Monday, June 18, 2012

Health Care or Social Care - What Will You Need In Retirement?

MIAMI - JANUARY 06:  United HomeCare Services ...
(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

When we look forward to retirement we usually imagine vacation and holiday time. Some think about visiting exotic places or playing a lot more golf. If we are healthy these dreams can come true. But eventually health issues begin to occur more frequently and some kind of long term care may be necessary.

Today, there is an issue of government claiming that some health issue remedies are not in it's inventory of services to provide the aging population. You can claim a medical health issue and hopefully they say that is an appropriate reason to provide care but if the issue is a social service need, it may determined that it doesn't fall under their jurisdiction and they shouldn't be asked to pay for it. 

Naturally there are some services that fall into a gray area which could fall under both social and health care. You could have a patient that needs help with dressing and eating, this falls under the heading of a social need. But if the feeding must be done intravenously this could be called a health need. 

Issues like this are not clearly defined in a health care framework so parties disagree to who should cover the need. 

Another care issue is a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. Though a medical health condition and a metal health condition, it does not need medical care but just social care. Where does it fall under current law? Do health services pay for the care or does social services pay?

There are too many of these kinds of issues falling through the cracks of our current law framework. Many people who can not afford to pay end up selling assets like their homes to move to care facilities. It is possible to get a care fee refund and you can appeal the ruling of the law. It's not something an ill person needs to have happen to them. Seek appropriate professional help to help you alleviate this problem.

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