Medicaid Drops Coverage For Mom With Cancer

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Medicaid Drops Coverage For Mom With Cancer

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―

Diana Smith has gone through six months of radiation and chemotherapy -- one week out of every month. She is in remission and had a donor for a transplant; being in remission is prerequisite for the transplant.

But her hopes of receiving the transplant were dashed in March, when she says, the Social Security Administration contacted her –without her soliciting it -- and told her that her three year-old son was entitled to receive Social Security disability payments. Even though she didn't ask for it, she signed the form and received her son's first check check.

In April, Medicaid canceled her universal health care policy because her income level had risen with her son's payments – making her ineligible for the insurance program.

The problem is Jackson Memorial Hospital cannot provide the procedure because the risk is too high. The universal policy from Medicaid helps shield the hospital from liability in this kind of case. Without it, they are subject to liability issues.

Even though Smith offered to cancel her son's disability benefits, she was told it's too late.

"She's gone through six months worth of radiation and chemo, her body can't take anymore. If they don't allow her to have this transplant coming up right now next week, they're in effect signing her death warrant," said her friend Tom Noonan.

"I want to live to see my son grow up and get on with my life," Smith told CBS4's Ted Scouten.

As a result of the WFOR CBS 4 report, State Sen. Dave Aronberg is prepared to take action over the weekend. Social Security officials are also looking into the case to make the surgery happen on Tuesday as had been planned.

http://cbs4.com/health/Diana.Smith.Woman.2.1623788.html

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Amusing really as this isn't the only type of story like this, BUT now conveniently the media starts paying attention to them after a bill has passed.

Medicare and Medicaid deny the highest percentile of claims more than any private insurers do, but of course that's not news. That's just government being great!

[john & jean 37]

This is a preview of the Oboma health care! There will be so much of this, it will not be news worthy....

[Nagishkaw 510]

I better hurry and have my kidney removed.

[Dan J 277]

This is a preview of the Oboma health care! There will be so much of this, it will not be news worthy....

This is a problem that already existed with the system. But for every story like this, you can find 5 stories of private companies dropping people because they were no longer profitable.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

This is a problem that already existed with the system. But for every story like this, you can find 5 stories of private companies dropping people because they were no longer profitable.

That isn't entirely true. Medicare denies more claims than private insurance does. Look at page 5 metric 12 of this AMA report.

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/368/reportcard.pdf

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That isn't entirely true. Medicare denies more claims than private insurance does.

Her claim isn't being denied. She was taken off of Medicaid because her income level exceeded the maximum. There must be some way to look into rectifying the situation given her medical condition. I don't think Medicare should be able remove people if their income increases beyond the qualifying amount without certain conditions - that the individual has medical insurance available through their employer or can be privately purchased.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Her claim isn't being denied. She was taken off of Medicaid because her income level exceeded the maximum. There must be some way to look into rectifying the situation given her medical condition. I don't think Medicare should be able remove people if their income increases beyond the qualifying amount without certain conditions - that the individual has medical insurance available through their employer or can be privately purchased.

Well OK, they did what the Health Care Reform was supposed to stop the private insurance companies from doing. This doesn't bode well if the "fix" was to add 30 million to Medicare and Medicade. Looks like we traded a privately run problem into a government run problem.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Well OK, they did what the Health Care Reform was supposed to stop the private insurance companies from doing. This doesn't bode well if the "fix" was to add 30 million to Medicare and Medicade. Looks like we traded a privately run problem into a government run problem.

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it will be up to the individual to purchase insurance through an exchange, and a person's premiums can be subsidized based on income level. If their income level increases, they will be responsible to pay for more or all of the premium. What happens if they don't pay? They'll probably have their policy canceled.

Short of having single payer, these are the kinds of issues that are going to continue to exist. It's not a perfect system, relying more on the responsibility of individuals as well as private insurance companies to provide the policies.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Don't worry Obama the Socialist will fix it.