Progressive Discussion - Friday 7-7-17

A friend who happens to be a medical doctor posted this on FB last night, and I got into the strangest conversation (well not really a conversation but a few remarks) with someone who is his friend, but not anyone I know. I posted that I found this really funny, but also very sad and that I worry a lot about what will happen if my mom and dad's financial resources don't last as long as they do. Anyway out of the blue this is the response I got back:

Me: "I literally laughed out loud. It's really not funny though. Much too serious. I worry all the time that my mom and dad's meager life savings will not last as long as they do. Especially with my mom's Alzheimer's it's frightening."

Stranger: "That was the ACA. Medicare doesn't pay but 30 days but will pay hospice indefinitely."

Me: "No, when Republicans cut Medicaid (not Medicare) that is when seniors are going to be in serious jeopardy."

Stranger: "no when my wife was sick this is what happened. Sorry, reality sucks and I still have ALL the paperwork."

Me: "Sorry about your wife. I am sure it was terrible, but for seniors in need of long term care such as a nursing home up to 40% of them must rely on Medicaid. It is a very serious situation to talk about cutting it. Unconscionable in my opinion."

Me: "To fall under hospice, Palmer would know better than I, but your doctor must state that life expectancy is 6 months or less. Of course, God alone knows the answer to that, and it can be reinstated if the patient is still alive after 6 months but it is not the same thing as long term nursing home care."

Stranger: "tell you what, you just go ahead and believe that. But you better put your arms around your spouse. Love them. But when the nursing home or facility tells you they have to go or else, remember your post. I know! You obviously don't. So do your research. Or suffer as I did."

Me: "Don't want to argue with you, and I am truly sorry about your wife. But Medicare has never covered nursing home care. They will pay 100% of the first 20 days for rehab and 80% of the remainder of 100 days. But again that is completely different from Medicaid. Wishing you the very best, and again very sorry about your wife."

Me: "By the way, as the caregiver responsible for both my 90 year old father with multiple serious health issues, and my 86 year old mother who is blind and has Alzheimer's I can assure you I have done a lot of research."

Stranger: "No. Trust me. You haven't. My mom's 86. Get a debilitating disease/ brain tumor and talk to me. Like I said you have NO clue. 86-90 vs 53-54. Just sayin."

Me: "Wishing you the best. Don't want to argue with you, but really don't understand why you think it is ok to cut Medicaid. That's ok. I don't have to understand. I don't even know you, and I am just not understanding your point."

Anyway, I just found this strange. I don't know if the man's wife died or what, but clearly something terrible must have happened with her, and he is hurting and angry. But, I never really understood his point. Do you think "86-90 vs 53-54" was saying that what happens to old people should not be a concern? He seems to think it is quite ok to cut Medicaid which is what a lot more than just old people rely on, including children and all age groups with disabilities, etc. And, he seems to be under the mistaken opinion that the Republican healthcare bill would have somehow been better for his wife? That, in my opinion, is delusional in itself. I feel badly for this man, because he must be hurting, but this seems to be the attitude of so many Republicans--I only care about me and what happens to anyone else is just not my concern. Is that what you got out of these remarks, or did I misread what he was trying to say?

Truthfully, I didn't understand that conversation at all. I'm pretty sure Medicare does not pay for Nursing Home. Was the person he was talking about on Swing Bed Care thru the hospital & that explains why he says Medicare paid. Anyway, I'm confused ...My Mom is Private Pay w/ Nursing Home Insurance on the side. So she isn't on Medicad yet, but I don't think Medicare pays her NH bill.

All I can say is the Dem's need to get their act together along with a message to reach those that voted for JA but now disappointed .

Claire McCaskill must be feeling vulnerable in 2018. I just got an e-mail wanting donations for her campaign. Missouri is pretty red. Here in TN I know we'll be sending Republicans back to Washington. Corker will be up for re-election in 2018, and is pretty much guaranteed to win without even really trying. Alexander's seat doesn't come up until 2020. I would REALLY like to see him defeated, even by another Republican. He does absolutely nothing for Tennessee except take advantage of the public trough and try to get in as many photo ops as possible. While I'm no fan of Corker, he is much better for Tennessee than Alexander is. When you write to Alexander, his office doesn't even bother to send back a canned response.

I agree we need to get a real message across--what our vision is for the country, and not just we're opposed to the JA. What people really want to know is "what are you going to do for me."