Medicare, Medicaid, Older Americans Act, Essay Example

The “official U.S. government booklet about Medicare home health care benefits for people with original Medicare”(Medicare and Home Health Care), details clearly who is eligible for these benefits, what the benefits are, that a doctor’s orders and supervisions are required, as well as listing extra help sources.  One of these is “Extra Help, also called the low-income subsidy (LIS), from Medicare to pay for prescription drugs” (ibid.).  There is also Medicaid, “a joint Federal and State program that helps pay medical costs if you have limited income and resources and meet other requirements…If you happen to have both Medicare and Medicaid, most of your health care costs are covered” (ibid.).  Medicaid also pays the difference between what Medicare covers for certain services; such as, for nursing homes and home health care, and the actual cost of such services.

As for the Older Americans Act, legislation was introduced in the Senate on September 19, 2012, “to reauthorize and expand the Older Americans Act the landmark law that supports Meals on Wheels and other essential programs for seniors”(Sanders, 2012).  This Act provides services that do not infringe upon Medicare nor Medicaid services, but supplement them with ensuring that seniors receive proper nutrition and housing, job training and legal services, which proponents of this Act say will go a long way to keep seniors healthy, active, and independent; and safe from elder abuse—a widespread and serious problem–and at the same time reduce tax payer dollars and free up hospital care beds.

Lowrey and Pear (2012) state that the US has fewer doctors than needed; but as the population ages, more doctors will be needed, not fewer. Legislation must address this quickly.

References

Lowrey, A. And Pear, R.  (July 28, 2012).  The New York Times.  Doctor shortage likely to worsen with law.  Retrieved on November 17, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/health/policy.

Medicare and Home Health Care.  Retrieved on November 17, 2012, from http://www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/10969.pdf.

Sanders, B.  (2012). Senators introduce Older Americans Act Reauthorization. Retrieved on November 17, 2012, from http://www.sanders.senate.gov/ Newsroom/news/?id.