Medicaid does provide a home attendant for 30 hours/week. So I get breaks when she is here. The VA sends a nurse every three weeks who orders any equipment and supplies that we need. She also draws blood for labs. Also a nurse practituoner comes every few months to order all meds. So there is a lot in place already.

Hospitals are audited for certain statistics that they like to keep low. If they readmit someone for a diagnosis they just recently treated, it looks bad. They get audited for their "30 day readmit" statistic - how often someone comes back in the hospital less than 30 days after they were already in the hospital for the same thing. My bf had two admissions during February - both for pneumonia. That looks bad for them. Also they try to keep their mortality statistic low - that counts how many deaths occur in the hospital. Acute care hospitals don't want you dying under their roof. They would rather you due at home or in another type of facility, like a nursing home. That actually makes sense in some respects. General hospitals are not supposed to admit people they can't really help. Hospital administrations look at these numbers and pressure doctors to keep them low.

Emily, I'm sorry your brother has not been well. The VA has sure been guilty of some screw ups. I hope they do right by your brother. We've actually been pretty happy with the care in general. But I am mindful that there can be another agenda influencing things besides what is best for an individual patient.