Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Day Centers, Fit Elders, and the Effects on Medicaid
I chose this article because of its relevance to our past lesson on Medicaid. It talks about the increase in adult day care centers and how it is attracting the type of people who seem to me to be lacking legitimacy. Elderly can be found doing activities in these centers, such as "vigorous games of table tennis, billiards and mahjongg," which leads to the suspicion that these elders do not necessarily need such treatment. Although I am a strong advocate for helping the elderly, I do believe that these cases seem a little unnecessary. It certainly seems wrong that the care companies, financed by Medicaid, are paying the centers which refer new clients back to the companies. Advocates for the elderly claim that these social day care centers are taking healthy clients away from the regular senior centers. It seems appalling that these social centers are giving their elderly such rewards as $50 cash payments for recruiting another (possibly healthy) client and an unlimited MetroCard (yet if the client doesn't way the MetroCard, they are offered $125 in cash) yet some regular centers run on about $4 a person per day.
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I find this concerning. As a proponent of medicaid and medicare, I would like to see people using the money for medical purposes rather than recreational. This is why the health care program needs to be reformed and better regulated.
ReplyDeleteThe federal government needs to place limits on what they will give money to. I don't think it is right for healthy elderly people using money for things they do not need. There are many place, where elderly can go to get social interaction and some help. There needs to be regulation on the health care system.
ReplyDeleteIf overall Medicaid and Medicare funding is cut, then there is less room for spending like this that is clearly not warranted or justifiable for the government to be contributing to. It seems like these centers are a good idea to help out seniors who are in better shape, but they should be paid for out of their own pockets.
ReplyDeleteThe funding for Medicaid should not be used in this way by these healthy senior citizens. I agree with Grace, that these recreational activities are good for them but should be paid for with their own money.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone. The public's money should be used to actually benefit the elderly (ie medicine, nursing availability, etc) and NOT billiard games. That's just wrong. As Grace said, if the fund were cut, we wouldn't have the money going towards these unnecessary funds.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone has said, funding should be used for medical purposes and not for recreational use. Those who are in adult "day care" should need help and supervision and should not be in these facilities if that is not the case.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Grace. If the funding was cut, there would not be any need for this use of the money. The money would go to things that are actually needed instead of recreational purposes. The money needs to be used to benefit the elderly and not just random stuff that it is being used for now.
ReplyDeleteThese centers for the elderly are good and beneficial for them, but should come out of their pockets, rather than be paid for by the government. We need to make program cuts and if Medicare and Medicaid are already in trouble, then we can no longer afford or justify paying for these facilities.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone has said before me we need to try and tighten what we are allocating the money for to cover more necessities and less luxuries/recreational things
ReplyDeleteI agree that the money should be used to benefit the elderly, but these recreational activities aren't really doing that. It should be used for health care, ect. This just seems ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteRecreational activities are not helping the elderly. At best, it is getting them moving but a walk can do the same. Money being spent on games is absurd especially when there are so many people, young and old, that need real help.
ReplyDeleteThere obviously needs to be more regulation of medicaid if this is happening. It should be covering basic care, not leisurely activities.
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