News
No Help After TBI
The Wall Street Journal weighs in on the psychosocial issues affecting TBI survivors with an excellent article titled “Why Some Patients Get No Help After Brain Injury.” I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but have a look:
“Medical studies, while compelling, aren’t comprehensive enough for some, and unlike with a physical injury, it’s often hard to assess a patient’s progress. Many insurance companies, citing these factors, don’t pay for [cognitive] therapy, or limit its scope. In addition, acute-care doctors often simply consign patients to nursing homes.”
I couldn’t begin to tell you the number of phone calls I get from people who are trying to avoid the nursing home route for their loved one. Our healthcare system encourages them to bypass a critical phase of recovery and instead opt for a cheaper alternative with potentially disastrous consequences. This is exactly the kind of issue legislators need to become aware of, and it takes phone calls from people like you. As Marian Wright Edelman said,”You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.”