LETTERS: HEALTH CHARGES ARE FRAUD

To the editor:

My 12-year-old son was burned on his right leg in September. He was in the hospital for nine days. You couldn't ask for better care. No doubt about it, he had a bad leg.

But this is why Medicare is in trouble. Medicare wasn't involved here, but I am a veteran with a 100 percent service-connected disability. I have health coverage which is paid by our government on the same basis as Medicare. When my son was discharged from the hospital, the doctor ordered the hospital's home health service to make daily visits until the nurses deemed we no longer needed them. We were urged to take this service, so we accepted.

On the first trip, the nurse dressed the burn. When we had to dress it again, we could hardly get the bandage off. The nurse didn't put enough silver sulfadizine cream on it, and it stuck. The next day a nurse came, and she wouldn't even dress the wound. I had to. When she left, my wife and I decided we could do better, so we canceled the service.

Now here is the real kicker: Two trips, one nurse each, and a total of about 100 miles. The home health service charged $266. The elderly never see the charges, and most wouldn't understand them anyway. But all of these home health providers are a ripoff to the patients, and the taxpayers end up paying for the fraud.

My wife and I have been taking care of six elderly people the last 15 years, and we know firsthand how Medicare and home health operate. Our congresswoman should take a real close look.

HAROLD REED

Leopold