Economic And Legal Issues, Assessment And Documentation For Optimal Care
(Wk # 4: May 25 to May 31 – Main post under Assignment by Wed, May 27 at 11:59 PM EST).
Students are required to post a minimum of three times per week (1 main post answering the question 100% before Wednesday at 11:59 PM EST and 2 peer responses by Sunday at 11:59 PM EST). The three posts in each individual discussion must be on separate days (same day postings / replies will not be accepted).
Chapter 7 – Economic and Legal Issues.Chapter
Chapter 8 – Assessment and Documentation for Optimal Care.
Questions:
The gerontological nurse is responsible to conduct a complete “head-to-toe” physical assessment. There are several considerations of common changes in late life during physical assessment discussed in your textbook.
1. Mention at least 3 common changes in late life that the gerontological nurse needs to have in consideration during a physical assessment.
2. Explain each one of them.
Guidelines: The answer should be based on the knowledge obtained from reading the book, no just your opinion.
Grading Criteria: Student mentioned 3 common changes in late life that the gerontological nurse needs to have in consideration during a physical assessment (30%). Student explained each one of them (70%).
Chapter 7
Economic and Legal Issues
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- Social Security
- Designed as a pay-as-you-go system
- An age entitlement program
- Age of eligibility has increased over time
- Supplemental security income
- Provides stipends to low income people who are aged 65 years or older, blind, or disabled
- Social Security income is not adequate
- Private investments
- Pensions
Late Life Income
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- To be eligible for Medicare, one must be eligible for Social Security
- Only covers select services and requires that they are medically necessary
- Costs are covered by a employer and employee tax of 2.9% and by the beneficiary in the form of premiums, deductibles, and co-pays
Medicare
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- Offers acute care or short-term rehabilitative care
- Free to those who receive Social Security
- Provides insurance regardless of financial status
- A person is automatically enrolled on the first of the month of his or her 65th birthday
- Deductible and co-payments under Part A vary by setting and can be quite high
Medicare Part A
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- A person eligible for Part A must apply for Part B in the 6 months surrounding his or her 65th birthday or wait until the next open enrollment
- Choose either (the “Original”) Medicare Part B or an alternative plan available in his or her area
- Original is a traditional fee-for-service arrangement
- Patient is responsible for a monthly premium (usually deducted directly from the monthly Social Security check), an annual deductible, and co-pays
Medicare Part B
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- Offers Medicare Advantage Plans similar to an HMO or PPO
- Replaces both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B
- Co-pays and deductibles, if any, vary considerably, and extra premiums may be required for added services
- Several new programs alternatives to Medicare Part C, such as Private Fee-For-Service Medical Savings Accounts
Medicare Part C
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- Person pays a monthly premium and in exchange all of the co-pays and deductibles not covered by the “primary insurance” (e.g., Medicare) are paid
- Some are part of a person’s retirement benefit or available to members of organizations such as AARP
Supplemental Insurance
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- Program funded jointly by federal government and state government
- State determines eligibility, types, and extent of services to be covered; sets the payment rates to providers; and administers its own programs
- States pay about 40% of the costs with the federal government paying the rest
- Provides care for those with low incomes
- Covers more services than Medicare
Medicaid
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- Veterans Administration (VA) system is a model for the continuity of care in various care provider systems
- Active duty and retired military members and their dependents are eligible
- VA hospitals have restrictions; the problem has to be service related
- Financial support, “Aid and Attendance Pension,” is provided
Care for Veterans
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- TRICARE health care program
- Health care insurance program provided by the Department of Defense for eligible beneficiaries
- Requires the person to enroll in both Medicare Part A and Part B and pay the premiums for Part B
- As a Medigap policy, Tricare for Life covers expenses not covered by Medicare
- Long-term care insurance
Other Veterans
Administration Services
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Which part of Medicare helps cover some skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care under certain conditions?
Part A
Part B
Part C
Part D
Question
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- A—Medicare Part A covers acute hospital care, short-term acute rehabilitative care, and costs associated with hospice and home health care under certain circumstances.
Answer
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- Financial issues
- Health care decisions
- Consent to treatments
- Capacity
Legal Issues in Gerontological Nursing
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- Ability to understand a problem, the risks and benefits of a decision, the alternative options, and the consequences of the decision
- Range of tasks, from handling finances and daily business, to taking care of self and making medical decisions
- Only the courts can declare the person “incapacitated
Capacity
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- Powers of attorney
- Conservatorship
- Guardianship
Advanced Care Planning
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- Legal document that gives a designated person the power to act on the behalf of a person
- Two types of power of attorney (POA) documents
- General POA
Usually has the right to make financial decisions, pay bills, and so on in defined circumstances but not necessarily to make decisions related to health care
- Durable POA
Can make health-related decisions for persons when they are unable to do so themselves
Power of Attorney
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- Individuals, agencies, or corporations that have been appointed by the court to have care, custody, and control of a disabled person to manage his or her financial responsibilities
- Guardian is a person appointed to be responsible for another person
- Conservator is a person specifically appointed to control the finances of the person
Guardians and Conservators
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- Nursing roles include
- Helping older patients deal with financial issues
- Using their expert advocacy and negotiation skills
- The nurse may be the first to notice the subtle changes indicating a potential change in capacity
- Obligation to work with the applicable statutes of his or her state, province, or country
Implications for Gerontological Nursing and Healthy
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Who can be the POA for an older adult?
Anyone
Attorney
Blood relative
Anyone except a blood relative
Question
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- A—Although it usually is a friend or family member, a person can designate any another person to act on his or her behalf.
Answer
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Chapter 8
Assessment and Documentation for Optimal Care
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- Is more complex
- Is more detailed
- Takes longer to perform
- Requires special abilities
- Done in every setting
Assessment of Older Adults
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- Collection of data
- Biological, psychosocial, and functional information
- Cultural and spiritual assessments
- Cognitive abilities
- Psychological well-being
- Caregiver stress or burden
- Patterns of health and health care
- Review of preferences for advanced care
- Presence of any geriatric syndromes
Assessment Components
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