Managed Dying

About the Book

Managed Dying - An HMO Survival Guide  

This guide is to assist people to contend with the rapidly growing managed care business that is predominating the health care delivery system in United States.  The HMOs manage people as dollar signs, while short changing them with sometimes inadequate and delayed medical treatments.  This is a significant change in how patients were conventionally treated years ago.  Because of these cost cutting trends, people need to be informed about HMO performance, how to become advocates within the system, and how to receive the best medical care possible by a for-profit managed care corporation.  It is hoped that readers will become more educated to prevent personal tragedy before it happens and be given new insight and perspective about the corporative world of HMOs.    

The guide will show the only way to beat the system is by members keeping abreast of their health plan policy, being informed about the illness, becoming active in their own medical care, and ensure their patient rights are never violated.  Readers will learn how to become an HMO survivor when faced with a chronic and serious disease.  The book enlightens people about the silent medical crisis that is occurring nationally to our health care system.  It provides the tools to become an effective advocate for themselves or a loved one.

Every HMO member should be knowledgeable about the managed care, because the time will come when a family member is hospitalized and  has to face the bureaucracy of the HMO provider.  Managed care physicians will not always go to bat for a patient due to his or her  contract restrictions.  The public must realize the “Marcus Welby” days are a past compassionate tradition that has disappeared.  The guide provides an internal look at the system and offers key strategies and options when seeking proper and efficient medical treatment.

About the Author

Barbara J. Janesick and Karon L. Goldsmith have a combined 40 years of experience in the health care field. Over the years, both have witnessed the negative effects of managed care from personal and professional perspectives. They have strong passions to help the elderly and all HMO members obtain the necessary health care services. Both share the belief that quality of life is more important than the quantity and from their frustrations with today’s managed care, the HMO survival guide, Managed Dying, was written. Their purpose in creating the book is to inform and educate the public about today’s all-corporative medical practices. They have seen the all too frequent negative outcome related to the lack of authorization for services that could improve the quality of life for HMO members.