A nice, elderly lady came to my office today for her epilepsy. Her sister (also Medicare age) brought her because the patient hasn’t been driving since her recent discharge from the hospital. The patient had been in the hospital for 4 weeks after suffering a flare up of her seizures. When caring for an acutely ill epilepsy patient the goals are to stop the seizures and figure out why the patient is seizing. Meningitis, stroke, tumor, drug toxicity; there are many potential triggers for breakthrough seizures. The treatments and investigation are extensive and expensive.
The patient showed me her hospital discharge papers. Among these was her bill: $87,415. Medicare paid $18,000 of this. Her obligation (she doesn’t have a Medicare supplemental policy) was about $1700. I couldn’t resist. I asked if they could imagine what it would be like if there was no Medicare. They expressed disbelief of course. I followed up informing them that the new Republican HHS Secretary wants to end Medicare. Her sister scoffed: “that will never happen”.
“Well, that’s what the GOP wants to do. They want to privatize it so you (looking at the patient) will have to go out and purchase insurance on the open market. I looked at her hospital bill. “It is unlikely any insurer will cover you with a history of these kind of expenses unless you pay a very large premium.”
Her sister took over:
“You must be a Democrat” with slight but noticeable scorn in her voice. Her message being that I am mislead by the librul media.
“No, really, I have the article about this in my waiting room. Please read it.”
“You’ve heard wrong. They won’t do that.”
“Don’t listen to me, read the article, It is Tom Price’s words. They really want to do this. Two days after the inauguration Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, announced his plan to privatize Medicare.” Her eyes widened just a little. It was clear that she had not heard this.
“Well, I’m sure it will all work out.”
I left it there. As they were leaving she said: “I paid my taxes for years. They can’t do that!”
I pointed to the table in the corner covered with recent issues of Science magazine, books of approachable poetry, railroad books (I like trains), and a spectacular volume on plankton, but none of the mindless trash-mags seen in most waiting rooms. I stopped those a few years ago.
“There’s the article, I encourage you to read it.”
As I charted the visit I glanced back at the waiting room. The sister was looking at the article on the table but hadn’t picked it up. After they left I noticed that the article was gone.
It is clear to me from her response that she cannot imagine life without Medicare. Likewise, she cannot believe that any politician would take it away and, I hope, is now shocked that her Republican party wants to do just that.
I am convinced that, despite the influence of culture and tribalism, if more Americans understood GOP priorities and plans they would revolt. I understand the argument that facts don’t matter to Republican voters. My experience indicates that facts matter. They just have to be presented appropriately.
This is a tiny example of the high hurdle Progressive’s face; poorly informed fellow citizens. It also illustrates one tool we can use to fight back. Look for every opportunity to educate (those teachable moments) and, though it is a bit stressful, take those opportunities to confront, gently but firmly, the citizens who have the most to lose with the goals of today’s anti-American Republican party
After she left I put another copy of the article in the waiting room.
