Week 9 Capstone Checkpoint

HSM/230 Week 9

Capstone CheckPoint

Instructor: Raikeya Collins

June 2012

One issue that is of great importance to the human service field is Medicare. There are many issues associated with Medicare but the one I would like to focus on is the high prices of prescription medications. Many older Americans that receive Medicare do not receive prescription benefits to help pay the high costs associated with the prescriptions they desperately need to survive. This is an issue for the human service field because many areas of human services prescribe prescriptions for their patient’s every day. They do this without a second thought about how these prescriptions will be paid for. Some of the patients will have to try to borrow the money, pay for the prescription instead of buying food for the week or month, and even go without their prescriptions. I believe this is a very serious ethical dilemma because no one should have to choose between food and medicine.

As a leader in a human service organization I would do everything in my power to make sure that all patients were able to get their prescriptions. I know this sounds like a great undertaking and it is but I believe where there’s a will there’s a way. I would start off this process by talking to the drug companies and finding out about their programs to help underinsured and non-insured patients. Then I would make it a point to have all of my staff that works directly with the patients to find out whether or not they have insurance or a way to pay for the medicines. If they were not able to pay I would then get them started with the process of finding a solution whether that was going through the drug companies or other organizations that are able to help.