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Mama Might Be Better Off Dead

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“Mama Might Be Better off Dead: the Failure of Health Care in Urban America” by Laurie Kaye Abraham, follows a families struggles over the course of three years in a poor Chicago neighborhood. Abraham points out specifically how the health care system in the United States has failed the different members of the poverty stricken Banes family. The main character, Jackie has the responsibility of taking care of her sick and elderly grandmother. Jackie also cares for her three young children with little help from her husband, Robert who also suffers from various illnesses. While, there are some government programs set up to help families like the Banes’, the health care system is certainly lacking. Cora Jackson is an African American woman …show more content…

First of all, keeping track of a monthly spend down of an elderly, disabled patient is ridiculous. In Mrs. Jackson’s case, she needed Medicaid to cover her transportation needs. Its close to impossible to schedule appointments and procedures if you are not sure how you are going to get there. Other patients use Medicaid for numerous reasons. A better option for Medicaid would be to take an average of a few months expenses and use that to determine eligibility for longer than a month at a time. It is common for patients to spend the same amount on medication each month. They also try to visit doctors on a regular basis. Knowing they are covered by Medicaid for longer than a month, would be a huge relief. The patients could keep their appointments without worrying about transportation costs. Also, medicine could be taken as directed instead of trying to make it last longer in fear of losing coverage the next month. Another area which needs addressing is in the area of medically necessary items. Who determines if adult diapers is necessary or a convenience? For an elderly person who does not want to walk to the wash room after going to the bathroom, I can see how diapers would be convenient. But what about the person with no legs and not adequate enough help to lift them out of bed? I would definitely say adult diapers is medically necessary for this person. As a social worker in health care, I would definitely try to be of assistance to Mrs. Jackson. First of all, I

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