Pulling the Rug Out From Medicaid Doesn't Fix It

Yesterday I went to rally for medicaid matters  in Bonners Ferry at the visitor center in the city parking lot. Like all state there is terrible shortfall of revenue to aid our state mostly for those who are at disadvantage.

I heard stories form people who has children with some type of mental disability or intelligent disability.

The bottom line I have two clients I get paid though Idaho medicaid which is part of health and welfare.

I have 22 and ½ hours. One client gets 15 and the other gets 7 and ½ hours.

I'm happy with my hours and I can't complain much about my wages for the area I live in. My average wage is $11 an hour. Actual I'm paid $12.65 or $10.72 depending on which task I'm doing.

But the company I work for actual twice a year gives us profit shares

But actual the average wage for the home care worker in Idaho is $9.08 and hour. The lower end of this average is $7.83 and the upper end of this average is $9.22.

I don't have the correct figures but I have heard that medicaid pays these homecare agency from $13.00 to $16.00 an hour. Will come back in put in correct amount when I find out. But one time I did have the info what medicaid paid these agencies

A lot of home care agency are actual a corporation. The agency I work for has right around 300 employees.

Simple math if an agency has let say has a 100 employees and they get $13.00 an hour and medicaid bills them for and hour of work they would receive $1300 and hour. Out of this money the only thing legal for them to do is pay federal minimum wage which is $7.25 an hour.

Opinion time...I felt if they took out the homecare agency that it would be fairer or cheaper for medicaid to pay us directly at $10.50 to $13.00 an hour. Depending on job performance and seniority

Take out the middle man.

Like I said I get profit sharing instead of that give us performance bonus.

If we work over our hours we don't get paid. This mostly happen if we have to take our client out of the area for some type of appointment.

Monday the 28^th I have to take a client to Courd Alene for a doctor appointment.

But before this she has a counseling appointment at 9 in morning. So I'll have to be there a little before 8 in the morning to help her get moving. Statement time...these people with disability moves slower.

She out of counseling by ten hopeful there no trouble leaving town. So there an hour and half to two hour drive to Courd'Alene.

Her doctor appointment is at one in the afternoon. Statement time..It's anyone guess how long the doctor appointment will be.

Since she has no real money to buy her own lunch she lives on less then $700 a month I'll end up buying lunch. I won't get reimbursement back for this cost.

Medicaid only allows 100 miles a month for clients transportation either medical or non medical. I'm guess the round trip will be about 150 miles. So 50 miles I won't get paid.

Confession time...my accounting advise me to take mileage off my taxes so I don't claim for medicaid.

Plus I don't mine buying lunch for her.

So my time for her will be used up and the odds I will be over my 7 and half hours.

Opinion time My one client who gets 7 and1/2 hours actual needs more time then what she assigned.

I wouldn't mind a half hour more to round up my hours. I personally don't want any more hours.

Anyone who has home health aid in the home has a written care plan if it isn't part of the plan. We're not aloud to step outside of the care plan. If a client let say doesn't have personal care marked as part of there plan and there glasses need to be washed we're are not alloud to wash them.
The one client is only alound 26 minutes of shopping. but if they think I did more then the 26 minutes of shopping in week. They get upset and usual send back the paper work.

On all the news outlet either liberal or conservative they been talk about the cost of medicaid for states. On PBS web site they had sites the cost of medicaid.Idaho Cost and one can find the cost of there State Medicaid 

The two clients I take care of has physical disability from birth, accident, injuries, and or illness. I believe both of my clients with some extra care. Not being so penny wise and pound foolish can be more independent if a little bit more was invested in them.

There are not what I call nursing home clients or even close.

Statement..I understand why there rules and bounds.

If proper treatment in a set time period. I believe my two clients would or could be less cost in the long run to medicaid system. Then what they are or will be costing the state-medicaid today.

Opinion time..I believe both of my clients with increase in set hours. I believe both of my clients would not need any more home care service or using less then 6 hours a week.

Actual this should happen long before and I believe the odds are in favor present day they would'nt cost medicaid as much in the long run. Before this budget cries.

I find it criminal what the drug company charges medicaid. I figure one of my clients medication cost the state right around $1000 a month.

I heard it been suggest these people buy for there own drugs.

Come on how can these people afford this.

Plus I think some alternative medical treatment should be consider other then standard American medical and drug company treatments.

Statement time..Once again I understand the need for bounds for alternative treatment just like the standard medical treatments.

I find it disturbing on how the budget is cut.

from those who are lease of them who can't afford or stand up for them self.

With out proper protection of lease of us someone will or could take advantage of them.

If anyone interested I found a blog called disability rights idaho
Editor Note...My clients are mentally sharp. I worry more about those who aren't and someone could take advantage of them.