I was exchanging some emails with a customer who lives thousands of miles away and found out she has cataracts and other health issues but no supplemental health insurance since her husband passed away and she thinks she can't get any. So she has gone without a surgery that could improve her life. In such situations we all wish there was something we could do and of course there is, we can see if there are any programs available where someone will go and sit down with the individual to see if they can solve the issue. So I hit the internet and found that there are such individuals who will go and sit down with seniors in their home if as in her case they are unable to get out and about.
SHIPs, or State Health Insurance and Assistance Programs, are not a source of funding for eldercare. SHIPs are free, state counseling services that help seniors understand their Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap (Medicare Supplemental Insurance) and Medicaid benefits.
The SHIP program will send someone out to the home of the person who need assistance in understanding what is available for them in the way of assistance in this instance for a low income individual who needs supplemental insurance. Each state has its own SHIP program. Here is the website link to the primary website with links to the sites for each state.
https://www.medicare.gov/contacts/#...P — State Health Insurance Assistance Program
As we travel in our RVs and have discussions we will come across other older women who are struggling to deal with insurance. It is difficult enough to understand when younger but age just seems to make it all that more complex to sort out all the rules. So quite often the situation is the person who needs help has simply given up trying and is going without the care they need because they can't figure it all out. This is especially true among women as many older women don't like to be as assertive as it usually takes to get through to the person on the other end of the phone. I can't even count the number of times I have had to tell the insurance representative on the line....stop...slow down...speak more slowly. They say the same thing over and over everyday and they are clueless that they say it so fast that it becomes an audible blur of words all slurred together.
Of course cataracts are an issue for anyone who wants to have a life on the road. It makes night driving nearly impossible and it makes day time driving difficult too. But the point is don't give up if you are not getting cataract surgery because of insurance issues, try to get some help from the SHIP program to see if it can be sorted out so you can get or stay on the road and get the medical care you need to keep yourself safe, productive and happy. Speaking of myself my getting out on the road was delayed by more than 3 years due to eye issues requiring a total of 5 surgeries. But fortunately it all worked out and I can now pass the driver's license vision test without needing glasses to drive.
SHIPs, or State Health Insurance and Assistance Programs, are not a source of funding for eldercare. SHIPs are free, state counseling services that help seniors understand their Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap (Medicare Supplemental Insurance) and Medicaid benefits.
The SHIP program will send someone out to the home of the person who need assistance in understanding what is available for them in the way of assistance in this instance for a low income individual who needs supplemental insurance. Each state has its own SHIP program. Here is the website link to the primary website with links to the sites for each state.
https://www.medicare.gov/contacts/#...P — State Health Insurance Assistance Program
As we travel in our RVs and have discussions we will come across other older women who are struggling to deal with insurance. It is difficult enough to understand when younger but age just seems to make it all that more complex to sort out all the rules. So quite often the situation is the person who needs help has simply given up trying and is going without the care they need because they can't figure it all out. This is especially true among women as many older women don't like to be as assertive as it usually takes to get through to the person on the other end of the phone. I can't even count the number of times I have had to tell the insurance representative on the line....stop...slow down...speak more slowly. They say the same thing over and over everyday and they are clueless that they say it so fast that it becomes an audible blur of words all slurred together.
Of course cataracts are an issue for anyone who wants to have a life on the road. It makes night driving nearly impossible and it makes day time driving difficult too. But the point is don't give up if you are not getting cataract surgery because of insurance issues, try to get some help from the SHIP program to see if it can be sorted out so you can get or stay on the road and get the medical care you need to keep yourself safe, productive and happy. Speaking of myself my getting out on the road was delayed by more than 3 years due to eye issues requiring a total of 5 surgeries. But fortunately it all worked out and I can now pass the driver's license vision test without needing glasses to drive.