Medicare

Earlier this week I received an email from StopAfib.Org advising me of potential Medicare actions in reference to ablations. The following is the email I sent to my Congressman Dan Crenshaw..



Sir

You frequently send me information…..now it is my turn.

About 13 years ago I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The quality of my life was significantly impacted in a negative manner…..never knew when I would have a debilitating episode. I was prescribed antiarrhythmic medication but not only was it ineffective in controlling my arrhythmia the side effects were worse than the condition. Additionally the medication was extremely expensive. Fortunately through a website (Lone Atrial Fibrillation) I was able to learn about cardiac ablations…..but more specifically about Andre Natale at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s hospital in Austin. In March 2011 I had an ablation with Natale and have been event-free ever since. At the time I had group healthcare coverage through my employer. I am now retired and on Medicare.

It would be an understatement to say that this procedure restored the quality of life……not only me but also for my family!!!!!!! It is not hyperbole to say it may have saved my life.

An ablation is potentially not a cure. In fact some people require more than one just to treat their current condition. Others require later additional procedures. So, there exists the possibility that atrial fibrillation could return and I would be a candidate for a second procedure. In this event would return to Natale in Austin for the procedure.

Apparently, Medicare now wants to not cover this procedure.

This is beyond my comprehension!!!

What is next…..no coverage for cancer treatment, no coverage for other heart conditions, no coverage for joint replacement, no coverage for diabetes……..an ablation is not covered by Medicare but they will cover you for the stroke caused by atrial fibrillation (that makes complete bureaucratic sense!!!).

Please check out the information listed below or “afibbers.org” to help to prevent this onerous action by Medicare.


Thank you for you assistance


Steve Worford
Spring, Tx.


What rational is Medicare using to stop coverage of ablations???!!!

Thanks for your posting. His situation describes mine.

The single greatest threat to socialized medicine is the aged body. People near retirement are already beginning to lean more heavily on their physicians and experts, and it just gets worse. It doesn't surprise me that the central medical authorities far and wide are trying to cut 'fat' by dinging those who are in the minority and who are unlikely to affect their 'service' by virtue of being a mere minority. I don't know how many people out of 100 selected at random can be expected to require at least one ablation, but it can't be much more than 2%. Let's double it to 4%. It's still a small portion of people who could cause trouble for the decision-makers. Meanwhile, transplants, pacemakers, statins, crutches, and cancers, all those much more common things represent a majority of those needing care.

Yes, I am cynical, but if one follows the money, one is sure to define success, depending on whose views one takes.

Let's give another $250 million to a bunch of foreigners claiming to feed 20,000 children daily out of a single restaurant. Way more important than having people that paid into the system for 50+ years avoid having strokes.

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