Screw the old people

There is an abundant supply of news articles discussing the problems with Medicare. Specifically, the quality of care our elders are receiving using the system. I hate to admit it, but I really didn't care that much. I was so far removed from the problem that I never looked at the issues beyond the headlines. So, a couple years ago my grandfather was having medical problems and needed emergency care. Unfortunately, the benefits that we had taken for granted throughout the years had recently changed. GM had just slashed benefits for it's retirees and the current insurance coverage was very unclear. The only thing that was clear is to get any immediate medical attention for him we would need to use the benefits provided through Medicare. In the emergency room, we presented his usual GM insurance card, they busily started ordering tests, doing proceedures, ordered a room for the night. But then, they learned that his insurance plan through GM was no longer active. He was without insurance, according to the Hospital, and would need receive benefits through Medicare. Everything halted, it seemed from that moment on, even getting a pain killer was huge task. No more testing, no room for the night... We we're given some bullshit explanation about his condition and sent home. I spent some time figuring out the insurance situation. I uncovered that despite the reduction in benefits, the new GM insurance plan was still much better than any I have ever had in my professional career. Whew! That was a relief, especially since he was sent home with a condition that required surgery, and left unmanaged would have killed him. As you might imagine, the rest of the story is a happy one... Going back for the needed health care with the new GM insurance card was painless. It was easy to get the kind of attention you want for your elderly grandparent when they don't have Medicare as their primary insurance provider.