A Question...

[copdsux]

How do you folks feel about Medicare, as health insurance for people over 65? I believe that I have stated on this forum tha I absolutely love it. However, the comments that I read here sometimes, lead me to believe that those of us, on Medicare, are lumped together with the people on welfare, and other government programs that give them access to health care. As for me, having Emphysema, and needing "health care", tests, and medications make me quite the fan of Medicare. I'll be looking forward to your replies.

Thank you,

Mike

 

[greg334]

There are exceptions to the coverage that work well for a lot of people but the problem isn't with the actual working of the system when it works, it is all about how it is managed and how the fraud and restrictions are handled.

For example Fraud accounts for a larger percentage of costs than people understand. There is more to the actual cost of a claim involved, the administration costs are not factored in, nor are the safeguard costs.

If the costs of fraud is removed, the systems almost works.

Why almost?

Because at 62/65 you are required to take Medicare as a primary insurance and not allowed to opt out of the program. With that, any secondary insurance may now be more restrictive than what a person had before Medicare. Once this is done, the cost of the system rises to cover those who can actually afford to cover themselves.

I, myself would love to see an end of Medicare as it is not because I am a mean person but to get rid of the stranglehold of the bureaucrats who are actually running the show in Washington. Without this program in their hands, they have little power.

BUT can it be replaced?

I think it can and may be a better system in the long run if the money is allocated by the person selecting the plan that fits them. In your case, it would be covered through a comprehensive plan, but someone who is 70 and in good health, living the veggy life the amount of coverage not be an issue to have such needs and hence can select something that works for them on a cheaper basis.

 

[chefdennis]

I have no opinion of you as a person on medicare, they took your tax dollars to waste on it (it is broke you know), you might as well use the progam...now as for Medicare itself, it falls into nothing more then an "entitlement " program.....and i am sure you have read my take on the liberal entitlement programs here before...i'd end them all from welfare to SS to Medicare to the fed Cheese program for welfare families...close them all down...if the states want to pickup these type of programs (and they already do alot of them) , more power to them, its legal there and constitutional, which they are neither when performed by the fed gov... and yes i have a 73 y/o mom, between her investment income, my dads pension and my brother and myself, we make sure she is insured , and lives a very good life.....

Now as for you thinking that medicare is a great program, i hope for your sake it stays that way....but with the cuts chances are it won't and you will be paying more:

These are all from the "Medicare Chief Actuaries Office and the CBO. Open the links and read a while, they are all very long summaries of the Senate Bill just signed by barry....

8.5 million Number of seniors and disabled people at risk of losing their Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Chief Actuary)
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM130_oact_memorandum_on_senate_bill_as_passed_01-08-09.html

3 million Additional people who will likely lose Medicare Advantage plan benefits (Medicare Chief Actuary)
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM130_oact_memorandum_on_senate_bill_as_passed_01-08-09.html

$816 Average annual benefit loss for 11 million seniors and disabled in Medicare Advantage plans (CBO)
http://republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=177286


33 million Number of people in traditional Medicare at risk of losing access to care because of $523 billion in cuts in Medicare spending (Medicare Chief Actuary)
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM130_oact_memorandum_on_senate_bill_as_passed_01-08-09.html

20% Fraction of hospitals that would become unprofitable after Medicare spending cuts (Medicare Chief Actuary)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174004.php

 

[Poorboy]

What, No more Free Cheese?