Catch-22, where do the sick go when they are still sick?

Where is Yossarian, when you need him?

For those of us who are old enough to remember JFK, Joseph Heller's novel, "Catch-22," is a classic work of dark humor about war, human nature and how the military seemed to conspire to keep the unwilling anti-hero, Ben Yossarian, in the nose of a B-25 as a navigator-gunner by continually increasing the number of missions he had to fly or "Catch-22."

You are probably wondering what does that have to do with, "Catch-22, where do the sick go when they are sick?" What I am talking about is the gaping hole or the "Catch-22" in our healthcare system for our seniors. Which is after they have exhausted their hospital stay under Medicare for a particular illness, they cannot be admitted in the hospital again, unless it is for another illness, not the first one. Understand?

You are again wondering, what in the world is he talking about, cannot be hospitalized again unless it is for another illness? Yes, that is the "Catch-22," and it is impacting a dear friend and neighbor, who suffered a serious and debilitating stroke in the fall and was in the hospital for the maximum stay allowed for that illness. Even though she is still suffering from the after affects of the stroke, she could be denied admission to the hospital if her condition would worsen from the stroke. Understand?

So, while she continues to suffer from her stroke, like Yossarian being kept in the nose of that B-25 dodging flak and fighters while the number of missions keep increasing, and for her, the Medicare "Catch-22" is in play and she cannot go in the hospital unless she has a new illness.

I wonder if a cold is covered by Catch-22.