New HHS director overseeing cms. Medicare alert for transplant patients.

[Eyak1971]

Just 2 days ago I had a conversation with my transplant doctor about my concern that with a new administration that my medicare subsidy for my anti rejection medication would be at risk. And wondered what he thought if his patients would not be able to afford their medication, which usually runs about $1000 per month. Presently for those on Medicare 80% is paid by the program through part b and a supplement picks up the rest for me. His response was not to worry until the new HHS director is named. The director also oversees CMS also. So today I started to worry big time. politico.com/news/2024/11/1...

If you have any positive thoughts to deter this worry please share.

I realize this post is a little different than most. But I will not have any worry about medications or side effects or treatment if I cannot afford my medication and treatment.

[Merlin_Way]

Eyak, I have a similar worry about Medicaid in my state. I'm in blue Maryland so I'm unlikely to lose coverage, but decisions in Washington could have downstream effects. Trump doesn't seem interested in touching Social Security so I assume the same for Medicare. Poor old whites are an important part of his voter base.

That said, the real RFK might be rolling in his grave by how his name abbreviation is being applied to the strange decisions of his son. I can see why RFK Jr might want to blame something for his health struggles, but his advice about vaccines is frightening. We already have way too many misguided parents not vaccinating their children for the most obvious risks. We certainly don't need a chief who could sabotage our preparations for the next pandemic.

[Eyak1971 in reply to Merlin_Way]

Cms handles so much for the health of all citizens from vaccines to investigations into new treatments for kidney disease. And multiple other Healthcare concerns. The entire elderly and poor population of the US could be wiped out due to lack of affordability for treatment of a new disease. It almost happened with covid. Think what would have had happened if the vaccine was only available for the rich or if it had never been developed for lack of government support. Would you or I be alive today?

[Merlin_Way in reply to Eyak1971]

Covid was very frightening, for sure. I have a Dr Fauci bobblehead. Thankfully in 2020, Trump did not throw any roadblocks that I know of, in stopping the pandemic. RFK Jr is concerning, but he has to obey his master, someone who bends with the conservative winds. I think the worst Bobby Jr can do is to stop vaccine requirements in public schools. Banning some chemicals in industrial foods wouldn't hurt.

[Eyak1971 in reply to Merlin_Way]

Thanks for sharing. We all hope for the best but when it comes to Medicare benefits that hope is shredded once you take a look at those who will be in control of funding. Big business has already taken steps in the past to privatize and generate profits through medicare advantage programs. My phone rings constantly soliciting such programs. So it would not be out of the realm of possibilities that appointees with large insurance companies ties would go out of their way to drastically change social security with the propaganda that they will save the program even though they are the one of the main reasons it is having problems. And when that change happens there is no going back. But with that said in government as with the Healthcare there are many new ideas in saving money and lives but talk and action that creates success is questionable and always deserves a second opinion. You have the option in your daily Healthcare but in politics it is rarely offered and sometimes hidden in main media. When we were in school we were told to question and research to make good decisions. We do that regularly on this forum when it comes to disease and we would not trust a doctor who was only right half thee time. Our lives are too important. The same should be true of anyone who has such an important position of lives of millions. In the past government officials have been slow to respond to epidemic or just sit in denial as lives were lost. Again we know in our disease those 2 reactions never work. So as I stated before. Find others that you trust .

[horsie63]

Holy hell how frightening this all is.

[Eyak1971 in reply to horsie63]

Totally agree. Now is the time to support each other by discussing this issue with your doctor, your congress person, and maybe your neighbor. Waiting until after the fact is not an answer. All of us who are on dialysis or have a transplant know how important time is and how quickly health issues can change if you wait to take your medication or to go for a treatment.

[horsie63]

I'm afraid my congress person would support this as this state is heavily Republican and supports Trump. So I'll do what I can to stay as healthy as possible, not miss any treatments, take my meds as prescribed. It's all I can do.

[PuggyWuggy]

I worry also as I receive SSI and have Medicaid. However, I remind myself that these Trump appointments first have to be approved by the Senate. Even though the Senate has a Republican majority, according to the news, many Republican senators were shocked by Trumps choosing RFK. I am therefore hoping that they will reject this QUACK!

[Eyak1971 in reply to PuggyWuggy]

Hope also. But keep in mind it did not vote to impeach after jan. 6 episode. But with that said . Take a look at my previous quote. Handle fear, make violence rebound. We do that every day with kidney disease. We handle the fear of sickness by choosing the best treatments for our bodies and making the disease rebound with less intensity or harm.

[PuggyWuggy]

I feel that they (republicans did not vote to impeach because they would then be voting the Republican party out of power (outing out the Republican president). Not approving of someone that Trump wants to appoint, who is obviously going to cause problems, and who is so blatantly unqualified is a different matter and will reflect poorly on Republicans. I am just trying to hold on to some bit of hope. I would be lying if I said I am not very worried. 😳

[Eyak1971 in reply to PuggyWuggy]

Trust yourselfFind others who you trust

Grieve

Release that which you cannot change

Find your path

Do not obey in advance, do not self censor

Get real about power

Handle fear, make violence rebound

Envision a positive future

[PuggyWuggy in reply to Eyak1971]

Thank you! I paid more attention to this upon my second reading of it, and am copying it and keeping it for when (or if) I panic or lose hope. It is sage advice!

[Eyak1971 in reply to PuggyWuggy]

Take care and the best to you for the holidays

[ShyeLoverDoctor]

wait and see! No one knows exactly what will happen. Don’t imagine personal disaster when it hasn’t happened.

[Eyak1971 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Thanks for sharing. However denying reality got us here. If there is a possibility of a hurricane and if the weather report puts forward indications of the event you prepare in advance. In this case preparation requires reaching out to others for support and offering support which this forum has done in the past and will continue to do, hopefully.

[ShyeLoverDoctor]

Social security, medicare are sacred in this country. Any politician who is not insane (though some are) knows better than to touch this. Every politician wants to be re-elected. Just because someone who wants to take fluoride from the water (that is under STATE control by the way, not federal) or discourage the use of vaccines, wants unpasteurized milk sold, is not going to necessarily cut this funding, or be able to get away with privatizing it.

[Eyak1971 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Maybe not one individual but several politicians, billionaires, and foundations think the idea would be great and provide a landfall profit for them. That is what the next 4 years will be. Point blank - profit over people. That is why any further plans of negotiating drug prices for meficare will die. It takes only one stone to start a water ripple in a pond. This time we will see several stones thrown in the pond that cause a wave of disasters for the poor and the elderly. Unless you have gone through which each of us has and seen the financial support that was so important from medicare you do not realize that any change in medicare could affect our lives and the lives given to make our lives better. That importance cannot be taken for granted.

[Eyak1971 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Please take time to read. Social security cuts would cost lives. Ours! salon.com/2024/11/18/has-mu...

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to Eyak1971]

People are going to die there’s no question . People will suffer . Chronic conditions untreated will get worse. This is what they voted for. I’m done with this topic.

[Redbone55]

Everyone please stay POSITIVE!! and PRAY🙏 for the best outcome for ourselves and others!! Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING !! 🦃

[Eyak1971 in reply to Redbone55]

Thanks for sharing you well wishes. May in the coming years we be just as thankful as we are today.