Explain to me why Medicare Advantage plans are bad.

[Quantum Windbag]

They're not bad. They're expensive, with little resulting consumer surplus to show for it. Their promise of lowering costs never materialized.

Expensive? I think you and I have a different definition of expensive. When we compare cost straight across the board Medicare Advantage programs offer the same benefits as Medicare for 9% lower costs. That doesn't seem expensive to me, why do you think it is expensive?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

They're costing more than traditional Medicare. They're not competitive. That's where part of the savings in Obamacare's changes to Medicare come from. Cutting the subsidies to Medicare Advantage.

Not competitive? What would make them competitive in your world?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

They're not bad. They're expensive, with little resulting consumer surplus to show for it. Their promise of lowering costs never materialized.

DID for me! Nearly $2,000 more with my Advantage plan in my pocket!

I think he was talking about costs to the government, seems you cost the government 12% more than someone on regular medicare.

I think he, and you, are full of shit. Not a single person in this thread can actually explain why Medicare Advantage is bad, all they can do is spout lies spread by the Democrats to justify their attack on Medicare.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Medicare pays my advantage plan $800 per month.
MY advantage plan has less then $200 costs from me so they are ahead AND I"M GLAD!!!!!!

Awesome. I'm glad the government could pay your private insurer four times what it costs to treat you.

If that's not a good use of federal tax dollars, I don't know what is.

Damn, someone else must be Greenbeard now. The old Greenbeard always backed up his posts with numbers, not lies. Is he your supervisor now?

 

[Lakhota]

There is some evidence that Medicare Advantage plans design benefits so that they are unattractive to people with costly conditions or high risks of needing expensive treatments and steering them into traditional Medicare. This insulates Medicare Advantage plans from financial risk while shifting costs to the federal government. Medicare makes risk adjusted payments to private plans to avoid this, but it is unclear how effective that policy is.

Medicare Advantage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[occupied]

DID for me! Nearly $2,000 more with my Advantage plan in my pocket!

I think he was talking about costs to the government, seems you cost the government 12% more than someone on regular medicare.

I think he, and you, are full of shit. Not a single person in this thread can actually explain why Medicare Advantage is bad, all they can do is spout lies spread by the Democrats to justify their attack on Medicare.

It costs the government more per person to subsidize MA and the plans are structured to dump the more expensive people off on traditional medicare. The plan is to fund both at the same level therefore saving money, want to explain why in this case it is just fine for the government to spend more money on the people who are the least needy? Want to explain why some deeper and much more ruthless cuts are planned by republicans but this is unacceptable?

 

[Lakhota]

Ryan Touts Medicare Program He Wants To End At Florida Rally

By Igor Volsky on Aug 18, 2012 at 12:19 pm

Paul Ryan doubled down on the GOP’s strategy of staying on offense against criticisms of his plan to partially privatize the Medicare program for future retirees and defended the proposal during an appearance with his 78-year-old mother in The Villages, Florida Saturday morning.

Without explaining how the program would change for the next generation, Ryan rallied the mostly 55-and-older crowd by pledging to protect the existing government-run program that his plan would radically restructure and criticizing President Obama for cutting $716 billion out of Medicare. The House Budget Committee Chairman and most House Republicans actually voted to preserve the $716 billion in savings in the GOP budget, though Romney and Ryan promised to restore the cuts to Medicare earlier this week.

But where Ryan fell short on specifics, he was long on attacks. Below are five myths Ryan told seniors as he sought to transform his unpopular Medicare plan into a political asset:

CLAIM

RYAN: “One out of six of our hospitals and our nursing homes will go out of business as a result of this. Four million seniors are projected to lose their Medicare Advantage plans that they enjoy and they chose today under this Obamacare plan.”

FACT

Far from destroying Medicare Advantage, the choices available through the program are “stronger than ever.” Premiums for the program are lower and enrollment has increased since Obamacare became law. Studies have also shown that the provider cuts in the law will lead doctors and hospitals to improve productivity and efficiency, resulting in substantial savings throughout the health care system.

More: Ryan Touts Medicare Program He Wants To End At Florida Rally

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I think he was talking about costs to the government, seems you cost the government 12% more than someone on regular medicare.

I think he, and you, are full of shit. Not a single person in this thread can actually explain why Medicare Advantage is bad, all they can do is spout lies spread by the Democrats to justify their attack on Medicare.

