Dental, Visual and Hearing Loss
Introduction
The Senate is aware that hearing, vision, and dental loss are still not adequately covered by Medicare except for certain criteria; Yet, these disabilities combined cost less than heart attacks and major chronic illnesses. If certain revisions are made on the hearing, mental, and visual issues, the elderly would have a greater quality of life and independence. In turn, the cost of healthcare across the country would be less. Therefore, this brief seeks to address the benefits that government sources provide for a hearing, dental, and visual loss. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
| Deficit | Current benefits | Still needed |
| Vision | Ø First, the government has been offering Social Security Benefits to patients who have a visual loss. Any patient meeting requirements of social security administration has been considered to receive monthly benefits across the United States (Williams, 2018). However, the victims must be in a situation where they cannot work anymore. Ø The second benefit offered by the American government to visual patients includes cash that is used to cater for basic needs through Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The money is designed to aid blind people who are not earning any income (Willink et al., 2020). Ø The next benefit that the American government has been providing to visual patients is the reduction of tax (Williams, 2018). The government has been trying to ensure social balance by allowing the visual patients to conduct any business with some tax deduction.
| Ø More than 43% of the people who have visual loss still need to be assisted financially to visit a specialist for the eyes examination (Willink et al., 2020). That proves the need for the Medicare program to cover visual loss treatment fully. The Medicare coverage will allow routine eye examination to patients hence improving the quality of their lives. Ø There is also a need to provide Social Security Benefit to both working and nonworking patients of eyes. This is because treatment expenses exhaust a lot of money to any person, either working or nonworking. Ø There is still a need to deduct more taxes to people who are experiencing vision loss. Blind people are much disadvantaged, and it even better for the government to make them free from taxes.
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| Dental | Ø First, the American government has been funding both public health clinics and schools. Such institutions have been offering dental services to many people who were in need. In dental schools, affordable services were provided by students who have been under the strict supervision of their experienced dentists (Hicks et al., 2018). Ø The other benefit offered by the government due to dental problems includes the provision of supplemental services to low-income seniors. People who are over sixty years are eligible for accessing some extra free services that are not in the Medicare program (Hicks et al., 2018). | Ø 70% of the people suffering from having trouble eating due to dental problems still need to be assisted financially to meet the cost of treatment (Hicks et al., 2018). Ø The Senate is also aware that dental patients are still in need of comprehensive coverage. In this context, the Medicare program needs to cover issues related to root canal, crowns, bridges, extraction, and restoration of the tooth. Such coverage would allow many older adults to visit hospitals for examination hence minimizing eating troubles.
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| Hearing | Ø First, patients who have hearing loss problems are allowed to purchase hearing aid over the counter, contrary to the past few years. President Trump signed the law that directed drug administration to regulate and establish hearing aid across the United States so that every patient can access them (Williams, 2018). Ø The second benefit offered by the government includes the personal independence payment. Such benefit is being provided to people with hearing loss between the age of 16 to 64 years due to the need for further treatment. Ø The other benefit offered to patients who have hearing loss is allowed to access the hearing test from audiologist before visiting the nurse practitioner or a physician (Williams, 2018). The law permitted audiologists to diagnose any hearing problems hence reducing the high cost of medication among the patients.
| Ø More than 75 % of Americans who have hearing loss still need assistance to access the hearing aid (Williams, 2018). Voluntary basic Medicare coverage can be a solution to many hearing patients who cannot cost of treatment. Ø There is still a need to increase Personal Payment Benefits to people suffering from hearing loss. The current sum of payment provided to these people is inadequate as compared to their demanding situation of treatment. Ø More amendment needs to be done by congress as the getting healthcare services from patients is still expensive. So the house of congress is required to ensure hearing patients are fully covered through Medicare. Ø There is still a need to improve health literacy regarding hearing loss. Many patients are not enlightened about better ways of going after hearing loss. |
Recommendations
I recommend voluntary basic coverage of the hearing, dental, and visual loss under the Medicare program to be implemented within five years. The Medicare program should provide services directly to patients without covering the services through private plans. Such coverage should be done as soon as possible in less than five years to improve the lives of older adults. Failure to consider such an urgent plan, the nation would lose many older adults due to depression coming from the inability to meet treatment costs. Also, if these recommendations will not be passed within five years, more negative things will happen in the country.
References
Hicks, T. A., Wilson, S. M., Thomas, S. P., Dennis, P. A., Neal, J. M., & Calhoun, P. S. (2018). Low Income as a Multiplicative Risk Factor for Oral Pain and Dental Problems Among US Veteran Smokers. International journal of behavioral medicine, 25(1), 67-73.
Williams, B. W. (2018). Is Anyone Listening: The Legal Marginalization of Hearing Disabilities. Ind. Health L. Rev., 16, 133.
Willink, A., Reed, N. S., Swenor, B., Leinbach, L., DuGoff, E. H., & Davis, K. (2020). Dental, Vision, And Hearing Services: Access, Spending, And Coverage For Medicare Beneficiaries: The role Medicare Advantage plans play in providing dental, vision, and hearing services to older adults, particularly among low-and middle-income beneficiaries. Health Affairs, 39(2), 297-304.