New legislation being introduced this week by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) aims to help patients with post-hospital needs. The bill, called the “Medicare Transitional Care Act”, would create a new Medicare benefit to coordinate care during a person’s transition from inpatient to outpatient settings. This includes assistance with equipment needs, referrals for care, scheduling needs, and even medication instruction assistance. The goal is to ensure smooth and successful transitions to home or living facility in order to avoid re-admission to the hospital. Statistics show that 20% of people with Medicare who visit the hospital will return within a month.
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Tags: Jeanne Shaheen, medicare, Medicare Transitional Care Act, Susan Collins
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
June 19th, 2009 at 6:46 am
IT IS A GREAT LEGISLATURE . THERE ARE OLDER PEOPLE THAT WHEN
THEY GET OUT OF THE HOSPITAL; THEY ACTUALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT STEPS
TO TAKE FOR REHABILITATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS HEALTH BILL. IT IS A BREATH
OF FRESH AIR , CONCERNING THAT MOST BILLS THAT ARE INTRODUCE TO
CONGRESS ARE POLITICALLY INCLINE.
June 19th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I do not trust these women Jean Shaheen (D) or Susan Collens (R) to take care of the elderly. Unless Congress, the senate, etc., have the same health care plan the people of American has they can not be trusted. The Medicare these women want sound good but I find Congress doesn’t read what they pass. The Medicare they want would put the older generation at risk to be put down like a old dog at the SPCA. Some of the states are already doing this. When you are in pain they can talk you into doing things you wouldn’t do otherwise. My grandmother died at home when she was ready not when the medical team thought she should. We take care of our own in this family. I do not trust these women to make my decision for me until they have the same health insurance.
June 20th, 2009 at 7:29 am
What’s in it for them? Hospital admissions and diagnosis are being reimbursed for one treatment for all not treating people separately. One stop cure for all. Gee I am glad I am part of a this mess that tells hospitals, nurses and physicians how to treat a diagnosis and not the patient. Shame, my mother’s medicare made no dent in rehab. good luck with more empty promises.
June 20th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
THE MOST IMPORTANT CARE FOR A NEWLY RELEASED PATIENT IS A KNOWLEDABLE HEALTH ADVOCATE(WIFE-HUSBAND-DAUIGHTER-SON-FRIEND)THIS PERSON SHOULD BE GIVEN ADVICE FROM DOCTORS-NURSES-HOME CARE NURSES AS TO WHAT PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW TOFACILITATE THE PERSONS RECOVERY.HAVING TAKEN CARE OF A HUSBAND FOLLOWING HIP SURGERY AND HAVING HOME CARE AIDS COME IN(VIA INSURANCE) HAS BEEN A BOON TO HIS RECOVERY.THERE SHOULD BE PROGRAMS AT HOSPITALS AIMING TO TRAIN THE CAREGIVER–THIS WOULD AVOID RE-ADMITTANCE TO HOSPITAL.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Marian is right, and has the best response to this piece. Family
being with you through all the things that are told to you when
you are elderly makes all the difference in their recovery.
Thanks for stating it, Marian.
Mary M.
June 28th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I have had this happen to my husband and he now is covered with 13 pressure sores and now staph and MRSA and is contagious. There is no help and this all happened in the nursing homes and now they put him on Medicaide and I will have to pay $204.00 to Advantage and $731.00 to the Nursing Home (Southpark) and had to sign a bill in Oklahoma 1993 which controls everything and no matter what I request they refuse! No doctors will talk to me and I can not bring him home. The patient protection advocacy have not helped him but someone declared I was wrong and now that Bryant Nursing Home has been closed. I can get no help. This is in Oklahoma. Sincerely Aloma Cline, wife and POA.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:53 am
tks for the effort you put in here I appreciate it!