Imagine the
following scenario and assess what you would do in the situation…
“I’d love to make some homemade applesauce. I think I will
go down to the fruit stand to pick up some apples” you say to your dog as you
head out the door to the fruit stand. After making your way into town, the
green grocer greeted you with a warm and friendly “Good morning! What can I get
for you today?”
“I need some apples, so I can make some applesauce. Homemade
always tastes better and there’s often fewer ingredients too.”
“Gee, I am so sorry. We have some lovely bananas, but we’re
all out of apples. Can I interest you in some rhubarb?”
“No, I don’t think those will do, as I am making
applesauce.”
“What about some pomegranates? They are chock packed with
nutrition.”
“No, I am sorry, but those won’t work either. I really need
apples.”
“Well, you can drive four hours south and I think they
might have some apples for you. You could try that.”
“Thanks for the idea, but I am not sure that it will be
worth the travel.”
____________________________________________________________________
Okay, after you have read that
scenario, what are your thoughts towards the fruit stand employee? What would
you do in that situation? Maybe change your mind and not make applesauce after
all? What if all of the stores within a 30-mile radius were also sold out of
apples? Would you make the trek?
In the
example scenario, it outlines something I learned today from my visit with a
social worker at my local VA outpatient clinic. See, there is this program
called Choice, which is supposed to be a safety net for veterans if they need
care, specialized or routine. In my previous clinic location, I was placed on
community care via the Choice program for dermatology, rheumatology, and
gastroenterology. Since the clinic where I received care in the past did not
have these specialists on hand, this system worked for me, for the most part.
However, at my new clinic location,
I was told that if you are within a 30-mile radius of a VA health clinic, the
veteran would not be eligible for the Choice program. I even inquired if this
would still be the same answer if the clinic did not have certain specialists
on hand, such as a rheumatologist, gastroenterologist, or dermatologist. Sadly,
I was informed that it would still apply. Seriously. If I want to receive care
from these specialists, I will have to drive nearly 4 hours (each way, so 8
hours round-trip). With my hips seizing up after sitting in a car for less than
an hour, it does not look like I will be receiving any care from these types of
specialists. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and irritable bowel
syndrome, along with a familial history of colon and bone cancers. This system
is broken.
What would you do in this situation?
No comments:
Post a Comment