Sahuaro
Agreed re disabled advocates groups and I really think that the "Grey Panthers" will get moving on something like this and AARP will get involved..
Anyone who is a Medicare recipient may want to communicate/correspond with an advocacy group's representative, as well as contacting local/district political representatives/Congressperson~
There are plenty of healthy Medicare recipients or persons that are in good general health. While the general population of 60 and above may be excluded from clinical trials, that doesn't mean a person of otherwise good health is not a candidate for much of what is tested in clinical trials, in fact, much of what is tested is utilized or prescribed for an over 60 y.o. population re meds, technology on the cardiac and orthopedic front and so forth.
As an RN,NP I worked in many a setting where the patients receiving various implants were considered to be middle aged, or elderly. A good surgical candidate is a requirement for many a surgery, however, with stents, valves, pacemakers and such, often the population is lying in and around 50-70 plus years old..
Now more than ever, insurance issues are at the heart of everything. Reimbursement~ a key issue in healthcare..
However, I'm 52, my WC insurance may pay for ADR (who knows) and I'm in good general health, it really galls me to think that I spent half my life working in healthcare only to become a recipient of an insurance carrier that wouldn't pay for something at my age that might actually prolong my life, allow me to be productive once again, and allow me to benefit from working and maybe not taking 6-8 medications related to whatever condition I might have..
What a system that only allows the rich and well insured to have life sustaining/altering/improving healthcare~
The idea of healthcare for everyone in this society is almost laughable.. but it's not..
I'm going to contact my city's Disabled Resources Center to see if I can speak with someone about this~ also want to put something in writing that will address/respond to what has been stated by Dr.Deyo in this interview.
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