Older adults navigating medicare: when benefits are denied.
Guided by Bourdieu's theory of practice and symbolic violence, this qualitative study explored experiences and perceptions of elderly beneficiaries who had been denied rehabilitation services by Medicare. In semistructured interviews, 12 beneficiaries or family members told of the physical, psychological, and financial consequences of service denial/termination. The resulting perception of Medicare was as a cumbersome, difficult to negotiate system. Findings have implications for future research on service denial and indicate the need for better communication with, and support of, consumers by health care professionals when this occurs.
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
Karen M
KM
Aranha
Nancy J
NJ
Bell
Charlotte
C
Dunham
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D062526:Patient Navigation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014481:United States