THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 29, 1994 TAG: 9408270002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
I read with great interest the Aug. 21 news articles about the difficulties of locating Medicare-participating physicians in Hampton Roads.
As the wife of a Medicare-eligible individual who is disabled and under age 65, I have been very concerned about this. I carry insurance through the Federal Government Employees Benefit Program. The insurer is my husband's first payor and Medicare his second. We often must pay out of pocket for care when providers do not participate in Medicare. It is much easier to find a provider who participates in my insurance than Medicare, and we are fortunate to have some physicians participating in both.
Since it was proposed to use the Federal Employees Benefit Program as the first ``dump'' of beneficiaries into the national health-care program (President Clinton's plan), I have been frightened at what might happen.
When a local TV channel sponsored a televised health-care forum that included one of President Clinton's representatives, I was amazed at the response to my question about what would happen to a beneficiary in the category of my husband.
I then wrote letters to my congressmen. One sent me a form letter, and I got no response from the others.
I contend that very few of our congressional representatives understand how Medicare and the Social Security system interact with private medical coverage or with the coverage afforded to the same category of beneficiaries who are retired military beneficiaries.
As a health-benefits adviser for the government, I see many families who have a family member enter into this ``disabled, under age 65'' situation and no one advises them properly about having to have Part B of Medicare in order to retain their CHAMPUS eligibility until after they face thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket expenses and come to see a health-benefits adviser.
All I can do is strive to continue in the educational side, hoping they are reached before a family member becomes disabled. I also continue to read and try to digest the information that is published about the proposed national health-care plan.
I noted that President Clinton is now rethinking about the Federal Employees Benefit Program becoming a part of his plan. I want no one to change this benefit. It is the main reason that I work for the government.
SHELBY B. STEVENS
Chesapeake, Aug. 22, 1994 by CNB