A 67-year-old client asks the nurse how he will afford his hospitalization, which has been extended and involves extremely expensive drugs. The best response by the nurse is:
1. "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will work out okay.".
2. "You need to focus on recovering, not worrying about finances.".
3. "Much of your care will be covered by Medicare.".
4. "I'll have someone from the business office come and talk to you about your bill.".
3. "Much of your care will be covered by Medicare.".
Rationale:
The Medicare amendment to the Social Security Act provided a national and state health insurance program for older adults. By the mid-1970s, virtually everyone over 65 years of age was protected by hospital insurance under Part A. In 1988, Congress expanded Medicare to include extremely expensive hospital care, "catastrophic care," and expensive drugs. Ignoring the client's concerns by telling him not to worry is not therapeutic communication and does little, if anything, to confront the client's concerns. Giving the concern to the business office is merely "passing the buck.". Nurses should have some knowledge about the payment sources of their clients, especially those who have automatic coverage with Medicare because of their age.
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