Gabrielle Giffords Getting Care Not Typically Offered By Insurance
One of the most disconcerting realities of Traumatic Brain Injury is getting the care covered by most insurance. What we as a nation are seeing for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is not what normally occurs.
ABC did a piece on how insurance companies deny coverage for treatiment of traumatic brain injury. Check it out here.
While Giffords is getting top-flight care at a facility that specializes in rehabilitation after major brain injuries, many patients get nothing close to it. The fine print in many health plans -- including Medicare and Tricare, which serves U.S. military members -- excludes coverage of certain types or even complete rehabilitation for thousands of patients with traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs.
...the Brain Injury Association of America, a non-profit group that advocates on behalf of people with brain injuries, says studies have shown that cognitive rehab is very effective.
APPROXIMATELY WHAT HAS BEEN THE COST TO COVER REP. GIFFORDS SO FAR? I FEEL SORRY FOR HER, BUT WHY SHOULD THE TAX PAYERS PAY FOR THIS TYPE OF COVERAGE WHEN THE REST OF US LIVE WITH SOMETHING MANY TIMES WORSE IN COVERAGE. MY DAUGHTER WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD IN 2008---I GUESS IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT SHE DIED, BECAUSE SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE RECEIVED ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT OF GIFFORDS.