After a Stroke What about Health Care

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The vast majority of individuals who experience a stroke also experience the extremely extensive as well as expensive operations, rehabilitation, medication and living changes that follow. “One study from the journal of Cardiology Research and Practice extrapolated that in the first year after cerebrovascular event, average incremental costs were $32,900”. 1 Dependent upon health insurance reliability and amount of coverage some if not all of this mount could be coming out of pocket.

“Beginning rehabilitation, it must be a goal of the rehabilitation staff to prevent further stroke with balanced and pragmatic efforts that prevent disability and maximize quality of life for those who have suffered the consequences of stroke”.2 The only downside to this equation is that when, personal funding or health insurance coverage runs out the client will be dismissed from rehabilitation regardless of improvement or current condition. Obviously this leaves a recovering stroke patient with nowhere to go and nothing to do to further their recovery. Since a majority of individuals who experience stroke are an older population these individuals are already most likely living off of retirement or social security in good cases.

It is obvious how health care costs can drastically change and increase following an event and depending on the severity and length of time before recognition some can be better or even worse. Due to hospitalizations, prescribed therapies, new medications, and even assistive transport devices such as wheelchairs, walkers or orthotics place a new burden of monthly expenditure that were not there before. The light at the end of the tunnel seems dim with limited funds and insurance coverage due to extreme costs and newly accounted disability. However, there are a handful of rehabilitation facilities that are University funded and free of charge for clientele such as, the Laboratory for Wellness and Motor Behavior at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX. This facility is headed by Dr. Joe Priest who is a Kinesiology professor and former director for the Cooper Institute. Dr Priest designed the Laboratory for wellness and motor behavior with one thing in mind, “Exercise is Medicine”. With this mindset Dr. Priest designed a facility in 1994 with help from the Stephenville Lions club to furnish two recumbent leg ergometers. After twenty of service the Laboratory for wellness and Motor Behavior has since expanded from 600 sq ft to 1600 sq ft acquired new and improved adaptive equipment. The Lab still helps individuals recovering even today, free of cost or insurance information.                                  

           

               

                   

1 Mercaldi, C., Siu, K., Sander, S., Walker, D., Wu, Y., Li, Q., & Wu, N. (2012). Long-Term Costs of Ischemic Stroke and Major Bleeding Events among Medicare Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation. Cardiology Research and Practice, 1-13. Retrieved from: http://tinyurl.com/n6y2ac4

2 Helgason, C., & Wolf, P. (1997). American Heart Association Prevention Conference IV: Prevention and Rehabilitation of Stroke : Introduction. Stroke, 28(7), 1498-1500.

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