By Lisa Hall, Appeals Administrator, Center for Medicare AdvocacyAfter beginning to work for Medicare beneficiaries, I was amazed to realize that Medicare, which is a federal health care insurance that we are all entitled to and count on being there for us one day, spends so much time, money and energy trying to limit health care coverage – often with denials stating that care is not reasonable and necessary or that patients are chronic or stable or have longstanding conditions which are unlikely to improve. Though with advocacy, it’s amazing how many Medicare denials are overturned in the appeals process.
Now that I am getting closer to retirement age myself, of course, these issues are becoming even more of a concern for me personally. We should all be dedicated not only to preserving Medicare for elders and those with disabilities, but also to advocating to be sure that it’s the program President Johnson intended it to be when we all need it, too.