I have a friend that is some kind of medical assistant in a doctor’s office. I think she has 3 years of study – maybe only 2. She has learned her way around in that particular setting, and no-doubt is qualified to do what she does. My wife has a cousin who has been a nurse in the local hospital for probably close to 30 years. She has been the lead nurse and supervisor of the Intensive Care Unit, and who knows what else. Neither one of them are a doctor. Each one has a place to fill. What’s interesting is that whenever there is a medical question, the medical assistant with the least amount of training is the first to offer advice. The hospital nurse is more likely to NOT offer advice unless asked and then would probably know the right questions to ask before proceeding. But if I needed heart surgery, I wouldn’t be paying too much attention to either one of them. I would be going to a specialist that has done a ton of heart surgeries. If I could help it, I wouldn’t be looking for a family doctor trying out his first heart surgery.
------------------------------- I’ve worked with families that were given BAD ADVICE about Long-Term Care Medicaid FROM A WORKER AT HEALTH AND WELFARE. I’m not sure WHO gave the bad advice, but consider this: When we talk about big business, I believe the State of Idaho is the biggest employer in the state of Idaho. That is, the state government has more employees than any other employer in the state. Of all the state departments, the largest by far, both in budget and in employees, is the Department of Health and Welfare. Inside Health and Welfare, there are a bunch of different programs:
Child Support Services
Behavioral Health (Adult Mental Health/ Addictions)
Children’s Mental Health
Child Protection Services
Food Stamps
Emergency Assistance
Adult Developmental Disabilities
Adoptions
Children’s Developmental Disabilities / Infant Toddler
Day Care Licensing
Medicaid
(Hopefully, I didn’t miss too many other programs.) Within Medicaid, there are several programs including
Medical assistance for pregnant women
Low-income families with children
Over-lapping services tied to mental health
Child protection & adoption
Special programs for some disabled children and adults
Aid for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled, and
Long-Term Care or Nursing Home care Medicaid.
Each of those MEDICAID programs have different rules to qualify and special exceptions to the basic rules. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that you might get an answer from the person that has just come out of training. They know an answer, but don’t know when to ASK more questions. In the end, you get the RIGHT answer from the one that does that work all day every day. Have you been given Medicaid Advice, only to find out it is wrong?
Tell me about it.