare is OF NO VALUE, nor Part B, or even an auxiliary private insurance policy, unless an individual is “admitted” to the hospital and stays 3 nights. Being “observed” and forced to leave after 2 nights and not the magic 3 nights, rendered my mother ineligible to receive benefits from Medicare, Medicare Part B, and the private insurance policy she’s had in place since 1989!
Saturday, in my mother’s hospital room at Berger, I met with her physician, a nurse, her physical therapist and the patient care coordinator. All assured me she met Medicare’s criteria for release, despite saying she needed 24 hour care.
They metaphorically wrung their hands, and said they could do nothing. Even the physician could not/would not override the insurance company, they asserted.
Had I understood the result of my compliance, I would have refused to move my mother from the hospital, and welcomed the publicity it generated.
My mother is 95, and held a job her entire adult life, ironically, at Berger Hospital, and later, for Dr. Emily Lutz. I am incredulous that Berger Hospital has healthcare regulations physicians claim they can't override.
It is fallacy that Medicare will prevent seniors from needing to sell their homes in order to have end of life care.
Update 12:45pm July 31, 2019
Just called the number given in Hospital comment. No answer, no ability to leave a message.
Update #2 4:00pm July 31, 2019
Called a second time. No answer, no VM to leave a message
Update #3 9:43am August 1, 2019
Called a third time. No answer, no VM to leave a message
Update # 4 Friday, August 2, 2019
Tina X finally answered at the number Ohio Health suggested I call. She said she was unfamiliar with my review. "Corporate had not informed her."
After my explanation, she said she knew nothing about medicare / observation / admittance to hospital. She would need guidance to respond.
Apparently she has not gotten the guidance necessary to contact me, now 3 business days later. If I could I would remove the one star rating.
