What Is Freedom In Health Care?

What is FREEDOM? 

The dictionary states: 

FREEDOM is the quality or state of being free, the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.

    Did you know that you have the Freedom of Choice in your health care? 

   When a situation arises and we need to choose which route to take through an illness, surgery and recovery, we often let someone lead us along the path without regard to our unique circumstances.  For instance, after surgery and when being discharged to your home with home health, you should be able to choose which company you would like to serve you. 

   All home health agencies offer exactly the same services as mandated by the government.  The only difference is the people who work for that company.

  Because of the health situation my family has had in the last month, I have had the experience of feeling that choice taken away.  Long story short, my husband broke his back and after almost a week in ICU and then to another room, the Discharge Planner/Social Worker from the hospital came in to help us plan for his care when we took him home. I found that my insurance company offered only two choices for Home Health Care.  Neither of them were Freedom, the company I work for and neither of them had the therapist I had hoped could care for my husband contracted with them.  I filed an appeal with the insurance company but they have the luxury of a thirty day time period in order to answer the appeal. The insurance representative assured me that I had a choice: I could choose one of the two companies they offered and it would be paid 100% OR I could go out-of-network, incur an additional $3000 in out-of-pocket deductibles and be responsible for 40% of the bill for the visits.  

   Maybe I am an oddity, but who, in their right mind, would want to add such a large amount to an already growing stack of medical bills?  I felt as if I were being punished for making a "choice".  With over 30 agencies serving in Utah Valley, all who can offer only the EXACT same services, why did I only have two to choose from? As time went on and we prepared to take him home, I had to make a choice.  The company we went with has done a wonderful job in caring for my husband.  They have been timely, professional and very knowledgeable. I am so grateful to have health insurance to help pay for these services and grateful that my sweetheart is continuing to improve.

   People who are not insured under Medicare, specifically, have not reached retirement age, rarely use their home health benefits from their health insurance and if they do, it is even more rare that they realize there is a choice.  Once in the Medicare system, you can choose ANY Home Health Agency as they all must be certified as a provider with Medicare. That still does not guarantee you will be given a choice, you MUST speak up and let them know what YOU want, what would be best for YOUR loved one.

   For me and my husband, we have a lifelong friend who is a Physical Therapist who had suffered a similar injury about three years ago.  He has gone through the steps of learning how to walk, healing and returning to work.  I felt that he would be the best person for my husbands rehabilitation not only for his knowledge and skill of therapy but for the mental connection and understanding he would have of the situation.  This boils down to one of my first statements; All home health agencies offer exactly the same services as mandated by the government.  The only difference is the people who work for that company. Why then, would I only be able to choose from two?

   One of the greatest lessons I have learned from this experience, so far, is that I value Freedom. I think the majority of Americans do too.  I hope to be able to help everyone understand that they DO have a choice in health care and they should fight for that right.  I think it is no coincidence that I chose to work for FREEDOM HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE.  Freedom is just the American thing to do;)