BINGO!

The CATO Institute has published an opinion written by Michael F. Cannon that states, in part, "In fact, a body of literature suggests that the program exacerbates the problems of poverty and high health-care costs and points to a counterintuitive solution." *

And to that I say, BINGO! He wins the prize.

Listen, I am just one lowly Medicaid patient whose greatest wish is TO GET OFF MEDICAID. Why, you ask? Because of the very reasons above. On Medicaid I truly feel like an unwashed person. Doctors order tests that their office managers know Medicaid will not pay, so they are the ones who have to tell the patient. Office managers are not known for their tact [nor should they be], and to a Medicaid patient on the other end of the phone when the doctor's office calls to cancel an appointment they have had on the books for some months because Medicaid will not pay for the test, it is abundantly clear that the Medicaid patient is not equal to other patients.

Also, I truly feel Medicaid plays me for a fool. Allow me to share a personal experience:

Oct 15th I see my PCP. He writes 5 prescriptions for meds I have been taking for months & years. I take the prescriptions to the Pharmacy located just outside the hospital. They are able to fill all but one, which they advise, "This medication must be Pre-Approved by Medicaid". They will make all the calls and I can pick up the Rx tomorrow. Okay, great. Except I do not have transportation and it is unlikely that I will be able to pick up that prescription. And that is exactly what happened. They called and I was unable to arrange transportation to pick up the medication, so I was forced to go without it for an entire month.Thank you, very much Medicaid.

Now it is a month later. I've had time to arrange transportation and I call in the refills. Go to pick them up and they are sorry, but "one of the prescriptions requires pre-approval from Medicaid". It wasn't filled and I would have to go back to pick it up. Shades of a month ago, Medicaid! Now here's the rub; The Rx that required pre-approval in November did NOT require pre-approval in October, and the Rx that required pre-approval in October did NOT require pre-approval in November. Once again, thank you, Medicaid.

Again I must go without a medically necessary medication for 30 days. Not a wanted circumstance. That, I know, can not be Mr. Levine's mission. 

Each month a different Rx, or a different doctor's appointment, or a different test that everybody has known about for months, gets slammed by Medicaid. Each month the number of phone calls to try to get something done is staggering. The amount of time wasted is fiscally irresponsible.

Several months ago I realized that the only way I am going to get anywhere near healthy would be to GET OFF MEDICAID. I concluded that Medicaid is designed deliberately to short-change and confuse both patients & providers, with the bottom line being patient health getting no better, and, in fact, possibly worse.

Now I must find a new PCP because the one I had been seeing, can 'no longer meet [my] needs'. Quite a dilemma for a guy who has limited mobility.

Thanks, Mr. Levine! Have a nice Thanksgiving.

*  CATO Institute Article

Nothing + Nothing = Nothing

So now we've seen what these past 3 months of effort brings to a Medicaid patient. Nothing.

It does not matter that a Neurosurgeon orders a test, that the patient then begins the process at a learned man's direction. Many, many phone calls. Excruciating pain. Doctor visits. More pain. Faxes. More phone calls. If it involves Louisiana Medicaid, it amounts to NOTHING AT ALL.

I am no closer to a diagnosis and treatment after 3 months of effort than I was 4 years ago, AND I must wait 3 more months, according to Medicaid, before I can see a doctor and we can start the dance all over again.

One must ask, Why Bother?

Fill in the blank, check the box. Move to the right...

All of the Time, Every Time with Medicaid

Monday 10/12 - 8 hours on medicaid related meetings, phone calls, and forms. Progress = ZERO

Tuesday 10/13 - 6 hours  on medicaid related meetings, phone calls, and forms. Progress = 1 form mailed.

Wednesday 10/14 - 2 hours.
Progress = Medicaid canceled Urodynamics test. Ordered by Neurosurgeon. Scheduled July 27, 2000 for test date of October 20th. Have waited 2 months for this test and Medicaid canceled it a week out. Shame on you, Mr. Levine. Shame.

Thursday 10/14 - 7 hours.
Progress = 1 Board Certified Internist Appointment as directed by Neurosurgeon @ 11am
bus to and from hospital
blazing sun
90+ degrees F
strength sapped while waiting for bus [10 minutes @ 1 end and 55 minutes on the return].
serious difficulty walking - Pretzel Legs.
major pain
very frank and honest discussion with Primary Care Physician, who wrote 6 Rx's.

Note: Pharmacy could not fill 1 of these because I currently have an 11 day supply. The number of treatment days provided by the prescription, generally 30 days, must pass before medicaid  will pick up the cost of a refill. Generally makes sense.


NOTE II -

Pharmacy could not fill a 2nd because medicaid "is requiring pre-approval." Pharmacy will manage faxes and other requirements, then notify me when prescription is ready for pickup.

PROBLEM =This  means a second bus trip on another day, just to pick up 1 prescription for medicine I have been taking monthly since late 2007, and has never needed Medicaid's 'pre-approval' before now. Second non-budgeted round trip cost $2.20. Won't be able to get there now until Sunday at the earliest because, as is usual, I am experiencing volatile lower bowel distress and will be a shut-in for 2 days while recovering from today's activities. Bear in mind also, that this 2nd trip for an issue that should have been resolved by today's series of events will result in more bodily distress and a 2 day layup because of that activity. 6 days of T-O-R-T-U-R-E accomplishing what should have been accomplished today.  Thank you Mr. Levine. I wonder what the total cost of that prescription ends up being after tying up all these professionals because of bureaucratic nonsense? Wasting [stealing] the taxpayers $$$, Mr. Levine. Any thoughts you'd like to share?

This is representative of most days on Medicaid. The incentive to remove myself from the dole is great. My goal is to get well enough to say thanks to Medicaid, and move on, providing for myself once again.

Mr. Levine and this bureaucratic nonsense is not helping. Shame, shame, shame...

Fill in the blank, check the box. Move to the right...

Pain Management

NOT covered by Louisiana Medicaid. Anyone surprised by that? Can you spell T-O-R-T-U-R-E, Mr. Levine?

It's The Economy Stoopid!

Chronic low back pain disability is the most expensive benign condition that is medically treated in industrial countries. It is also the number one cause of disability in persons under age 45. After 45, it is the third leading cause of disability. Disc disease costs the health care system more than $50 billion a year.

Did ya catch that? BENIGN. It means it is not going to kill me. Louisiana Medicaid has forced me to submit to torture for almost 4 years because my condition is not fatal. Should I equate Mr. Levine with Dick Cheney? They do seem to both favor torture.

To be fair... The Neurosurgeon ordered physical therapy. I am still working on finding one that takes Medicaid and that I can get to by bus. Oh, I forgot...  I can't take the bus anymore, and not once in 2 years has Medicaid been able to provide transportation to and from medical appointments for me. Everyone that I knew that had transportation, moved to other states after The Thing. Lack of transportation is a serious issue down here.

Hmmm... wonder what it costs us in GDP? Bet that's a lot more than $50 billion a year.