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My husband and I moved an elderly aunt to Salem from Florida three years ago.  She arrived on a Wednesday evening, and on Thursday morning as we were going into a Starbucks for a cup of coffee, she fell and broke her hip.  

Salem Hospital provided an orthopedic surgeon to handle the surgery and follow-up, but I could not find a primary physician.  The social worker at the hospital made calls on her behalf, the employees at the rehab center where she went after the fall called trying to find a doctor, and then I made about 40 phone calls on my own.  No physician was willing to take her.  

My aunt had been a federal employee for 30 years.  She had a great supplemental plan, but that didn't matter, because her primary insurance was Medicare.  I could have gotten her in if we would have cancelled her government supplemental plan and purchased an Advantage Plan.  But if we'd done that, she would have never been able to go back to her government sponsored supplemental plan. 

I was railing about this at a dinner party, and it turns out one of the guests was a physician, and she agreed to take my aunt.  I am so grateful to her.  My only other option would have been to take my aunt to the emergency room if she got ill.  There would have been no way to get preventative health care for her. 

She lives in an active retirement community.  Many people move here from out of state to be close to their children.  These seniors are all experiencing the same problem.  It just isn't right. 

I've heard that there are a few doctors in Silverton and Woodburn who may accept new Medicare patients.  It would be great to have their names and contact information for people in the Valley who need medical attention and have no where to go.  I am so hopeful that health care reform will change this situation.  It isn't right to abandon people just because they are old, and at the same time, it isn't fair to expect doctors to offer services at a loss.  

Elaine S. 

Salem

posted 3 years, 7 months ago
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