Discussion:
Policy
1. Individual Presentation: Interview (20%). Conduct an interview with a relative or acquaintance who is at least 65 years old and/or someone who has at least one chronic disease. Ask them the following questions and summarize their answers in your short 10 minute presentation to the class. The goal is to use the presentations to illustrate how the older population deals with their health issues, Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance coverage.
• How do they pay for their health insurance?
• How much money do they have to spend, during an average month, for out of pocket health related costs, including co-pays, prescription drugs, over the counter medications/supplies.
• Are they able to afford all the prescription medications they need? If not, how do they manage?
• Was there a time in their lives when they had different health insurance coverage? If so, was the coverage better or worse than their current coverage? Have them give a description of the coverage.
• What problems do they experience in the current healthcare system? How would they recommend that the healthcare system be changed?
• Describe a medical emergency or serious illness that has occurred in their lives, the condition or health issue, the length of time of the recovery, the estimated cost for the medical treatment, any challenges that resulted, and how the cost was paid for by the individual.