Patient Choice

One of the major tenants of Medicare is patient choice.  As a professional in this industry, my pet peeve is any provider telling you “this company” will be your provider.  Medicare does allow for patient choice.  Many hospitals and rehabs have their “preferred” providers, but they CANNOT refuse to honor your choice of a rehab, home health, home care or hospice.

In actuality, they probably own that agency.  To be fair, your insurance provider may limit choices, but if your provider of choice is covered…they CANNOT refuse to honor your choice. Many large hospitals and rehabs have been buying up Medicare Home Health Agencies and Hospices so they can get a big cut of that business.  They don’t give you choices, they just act like they are doing you a favor by “handling” this for you.  Beware of them.  I don’t name names…but this is the truth.