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Medicare discriminating against Mental Health/disabled patients?

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drummerwannabe On June 17, 2019
Travel Junkie





In a drum.., Minnesota
#1New Post! Oct 14, 2016 @ 23:10:55
Hi Everyone. This is a long post, but I'm hoping you can help.

I would like your opinion on how to help one of my family members regarding the new health insurance plans coming out for Medicare. Medicare sent out their new plan details for 2017 and now they are charging a $20 copay for every specialist visit, including Mental Health visits.

My family member has depression, it runs in our family. She also is disabled and has to see many specialists. She goes to a Psychologist every other week and a Psychiatrist every month. With her disability issues, most of her doctors she sees are specialists. For specialist appointments, she has as many as 7 or so a week, depending on her medical issues at the time. Sometimes she goes a week or two without an appointment when she's doing well.

With this new Medicare plan, she will be paying possibly $140/week just to get the help she needs medically and I find that very discriminatory. I know that depending on your plan, you may have copays for your appointments with you primary care doctor and that is normal. Many people only see a doctor a few times a year. It would make sense if this rule applied to all appointments, but it doesn't. This new rule is specifically for specialists visits and mental health visits.

I'm trying to help my family member because they are at a loss of what to do. It feels like the Medicare people are discriminating against her and not caring that she NEEDS to see doctors more than the average person. Her depression is hereditary, a pre-existing condition. This is not something that you can "cure". It's a life-long condition. I want to try to help her so she doesn't get to a low point and maybe hurt herself.

I'm hoping there are some people out there that have ideas on what we can do. I'm gathering information to contact our legislators and the attorney general, but I'm wondering if anyone has an idea of a mental health organization or disability organization who would be an advocate with this situation. It doesn't just affect us, but all families dealing with mental health and disability issues.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks for reading!
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