[SOLVED] OT - Medicare mandated wellness test

[Frank]

Discussed in other thread including our favorite Uncle.

Had mine today and was prepared to answer, "State of Confusion", if asked what state I was born in. Had she asked, I would have also said, "I was so unhappy being born that I did not speak to my parents for two years."

They do ask many detailed questions about your mental and physical health and include a couple memory things: drawing a clock face and time as well as recalling 3 words. Simple abilities test of sitting down, getting up, walking, coming back and sitting down. Besides height, weight and BP its mainly a detailed verbal exam of all your health issues and family history of ailments.

Sorta fun but they already had 90% of this stuff in their files and an hour and a half of a PA's time is not free and our Medicare dollars pay for it. They want to do it every year.

[gfretwell]

Yeah that was it for me too. and when she said OK am going to give you a name and address to remember and I said "John Anderson 850 Main Street" she gave me a look. I said that was what it was last time. She skipped over that one. Other than that it was a pretty superficial physical.

[Frank]

It might have been useful if all I had was a family doctor but when you get old you get on the carousel of doctors. One guy I know said he has a doctor for each body part but then admitted he did not have a podiatrist.

Yesterdays visit was entertaining but did zilch for my health.

[Wade Garrett]

Yeah, just another example of big government libs having created a look good/feel good/does little-if-anything program to show that they "care" and are helping the people...and providing fodder to justify the next tax increase.

[Frank]

Learned something new about this yesterday as one senior friend was set up for the PA to come to his house to do the wellness test. Did not happen because they came out without appointment and he was not home.

Part of the test is to see how well a senior fares at home with things like access and potential hazards around the house. I know there are seniors that can't even climb their stairs and this might result in them getting a chair lift.

On the surface it sounds good but to a lot of us is too much government intrusion. Most of us seniors have some one else in the house like spouse or children and they could help with these things without government nosing around. My friend does happen to be a bachelor and lives alone in his house and maybe they pinpointed him. Still smells like too much intrusion. My friend is perfectly mobile and at 68 while collecting SS and Medicare is still working 40 hours a week working in a shop that makes solid surface materials.

[krw]

Why? Who asked for the "visit"?

Where is this?

Again, who is requesting this "service" and why?

[Frank]

I assumed they called him and asked to set it up.

With mine in the office, I had an appointment to visit family doctor for general issues, mostly resolved but PA called me and said it was time for the test and replaced visit with test and I did not see the doctor.

Googling it up, you will see the following:

Does not say where the visit might be.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I see nothing about a home visit. That sounds strange.

I get the wellness test but it is part of the former annual physical but now they have a different name to bill for it.

Never heard of it from Medicare. When my wife had surgery the hospital arranged for Visiting Nurse to come visit. They did evaluation and visited a couple times a week. It was covered by Medicare bt they did not initiate it.

[krw]

What a waste of money. Sure, I can understand it, maybe, for someone barely able to take care of themselves but 65 isn't old anymore. I guess I haven't heard that it was a "normal" thing because I don't have Part-B. The government can just stay off my lawn! ;-)

[krw]

Yeah. Amazing, idntit?

I'd heard of such things to, where the doctor initiates such things for people living alone and not able to take care of themselves. But as a "default" it's unbelievably wasteful.

[rbowman]

Before I went om Medicare the company health insurance also covered a yearly 'wellness' visit. There's nothing strange about that. I go in once a year to remind my doctor I'm still alive and that's about it. She tells me about the immunizations I might want to consider like tetanus, flu, and shingles. After reading that part of the script she them tells me most of them are worthless. She's a fairly young woman but is quite conservative when it comes to fixing things that aren't broken.

The only time firearms ever came up in a discussion was when I was shooting the breeze with an OR nurse while waiting my turn. I said something about archery and she said her husband hunted with a bow -- and she wished he would use a rifle and bring home some meat for a change.

[rbowman]

When I had a hernia repaired a few years ago there were questions about if I had anyone at home to assist me with my recovery. I lied. I went to work the next day but I don't know if that counted for assistance.

I'm sure some people appreciate it and I'm glad it's covered but I'd have to be very, very screwed up to want to see a visiting nurse walk through the door of my hovel.

[Frank]

These are different situations. Went through it with my wife's knee replacement a couple of years ago. Someone had to be home with her and I recall she was visited by a nurse and then a therapist for a couple of weeks until she could get out for therapy herself. Therapy with a knee replacement is very important as otherwise scar tissue could severely limit recovery.

The wellness test is the government answer to everything, where one size fits all. If you routinely visit a doctor, he knows what is going on with you and could have skipped 90% of the crap mandated.

[Wade Garrett]

My reply to someone seeking entry to my house would be "Show me the warrant."

[krw]

Whether it's government funded or private (insurance) it's a waste of money for most people for long after age 65.

I see so many doctors, I probably won't see my GP this year. Too busy with the specialists. ;-)

Given the lunacy from our government, I'd never discuss such things with doctors. It's none of their damn business.