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Does The Health Department Regulate Senior Care?

Seniors, is your health care being regulated by a department of the federal government called the Department of Health and Human Services? Perhaps.

What Is What?

In discussing “Does The Health Department Regulate Senior Care?” it is good to know terminology. First, there is no federal “health department”. Health Departments are state, county or local by nature, and it is their responsibility to provide health care to the communities they serve including inspecting restaurants for cleanliness, giving out food handler certificates, and distributing seasonal flu shots. The federal department that includes health is the Deaprtment of Health and Human Services (HHS). Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) fall under this department’s jurisdiction.

When Is Regulation really Regulation?

What do we mean when we say, “Does The Health Department Regulate Senior Care?” As we all know, only congress can pass laws that regulate activities. So, if we are asking does the health department pass laws regulating senior care, then the answer is absolutely no. However, regulation can take forms other than law. In this instance when we ask “Does The Health Department Regulate Senior Care?” the answer is definitely yes.

How Is This Done?

It’s all in the pocketbook. For the vast majority of Medicare recipients, we never see the money. That is, Medicare does not send us a check that we use to pay our doctor. They pay the doctor directly. For this service, the doctor agrees to accept what Medicare pays and we do not get a bill from him. So when Medicare does not pay for something, it does not affect our pocketbook, the doctor eats it. But the next time we visit him, he will not provide that service. So, our care was regulated. This happens time and time again year after year.

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Does The Health Department Regulate Senior Care?

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