Page 20 - The Jewish Voice - March '25

Page 20, The Jewish Voice

Dr. Rodriguez’s heart muscle had deteriorated to the point
Lifestyles from page 19 Heart Transplant Gets where a transplant was the only solution. He was admitted
Medicare Corner Physician Cyclist Back to the ICU, where he was intubated for a few days and then
required an IABP support to stabilize his condition while he
with Kathy O on Trails After Years of waited for a donor heart that would be compatible for him.
“I had suffered so much that I was welcoming the

Don’t Fall for Kitchen Sink Plans Progressive Heart Failure idea by then,” Dr. Rodriguez says of overcoming his fear
of the transplant. “I knew I had no choice – it was this
So many commercials Jaime Rodriguez, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine or I wouldn’t make it.” A suitable donor heart become
offering money for food, specialist at a healthcare system in South Florida, has available 10 days after he was admitted to the ICU.
utilities, and flex cards – is dedicated his career to taking care of others. But when he “It’s hard to describe how it felt to get that news,” Dr.
it too good to be true? was the one who needed help, his colleagues in medicine Rodriguez says. “I realized how lucky I was.”
We all see those were there for him.
commercials promising In 2007 Dr. Rodriguez,
everything but the kitchen a former competitive cyclist,
sink. These ads are was out on one of his regular
designed to prompt you to early morning bike rides when
call and most likely you he collapsed on the road. He
will be disappointed and required cardiac resuscitation
they will try to enroll you on the scene and was rushed
in a plan that was not the advertised plan. Usually, the to Cleveland Clinic Weston
advertised plans with free benefits are for people who Hospital, where his cardiologist,
are dual enrollees — enrolled in Medicare and their state Howard Bush, MD, performed
Medicaid program. a coronary catheterization that
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that revealed a blocking of the stents
provides health coverage to individuals and families with he had received six years earlier.
limited income and resources. An intra-aortic balloon pump
(IABP) was implanted, and he
How do I qualify ? was rushed to the operating room,
You must live in Florida and meet certain rules, where he underwent quadruple One year after his heart transplant, Dr. Jaime Rodriguez (center) was back to working
such as having limited income and savings per the coronary bypass surgery. He had full time, walking, running, and cycling.
Medicaid limits. The website to apply is https://myaccess. suffered a massive heart attack
myflfamilies.com and all the information you need is on on that ride, which severely damaged his heart. Nicolas Brozzi, MD, and Cedric Sheffield, MD,
the site. Dr. Rodriguez, who was 50 at the time, had been performed a complex cardiac reoperation to replace his
Medicaid is either partial or full benefits. If you do dealing with coronary artery disease since he was 43 years worn-out native heart with a healthy donor heart. Dr.
not qualify after applying, you may be eligible for LIS old. “I had gone back to cycling and riding my bike at a Rodriguez’s recovery was gradual, but steady, and he was
(low income subsidy) to assist with cost of medications. competitive level to improve my heart health,” he says. discharged from the hospital within two weeks.
But his predisposition to heart disease was strong – both “He was determined to get through this operation and
If I don’t qualify for Medicaid, what can I do? his father and his grandfather had died from it, at 52 and move on with life, back to his family and his work,” says
It’s important to have a dedicated agent that you can 53 years old, respectively. Dr. Brozzi.
speak with consistently to answer your questions, not Dr. Rodriguez’s health remained stable for several One year after his transplant, Dr. Rodriguez was back
random agents in a call center. It’s not too late to review years after the biking incident. The damage to his heart, to working full-time, walking, running, and cycling. He
your Medicare coverage. There is an open enrollment however, slowly progressed to heart failure and malignant says exercising is easier now than before and he can do
period through March 31 for Advantage Plan members arrhythmia, requiring the implantation of a cardioverter- at least as much as, if not more, than anyone else his age.
and many special enrollment periods that allow you to defibrillator and advanced heart failure management Dr. Rodriguez has become very fond of his care team
make changes to your Medicare coverage now. under the care of cardiologists at Cleveland Clinic Weston at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital and looks forward
I specialize in supplements, Advantage Plans, Hospital. to seeing them at his follow-ups.
prescription drug plans, and dual plans and I am happy “My prognosis was that the damage would worsen “The cardiac transplant team provides very
to help you review your coverage. with age,” he says. “I had a feeling I was going to end personalized care,” he says. “They make you feel special.
If you have Medicare Topic suggestions, email me up needing a transplant – it was always in the back of my I am very grateful to the organization and the transplant
at czak82@aol.com. I speak Medicare: supplement, drug mind. But I was doing well, still able to ride a bike, work, care doctors – they have become my friends and partners
plan, and Advantage Plan. For your free Medicare Plan and live a happy life. So I thought, ‘Let’s not think about in this ride of a lifetime.”
review, please call me, Kathy Olejniczak, Agent, at 561- the transplant now.’” By May of 2020, Dr. Rodriguez had The Transplant Center at Cleveland Clinic in
835-5413 or cell/text 561-212-7640. been dealing with worsening episodes of arrhythmia and Florida builds upon the longstanding success of the
had been hospitalized frequently over six months until world-renowned Cleveland Clinic in Oh io. Patients
one night, which he described as a “nightmare,” when he receive the highest-level medical care from top experts
had eight episodes of arrhythmia. He’d had enough. His in organ transplantation. Visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.
wife called 911 and he was taken to Weston Hospital. org/Transplant to learn more.