Heather Chovitz
Professor Solomon
June 3, 2016

Position Piece Two

Families should be responsible for taking care of their old relatives with the help of the government. The point is that there is help, but the people don’t have to get the help. It’s more about the choice of entitlements or going through it alone. If choosing the entitlement then it’s the factor of someone else having to pay for it. Some may not agree with this because some people believe that others shouldn’t be “lazy”. It’s also a matter of some people really caring about paying for someone else’s healthcare or cash assistance if they can pay for it themselves. Some people are more empathetic of those that cannot afford healthcare for their loved ones, and choose to not mind helping those in need. In the United States, our health care that we receive truly costs a lot more than other countries around us. Elderly citizens typically need more medical care, and the cost of needed medical care can get to the point that some might need to choose between buying food or filling prescriptions that they need. Most elderly citizens are surrounded by families that do their best to help out, but sometimes find it hard enough having to handle the burden of cost for themselves as well as their children let alone having to pay for medical costs for their loved ones. When your loved ones cannot afford commercial healthcare or don’t still have it form a job that they retired from, they have to sign up for Medicare or for Medicaid if they are poor and or disabled. As much as most families feels that its right to provide support and help the quality of life of elderly citizens, it should not be their sole responsibility. Our senior citizens include many people that have dedicated a lot of their time to our workforce in America. I feel that they have a right to access the right care that they need and are taken care of in their later years.
Within the United States there are some choices for elderly citizens to receive care from the government. Two of these choices consist of Medicare and Medicaid, these both have their pros and cons. “Medicare pays for doctors and hospital stays, like Medicaid. It also provides coverage for long-term nursing home care not covered by Medicare. The elderly needs to be seen by a doctor and have proof as well as periodically seeing a doctor for care. Medicaid covers home health long-care services, medical supplies, and equipment. It commonly pays for at-home services supplied under state plans for people who would otherwise be institutionalized” (Strauss and Lederman 1996: 215). In other words, Medicare is basically a medical entitlement for social security. But it can get complicated in a sense where it only helps folks over the age of 65, retired or simply needing the help. Medicare isn’t always just for the elderly, it can also be for anyone that has some sort of disability as well. Also is Medicaid on the other hand, which goes through the government as well requires that you qualify to receive any benefits. There are different levels of Medicaid according to the family circumstances (being a single parent, the care taking having kids, etc. Husky A or an individual without children Husky D.. this is in the state of CT.) These two choices of receiving care from the government is an option for families if they want the help or need it. But unfortunately it’s not so easy to get qualified for them especially Medicaid. It is even said that some families “In order to qualify, you must establish financial eligibility by meeting [an] income and assets test set by the states” (Strauss and Lederman, 1996: 216). This goes to show how some greatly many individuals care strongly about receiving help from the governments also in a way that they will do what it has to take to receive it.
Basically, I stand in saying that government should help families care for their elderly relatives by providing this safety new now known as Obamacare through the affordable Care Act. I believe that healthcare should be a right for all citizens as it is know amongst most that it is in many countries now. It’s truly almost impossible for the family members, with children to support the elders while working a full time job everyday of the week, and assisting their old, sick elders without Federal or State help.

Works Cited
Moody, Harry R. and Jennifer R. Sasser. 2015. Aging: Concepts and Controversies. 8th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Stauss, Peter J. and Lederman, Nancy M. 1996. “Medicaid and Long-Term Care” is reprinted from The Elder Law Handbook: A Legal and Financial Survival Guide for Caregivers and Seniors (pp. 99-102, 112).