Over the summer, Alzheimer's patient John "Pete" Barwick had a stroke, fell and hurt his hip. On top of this, wife and caretaker, Karen Barwick, was dealing with some unexpected bad news. Their insurance company, UnitedHealthCare, had dropped her husband's neurologist of five years from their Medicare Advantage plan. In fact, UnitedHealthCare had sent out letters to customers all over the state telling them their doctor had been dropped. The company won't disclose how many letters went out or how many doctors were cut. Medicare Advantage is insurance from a private company which contracts with Medicare to provide federally administered Medicare benefits, usually with some enhanced benefits for a price.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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