Question

A 58 year old male pt is currently receiving SS d/t to CHF which is preventing him from working. He stopped working 2 years ago but begin to recently experience episodes of being depressed and anxious. This patient would like to seek out mental health services, but is unable to pay privately. What is best OTA can give this patient?

A. Advise the pt to sign up for Medicaid
B. Advise the pt to sign up for Medicare Part A
C. Advise the pt to sign up for Medicare Part B
D. Advise the pt to arrange for private payment on a sliding scale.

Answer 1

The best advice for a 58-year-old male patient with CHF who cannot afford mental health services is to sign up for Medicaid, which is designed to aid those with low incomes and provides coverage for mental health services.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best advice for a 58-year-old male patient receiving Social Security due to Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and experiencing depression and anxiety would be to sign up for Medicaid. As someone with a disability and potentially limited income, he may qualify for Medicaid, which is designed to provide services for individuals with very low incomes and includes coverage for mental health services.

Medicare Part A can assist with hospital charges but does not cover outpatient mental health services, whereas Medicare Part B does cover outpatient services, but the patient would still be responsible for deductibles and copayments. Private payment on a sliding scale might not be feasible given the patient's inability to pay. Meanwhile, Medicaid can provide more comprehensive coverage without the burden of high out-of-pocket expenses.