UCSF Multiple Sclerosis CenterPatient involvement gets results... Every day millions of people just like you visit the health care provider for anything from a checkup to a serious medical crisis. No matter why you visit, you may come away with instructions for your care. Listening to your care provider, understanding what was said, and choosing to participate in that advice can have a direct impact on how you will ultimately feel and how healthy you become.
Communication is a basic part of any health care system. Trust, respect, and compassion are important in any relationship, and to work, they must be mutual. We all share responsibility. The health plan, the physician, the patient, and the employer work together to maximize health, promote wellness, and treat disease effectively.
Members of the health care team have an obligation to communicate clearly and offer consistency and continuity of care. Care recipients and families must also take an active part in the care plan. This is the secret -- participation in active decision making and your own well-being.
How do you do this? Be assertive and educated about your health and condition. Be interested in learning all your options and participating in the decision-making process. Become involved. Ask questions. Get satisfying answers. Share ideas. Voice your opinion. Become a partner in the care plan.
Many patients would happily follow instructions if only they could understand them or remember them after the office visit. It is normal to be a bit nervous when you see your care provider, especially if there is a serious medical problem at hand. Sometimes you can be so relieved when you leave the medical office that you forget the instructions altogether.
Here are some TIPS for your next office visit:
Many people are not aware of the benefits they are eligible for should they become partially or totally disabled. The following summarizes available fiscal and medical benefits.
There are different types of disability insurance which may be applicable depending upon the severity of the illness. It is important to know what you are eligible for so you can plan for the future and minimize future stress.
Disability benefits generally are either short-term or long-term in nature and are administered by private insurance groups or the state and federal government. Group disability can be purchased on your own or through your employer's insurance company. It can be short- or long-term. Generally these policies stipulate that you will receive a percentage of your present salary for a specific amount of time. Long-term group disability policies can supplement your Social Security Disability benefits.
California State Disability Almost everyone is eligible for California state disability if they are working and have been paying into the state disability fund. You can apply for state disability if you become partially or totally disabled. You can receive a California state disability application from the state office of disability. You should expect a response within three weeks after mailing the application form. State disability will pay you a percentage of your present salary for up to a year.
Federal Disability All US citizens are eligible for long-term disability entitlements, whether they have worked or not. To be eligible for federal disability, you need to be disabled for at least a year. You are allowed to apply for federal disability six months prior to being disabled for a year in anticipation of a continued disability. It is recommended that you do so because it can take six months for the application to be processed. Hopefully, your federal benefits will become effective when your state disability runs its course.
Application for federal disability can be made by telephone interview via a toll-free number (Social Security Administration: 1-800-772-1213). If your request is rejected, you have the right to appeal within 90 days, otherwise you will have to reapply. It is best to obtain professional assistance when filing the appeal.
If you did not work or were self-employed and did not pay into Social Security Disability (SSD), you would then be eligible for disability benefits under the Social Security Supplementary Insurance Law (SSI). SSI will provide a minimum income. Like SSD, you must be disabled for at least a year to be eligible for SSI. For an individual, you must have less than $2000 in assets and, in California, less than $650 monthly income to be eligible.
Like disability benefits there are three forms of medical insurance: Federal, State, and Private.
Federal Insurance Medicare is the national insurance plan which most people over 65 years of age and those who have been disabled for over two years are eligible. Medicare, though good long term medical insurance, does not always cover 100% of your medical costs. So it is suggested that you have a supplementary plan (secondary insurer). Should you be eligible, MediCal can be your supplementary plan in California.
State Insurance MediCal is the medical insurance of the state of California. To be eligible for MediCal, you have to have a disabling diagnosis and have cash assets under two thousand dollars. If your income is over $650/month, you will have to pay a share of cost, which is the difference between your income and the $650. MediCal provides very good catastrophic coverage and will pay for custodial care in nursing homes and 100% of authorized outpatient medical costs.
MediCal beneficiaries are also eligible for In-Home Support Services which pays for non-skilled support personal care and homemaking assistance. Contact your county department of social services for more information.
Private Insurance Should you currently be employed and become disabled, you are allowed to continue your present medical insurance under the COBRA law which will allow you to maintain your present policy and benefit level for a period of 18 months. It is very important that you speak to your employer regarding the cost of the COBRA policy and the benefits covered. The more comprehensive the policy is, the more secure you will feel should your condition become worse. It is important that your policy allow for physical and occupational therapy, home health services, and skilled nursing care. Should you be planning a move in the future, you are better off having medical insurance that is accepted nationally as opposed to limited local health provider coverage (e.g., health maintenance organizations or HMO's, preferred provider groups or PPO's). In most cases, these plans are not transferred to another state.