
Yesterday, I received a call from mom's new (changed by retirement benefit admins) health insurance co, requesting their Nurse Practitioner to visit her to get a better picture of her health care needs. I told them that I would be glad to meet with them along with mthr at her memory care home. The phone person was very insistent that she talk to the memory care home to obtain access. I told her that I would talk to the home first.
The last time a NP came out to the home to visit, it was to evaluate her for dementia for a palliative care program. I was not told that NP was coming, and as mthr's health care POA, I want to be there for any medical visit. This NP though that mthr was the most charming, smartest person, and could not understand why she was in Memory Care! Maybe the fact that she is not functional and thinks she's in the college dorm??
Anyway, does anyone have experience with United's House Call or with medical personnel visiting w/o POA in a home?
You as the DPOA can request for certain people not even to be allowed to visit @ the facility or can visit only with your being there. But before you go with this nuclear option, I would say to the NP that since mom is at memory care then mom is not competent or cognitive to communicate responsibly so therefore either you or the DON will be there during the visit. You can fax this request to United Health too.
I will tell them when they call tomorrow that we decline. I already told the caller that I was the POA and that I had submitted the documentation to them before 1/1 when coverage began so they would be able to talk to me. I am not convinced she believed me, still, but I know mthr is "not able" to have online access to her insurance account, and I believe the POA is why - someone out there did believe me.\
Thank you all so much for telling me about your experiences. With the daily calls, and finally actually being able to answer the phone before it went to VM, I have felt a lot of pressure and stress. Now I can be assertive.
"For the avoidance of doubt" you want to say to all concerned "no interviews except by appointment, and with either myself or a member of the NH staff approved by me present. Crystal?"