Why isn’t Medicare covering needs?

In less than six months a number of Compass Health clients will lose all or part of their current services. Compass Health is Snohomish County’s primary mental health agency. These services include a psychiatrist, who prescribes and monitors medications and a case manager, who provides general counseling, crisis management and handles housing needs.

When I was told that my services would be terminated, I asked the program manager of Compass Edmonds why clients like myself will soon be denied services. I was told that Medicare reimbursement for services is not as good as that of Medicaid (for low income). Ms. Kahn also stated that there are huge penalties for wrongfully filled out Medicare paperwork.

Compass Health serves almost 1,200 clients at 26 locations in Snohomish County. I have not yet found out how many clients will be affected by the new policy. I have been calling psychiatrists in both Snohomish and King counties to line up a doctor at least for medications before my services are discontinued. So far, I have found all of the doctors I have called either unwilling to accept new patients or unwilling to accept Medicare.

I am left with the basic question of why, since 1983, was my Medicare-under 65-disabled insurance accepted by all doctors in both California and Washington, but nowI find it difficult to get Medicare accepted at all?

Edmonds