I wonder if that's the philosophy of governments and health "care" as we age out and hopefully cascade into our graves or incinerators?
Don't get me wrong as I do have a medical team that is par excellence when so many don't. At last count, there were seven all told doing their very best to keep me upright.
But the peripherals are absolutely maddening. An essential drug was unfunded out of the blue eleven days ago by the lords of the health care system. We fought for the coverage nearly a year ago and won. Then it was yanked suddenly with no warning. My clinician was off on hols as was my doctor and the pharmacy was apologetic and said nothing could be done but I could pay for it out of pocket. Knowing how bureaucracy works, I declined as I knew it would be the nail in my coffin and my pocket as it would never get funded again. So I hung on with a few scattered pain relievers until the team got back. It was all sorted and for a year's coverage. How maddeningly unnecessary to put an old woman into such stress.
Secondly there was a $400 supplement allocated to seniors in the province, I applied in January and helped others with the complicated application which involved detailed descriptions of out of pocket medical expenses AND verification of actual addresses via copy of electricity bills. No on line apps permitted and a CHEQUE would be issued, no auto deposit, so copy of a cheque to be sent with the app. Can you believe this absolute nonsense in the year of Our Lord 2025?
So I mailed off a wad of these apps having scanned all the bits and pieces of paper that had to accompany them. This pittance of $400 was used up if I was being paid for services to others in this complicated process.
And here we are, July 2025 and a scattered few have received their cheques and the rest of us are left stewing, all old in various stages of decrepitude. Are the almighty "they" hoping we'll toss off this mortal coil before the cheques (maybe they're handwritten, whut?) are issued.
More work: I sent an email off to our member of parliament (I know him) with a request to find out what had happened in this sporadic issue of cheques to some and none to the majority of us?
Crickets.
All part of a senior's existence, fighting for the scraps, fighting for what's fair and just.
And hoping there's a sliver of energy left over to suck a bit of joy out of the remains of the day.
Oh, my, your. small pittance sounds awfully hard to achieve. I wish you luck, but it may be awhile. Here, in the US, it took decades to get the federal government to understand that not allowing teachers to draw a full social security payment was wrong. Ronald Reagan, the President at the time of the law, said those who drew a pension from a government agency should not get social security. And yet, military personnel, like my husband, got social security right along with his military pension. Finally, as his last act, President Biden reversed that rule and let us even have a one-year retroactive payment. It was a nice chunk of money and now my social security payment is a few hundred more each month. Hopefully, your payment will also make its way to you, and soon.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Delaine. It's such a small amount but it's the principle of the thing. So many in my building need this for just a wee bit of joy. And to dangle the carrot and not fulfil is enraging me.
DeleteIt sucks the energy from everyone entitled to this tiny supplement.
XO
WWW
I heard that some disability welfare recipients received $200 from the Federal Government, and the Alberta government cut their state allowance by $200.
ReplyDeleteNot surprising. Alberta has gone over the edge here, the most appalling premier threatening the rest of the provinces and completely pro-Trump. It's a crisis but hopefully Carney can talk her down off the ledge of separation.
DeleteXO
WWW
It sounds like a terrible system and I could be snarky and say "wait until they are old and need help", but many of your politicians are already old and far too rich to ever suffer as normal people do. I'd like to smack them all until their heads spin. I don't know much about out of pocket expenses, I take only three prescribed medications per day and pay out $21 per month.
ReplyDeleteIt's meant to cover home assistance and peripherals, basically a token payment to shut us up. Our meds are basically all covered. A dispensing fee of $6 only on each one. So that adds up for some including myself who are on a lot.
DeleteXO
WWW
This sounds like a terrible system, and makes me happy to live where I do, where all - or almost all - health expenses are tax paid. I pay for the dentist and glasses, and I paid (heavily) for allergy desensibilisation ... and some vaccinations are also on a pay it yourself basis, but nobody really has to pay more than 2.056,75 kr a year for prescribed medications (around 440 Canadian Dollars); all surgery and hospital stays are free of charge.
ReplyDeleteWe have our problems with care of elderly and sick persons, but nothing like what you describe.
I wish for you to have strength to enjoy he Summer despite these adversities!
DeleteOh everything is covered Charlotte and on the whole we are happy with it. But out of pocket for seniors on small pensions are an issue. Ambiances aren't covered for instance. So I think that contributes to poorer attention at the ER. It's all the small stuff that drives us mad. Like fighting for expensive pain meds that are NOT covered. And then they concede. But the battles are exhausting for elders. And completely unnecessary.
DeleteXO
WWW
One could be forgiven for thinking that the government hires people who will be most difficult to deal with and least responsive to the genuine concerns of its citizens! As for expecting your MP to help - good luck with that!
ReplyDeleteHaving advocated for years David, I do wonder if it's all deliberate, hoping we're old and tired and will just give up. Absolutely maddening.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW