It's not just hearing aids. I take care of my father-in-law who is in a nursing home with lasat stage Alzhiemers. A recent pharmacy bill included 9 tubes of Zenoderm
( an ointment for bed sores)at a full-pay price of over %90.00 a tube. The man has Blue Cross coverage, which wasn't submitted. The Blue Cross price was $9.06. There is an over the counter substitute which I'm told is essentially the same thing, for $6.50.
9 tubes would last for over 9 months.

The Alzheimers medicine (Remedil) has a price through Blue Cross of around $60.00. If Medicare pays, it's $250.00. When the mistake to not submit to Blue Cross was made
the price was $366.00. This is from a place that charged over $65.00 for a "welcome basket".

The physician that visits the nursing home charges $160.00 per visit, and usually sends a physicians assistant. He looks at the charts of over 30 patients, rarely examines them, and charges each one the $160.00. That's $4800 for about an hour visit.

What a frustration...constantly trying to correct substandard care, stolen items, bruises and skin tears from untrained aids...overbilling, etc.

Sadly, older people are taken advantage of...they're the forgotten ones.


Russ