Since around the second week of March, we've all been barred from nursing homes. Predictably, individually well-meaning regulators, assisted-living staff, some providers, and coders/billing specialists have descended into a morass of unchecked irresponsibility. What's missing is ALL OF US to keep an eye on all things involving our parents' care. We're the ultimate gatekeepers, and we're locked out of the places.

To say nothing about the heartbreaking effects of isolation on our loved ones. In normal times, we take care of all the small things like health and hygeine supplies from the grocery and pharmacy, and making sure Mom or Dad has enough blankets, and that the alert button gets a [timely] response. Now, as bad or worse than neglect is the phalanx of healthcare "providers" coming in to make decisions over which we're not allowed to be present to offer help and advice.

The New York Times' (NYT) Sarah Kliff and Kaiser Health News' (KHN) Elisabeth Rosenthal have chronicled many of the strange billing window envelopes that arrive in Americans' mailboxes after "free testing" has been administered. As frustrating as it is to have your insurance company, Medicare, or even yourself billed extravagantly for a "free" covid test, it is much more infuriating to have an unpoliced "provider" take advantage of your elderly loved ones while you are prevented from guarding against the abuse.

DOC$ is linking this Palm Beach Post article by reporter Mike Diamond about a contracted (arranged by the retirement community management) provider taking advantage of senior residents with over-the-top Medicare/insurance billing, as well as performing useless and UNAUTHORIZED tests that even involved TAKING BLOOD in large quantities, all under the guise of "COVID-19" screening. Of course, all done without the involvement of close relatives to monitor the proceedings.

Just to spotlight a few of the more egregious failings:

•  Results were reported so late as to be meaningless

•  unauthorized blood work performed

•  Medicare "billings" as high as over $10,000.00

•  Useless tests like reproductive levels on a 71 year old woman

DOC$ consistently adds our "mission" tagline to all our posts:

Know the Cost of Healthcare BEFORE You Go In!

...but for today, we're going to add another helpful prompt. Practice this on your primary care physician. He or she is a trusted family friend and care partner, and will certainly understand and support your initiative:

Question What is Being Done or Ordered In Your Name!

The experience and insights we'll gain will help us all to better advocate for our parents. Even from a distance.