I recently became aware of a case in which people living in a nursing home received free hearing tests. On the basis of the tests, which were conducted at a pace at which it’s impossible to give a competent hearing examination, some (maybe all) received hearing aids which were, of course, billed to Medicare and/or Medicaid. In at least one case I know positively that no hearing aids were required. I am in no way arguing that government-subsidized health care for the poor or elderly should be abolished. However, I think there are several points worth making:
- There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
- If you leave a $20 bill on your desk, somebody’s almost bound to come along and take it.
- The oversight on Medicare and Medicaid billing is lousy.
And we wonder why so much is spent on health care.
