agent4sail
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There is a cure available for current plan | ajc.com
I found this article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution this morning. Scary.
I found this article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution this morning. Scary.
AJC Article
- Thread starter agent4sail
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I agree that Medicare for All would be the best option. Over one-million in medical bills I had when I was on disability convinced me...I paid virtually nothing.
Medicare works....just increase the payroll tax and be done with it.
The same problems people are having today as a result of the economy are true...I lived through that too.
MA plans are a joke, with restrictions on providers and co-pays that offer higher OOP costs for the insured(if out-of-network facilities are used), if their sick...we are like machines and break down as we age. From what I've read, they'll be a thing of the past, soon.
If everyone has Medicare, everyone can get a med-supp.....expand the med-supp market!
Medicare works....just increase the payroll tax and be done with it.
The same problems people are having today as a result of the economy are true...I lived through that too.
MA plans are a joke, with restrictions on providers and co-pays that offer higher OOP costs for the insured(if out-of-network facilities are used), if their sick...we are like machines and break down as we age. From what I've read, they'll be a thing of the past, soon.
If everyone has Medicare, everyone can get a med-supp.....expand the med-supp market!
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Medicare will be broke by 2017 without expanding. Just how much in taxes will be necessary to expand the program to cover all of us? And how abou those people who don't pay taxes because their income is low, such as teenagers, children, clergy, etc?
MA plans are not (as you put it) a joke. You can be forgiven because you don't understand that MA plans include those that have worked, such as HMOs.
Before you make blanket statements like you have, perhaps you need to understand the market and insurance products available.
By the way, it's great that you did not pay the $1,000,000 in bills. I hope an insurance carrier paid them, not the taxpayers.
Rick
No...the taxpayers, including me, paid them. I pay into Medicare...my kidneys failed me and I was on Medicare for 2 years and 3 months.
I do agree that MA plans would be a good alternative for those on disability Medicare....those who receive it because of age(65+), aren't as fortunate. A med-supp is a better option for them.
Sorry...I disagree with you about advantage plans and yes, I do understand them.
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Here's an article from Thursday's Wall Street Journal about MA's...interesting comments by a few physicians....Health Blog : Private Medicare Advantage Plans Take Heat for Profits
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Then you don't really understand how bad Medicare is.
Essentially, it doesn't work now and as Rick said, it is woefully underfunded.
http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/85000000000000-and-counting.html
You're kidding, right?
You sound like the politicians who think the solution to any problem is to throw more money at it.
You fail to acknowledge the shortage of PCP's, particularly those that are unwilling to accept Medicare patients and the annual increase in cost shifting to the Medicare recipient (increased premiums, deductibles & coinsurance).
If Medicare truly worked as well as you think it did, there would be no need for supplemental policies.
Of course that still would not address the provider shortage and other rationing.
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There's no stop-loss with Part B of Medicare...20% unlimited.
At least with MA plans there's a stop-loss. I'm talking of states with no disability supplements...
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It doesn't work now? LOL. You're kidding.......right?
Yes...there are major problems with the system(underfunded, fraud, baby boomers, people living longer,.....), but to say it doesn't work now is almost laughable. I've been in the Medicare supplement market for over 20 years and I've never had someone to call me and tell me that they owed thousands of dollars that Medicare refused to pay for hospital and doctor charges.
All of the providers in the area I work accept assignment. I have had no one call me and tell me a provider in this area wouldn't accept Medicare. Not saying that doesn't exist elsewhere.
Yes, the deductibles for Part A increase every year. The part B deductible next year isn't. Not sure what you're referring to as far as "no need for supplement policies if Medicare worked like I said it does"....part B has always left the insured owing 20% with no stop-loss.
As far as throwing more money at it, unless there is, it will fail.
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Here's an article that lists 5 different alternatives to keep Medicare afloat. Notice which one received the highest positive response...Public Agenda Issue Guide: Medicare - Public View - Red Flags | Public Agenda
Six in 10 Americans favor making up the future Medicare deficit equally by increased payroll taxes on workers and employers and by reduced benefits for retirees
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Something that isn't sustainable is not working. Medicare is not working because it will be bankrupt in only a few more years.
However, the biggest indicator of a problem may be the automatic 21% decrease in reimbursement for physicians as of January 2010. Congress will likely kill some MA funding to keep this from happening, but to say Medicare works is simply wearing rose colored glasses.
I'm not advocating elimination of Medicare, exactly. It should be converted to a private insurance program but I'm sure I'll get arguments from my non-libertarian friends (and foes).
While there are many good points to Medicare, one of the biggest negatives is that Medicare (and private HMO plans) have caused a massive increase in utilization and therefore a massive increase in costs. When you make things almost free, people tend to use them more than might be prudent.
If I ran Medicare and we were to keep it, the purpose would be for catastrophic claims only, at least for people with assets. Purchase a med supp if you wish to cover the deductible, office visits, etc.
Rick
Private insurance...."Unfortunately, there are serious (and growing) problems with private insurance. Prices are spiraling upwards, leading employers to raise the share paid by workers, cut back on benefits, or drop coverage altogether. Those who don't have coverage through their jobs often find that buying insurance in the individual market is expensive, and many have trouble finding anyone willing to sell them a policy at all. As people lose coverage at work and find that they cannot afford to buy a policy on their own, more and more Americans become uninsured.".....from.....Private Insurance Home
I'm 50 years-old, have gone through kidney dialysis until my kidneys came back. What private insurance company with major medical benefits will accept me?
Medicare is underfunded and unless people are willing to pay in more, it won't survive. Right now the system does work for millions of Americans, with quality health care.
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I see. I am in a state that has disability med supps so it did not immediately compute for me.
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