On Monday, I met a charming young woman who has just moved here from Spain. She had quickly dared the drive to Houston, and we talked about other places she would like to go. This led to topics like bullet trains and underwater subway lines. (Not my favorite mental image.)
Then she said: It seems as if everything is being done for the rich. In her country as well as here, local train stops are deserted, and people must be able to drive some distance to where the new train line stops. Sounds like the US.
Last week, as I mentioned, I learned that a highly recommended doctor does not take Medicare. And that my surgeon can't even think of a primary doctor who does.
I moved here from L.A. area, where medical transportation is a joke. My customary hospital had free transit for outpatients who live in the valley. When I moved to the valley, and developed a spine problem, medical transport was useless. If the driver showed up in the guaranteed half hour window, and if he waited three minutes for us to get to the curb with a walker, we could go to our doctor in Burbank. But the vouchers we'd bought did not work in Burbank to get us back.
Now I live in a huge area of TX that has virtually no public transportation. A basic taxi ride is $25.
Why do you care?
If, at the end of this month, Medicare doctors get a 25% pay cut, who will treat Medicare patients? (Who will still be paying for Medicare out of their social security.) Medicare is paying for doctor training, but may not be paying any doctors enough to live on.
Your parents and all the Miss Daisies may need to go great distances to get care. Especially care that you trust.
If there is no public transportation to that care, and they are too sick to drive, will you take them??
If you're at work, who you gonna call?
Have you called your government about this?
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