Government run health care

[Lady's Human]

The change proposed is not a takeover, it's a makeover. Big difference.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on that one.

[lizbud]

We're going to have to agree to disagree on that one.

Okey, dokey.

[Puckstop31]

The change proposed is not a takeover, it's a makeover. Big difference.

I have heard about the changes that brought about Social Security and
Medicare were resisted by many people initially. The world did not stop
turning & we progressed as a society.

SS and Medicare/Medicade are BROKE. I contracted to the IT em that supported PA Medicade. Oy.....

Social Security... Ask anybody who is on it how good it is.


"Progress". Huh. Wait till YOU are on it I reckon. I will NEVER be.

[pomtzu]

Social Security... Ask anybody who is on it how good it is.

You mean you can't figure out how I feel, based on what I had to say about Medicare?????

[lizbud]

SS and Medicare/Medicade are BROKE. I contracted to the IT em that supported PA Medicade. Oy.....

Social Security... Ask anybody who is on it how good it is.


"Progress". Huh. Wait till YOU are on it I reckon. I will NEVER be.

No SS for you huh? Did you accept to stimulus money given out last spring?
Just curious.

[Edwina's Secretary]

One of the best chuckles in this was Obama having to assure veterans that they will not lose their government run healthcare!

Again I say...good enough for the military ought to be good enough for the rest of us!

[pomtzu]

No SS for you huh? Did you accept to stimulus money given out last spring?
Just curious.

The government got the money from "somewhere" to send out stimulus checks. By the time Puck is ready to collect his SS checks

there won't be any money left to collect

SS will have filed for bankruptcy

[lizbud]

You mean you can't figure out how I feel, based on what I had to say about Medicare?????

From one Medicare "customer" to another, what don't you like about it?

[momoffuzzyfaces]

If you all are only paying $125 a year for Medicare deductable I WANT A REFUND!!! I paid $235 or over this year.

Also, in our state, a person who has no children can not get Welfare. We can get public assistance for a time. Back in the 90s it was about $125 a month. (try living on THAT!!!!!) I had to go on it until my Social Security Disabiliy kicked in. After my Social Security started, I paid every dime of the public assistance money back!!! By the way, I did not delare myself unable to work, my doctor did.

How good is Social Security? Well, it's a darn sight better than being homeless!!!
We had a surplus in SS until they borrowed it after 9/11.

[Grace]

From one Medicare "customer" to another, what don't you like about it?

I have no problems with some of the features; and big complaints about others.

For starters, I, too, would like to know how to get a $125 per year deductible. Every single month last year, $96.40 was deducted from my SS check. That added up to $1156.80 for the year. I understand that there will not be an increase this year because there will be no increase in Soc. Sec. amounts.

I'm fortunate - I don't have to use the Medicare drug program. Both of us have excellent retiree prescription plans.

My main thing about Medicare - I think there should be more emphasis placed on preventive care. It's a whole lot cheaper to pay for prevention than for a disease.

Example: I'm a Type 2 Diabetic. Medicare says that any diabetic who does not use insulin should only test their blood glucose once a day. They will only pay for one strip/day. That's insane. Only by testing will a diabetic know how well, or how poorly, they are doing from day to day, week to week. If, out of nowhere, my glucose starts becoming higher, how will I know if I'm not testing?

Then there is that shingles vaccine. I know 'they' say you should get it once you're 60, and that would be before you went on Medicare. However, in the case of some of us, we hit 65 before the vaccine came out. So Medicare would rather chance that we get shingles, then pay a one time fee for the vaccine?

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have no problems with some of the features; and big complaints about others.

For starters, I, too, would like to know how to get a $125 per year deductible. Every single month last year, $96.40 was deducted from my SS check. That added up to $1156.80 for the year.

Sometimes the insurance "lingo" can be confusing.

Normally - deductible refers to the amount you pay before the insurance begins paying. Just as with your car - you may pay the first $500 or whatever - then the insurance kicks in. It is possible that you have a co-pay to see the doctor or for drugs but there is a deductible for hospital, tests, etc.

Co-pay is the amount you pay to see the doctor - or for a prescription. The insurance pays the balance. Often the insurer has negoitated a rate less than that someone would pay who does not have insurance.

Co-insurance is the amount you contribute toward the cost of the insurance. Often it is 25/75 or perhaps 100% employee coverage paid by the employer and the employee pays for any dependent coverage.

These are the terms as they are used in private insurance - probably the same for Medicare.

[Puckstop31]

No SS for you huh? Did you accept to stimulus money given out last spring?
Just curious.

NO. NEVER.

I never got a check and I did not ask where it was.

I realize the strings attached. "Stimulus" money is OTHER peoples money. Its not mine to "take".

My business was offered some "opportunities". HAH.



N.E.V.E.R.


I make enough on my own. I reckon I am one of those "evil" folks who are self sufficient, as is my business. We make a "evil" PROFIT. (Read: I pay for YOU. )

I worked about 65 hours this week.... Earning my company about $37,000. Am I evil? Should I give some of that money to lazy people?

[Puckstop31]

How good is Social Security? Well, it's a darn sight better than being homeless!!!
We had a surplus in SS until they borrowed it after 9/11.

LOL.


Where did you see that lie? Its been broke for WAY longer than that.

My company has a clilent who provides low income housing. When visiting these properties to provide support... it never ceases to amaze me the old people bitching about how little SS provides them... As they smoke cigarettes, in their SS provided motorized wheelchairs, in their government provided housing.... With their government provided housing, that sucks. That is hard to collect OUR bills from....


I love my country. I HATE my government. (Be sure to quote that one ES.)

[Puckstop31]

The government got the money from "somewhere" to send out stimulus checks. By the time Puck is ready to collect his SS checks

there won't be any money left to collect

SS will have filed for bankruptcy

I am not counting on it. Never had, never will.

But being the evil business man i've saved and invested. Even given recent downturns, I have a comfortable 6 figure account to draw on when the time comes.

Money I EARNED.

Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

[pomtzu]

Co-pay is the amount you pay to see the doctor - or for a prescription. The insurance pays the balance. Often the insurer has negoitated a rate less than that someone would pay who does not have insurance.

Silly girl, ES! Didn't you read my previous post about what my primary care doc charges me, a Medicare patient, and what he charges a cash paying patient?

He charges me $122 and Medicare pays $71 of that - which leaves me holding the bag for $51. The cash paying patient pays $50 for the same thing - so I'm paying $1 more than Mr Cash-In-Hand. What's wrong with that picture? Uncle Sam is generously handing over $71 to doc - and for what - submitting a claim???

So in order for me to be able to afford to go to the doctor, I have to pay out another monthly premium for a supplemental policy which will pay that $51 I still owe, which in turn allows me to eat and pay the other bills. And that's just one small example - multiply that for other doctors, x-rays, lab work, procedures, hospitals, etc, etc, etc. Like I said before, a relatively minor illness or procedure has the potential to wipe you out. The majority of folks don't have a 6-figure nest egg to draw from! Lucky Pucky!!!



OK Lizbud - what don't I like??? The above says it to some degree. Add what Grace said about the $96.40 that comes out of every SS check before you even see it, in spite of the fact that we've already paid during our time in the workforce, the fact that I have to pay out another $120 each month in premiums for my supplemental policy so that I can survive and know that I can get medical care when I need it, unlike many others who can't afford to do so if they only have Medicare. Oh - I could get out the Medicare publication and list plenty of other things that I don't like - but why beat a dead horse?


Will it ever get better? Maybe someday, but I know I'll never be around to talk about it.