It costs the government more per person to subsidize MA and the plans are structured to dump the more expensive people off on traditional medicare. The plan is to fund both at the same level therefore saving money, want to explain why in this case it is just fine for the government to spend more money on the people who are the least needy? Want to explain why some deeper and much more ruthless cuts are planned by republicans but this is unacceptable?

If a person on Medicare Advantage gets the same benefits as a regular Medicare recipient the government saves 9% on costs. the added costs come from the added benefits that Medicare Advantage covers. Believe it or not, paying more for more actually makes sense.

 

[occupied]

I think he, and you, are full of shit. Not a single person in this thread can actually explain why Medicare Advantage is bad, all they can do is spout lies spread by the Democrats to justify their attack on Medicare.

It costs the government more per person to subsidize MA and the plans are structured to dump the more expensive people off on traditional medicare. The plan is to fund both at the same level therefore saving money, want to explain why in this case it is just fine for the government to spend more money on the people who are the least needy? Want to explain why some deeper and much more ruthless cuts are planned by republicans but this is unacceptable?

If a person on Medicare Advantage gets the same benefits as a regular Medicare recipient the government saves 9% on costs. the added costs come from the added benefits that Medicare Advantage covers. Believe it or not, paying more for more actually makes sense.

Still haven't explained why the government should pay more money for this program. It's pretty hypocritical to talk of such harsh measures as throwing people off food stamps while arguing in favor of subsidizing health club memberships and other such perks of MA. It all comes down to putting the pain of budget cuts off on people other than yourselves, the republican plan to severely cut everyone under 55 for example. If republicans are serious about slashing the budget and saving money maybe they should immediately begin to walk the walk rather than just talk.

 

[Mac1958]

I am on Medicare.
I have a Medicare advantage plan.
The differences...

My Medicare Advantage plan Versus Traditional Medicare Fee for Services (FFS)
More money in my SS check
Under my Advantage plan..My SS check is NOT reduced by $1,156 annually ---
Under Traditional FFS $1,156 deducted from SS.

NO Co-pays
Everytime I see the doctor NO co-pay... no deductibles zero.. nothing
But under FFS Part B I would have to pay the first $162 and then 20% co-pay office visits!

FREE $600 over the counter
Every month I can order FREE up to $50 in over the counter health products.. aspirin, blood pressure meter,etc.

Nothing from Medicare FFS.

Little or NO FRAUD!!!
Medicare pays a flat monthly fee to my advantage plan. NO opportunity for fraud!
Total costs are known! And all done under the lowest bid.
BUT with Medicare FFS hospitals are overcharging sometimes 6,000%!

Continual Monitoring of my health...
I am looking at a list of preventive screenings my Advantage plan wants me to complete!
They know if I take these screenings I reduce greater problems and therefore more costs!
They remind me to have blood tests at least twice a year.
eyes checked every year.
Foot specialists are paid for..

Traditional Medicare... DOES NOTHING!
NO material encouraging me to see my doctor!
NOTHING.

So given the REAL dollars difference
$1,156 MORE in my SS check with my advantage plan
$162 I don't have to pay but would have to with traditional FFS.
NO co-pays versus Medicare 20% for each visit!
$600 a year in FREE OTC products.
Constant monitoring of my health...

Those of you on traditional Medicare tell me you have a better deal???

Based on the no copay benefit you have, I'm going to guess that you have an HMO Medicare Advantage plan, which actually costs less to operate than traditional Medicare because the insurer has many cost controls, even though its menu of benefits is far more robust than traditional Medicare. I'm also going to guess that the listing of benefits you provided is also only partial, that includes low hospital co-pays (less than what traditional Medicare costs), and an excellent array of preventive services.

I would also guess that your plan includes Part D coverage and still costs less to operate than traditional Medicare. So you probably have very, very good coverage.

Most people don't know that Medicare Advantage includes three different kinds of plans (PFFS, HMO, PPO); nor do they know which of those plans are more or less costly and why; nor do they know what these plans cover. They just regurgitate talking points based on information that is at least four years old.

The insurance companies are doing a good job with the cuts to MA. Medicare Advantage is an excellent example of the kind of public/private partnership that will be required to fix the disaster that is the American health care system.

But it won't happen until our "leaders" (hate that word in this application) get their heads out of the ass and work together.

.

 

[uscitizen]

They're not bad. They're expensive, with little resulting consumer surplus to show for it. Their promise of lowering costs never materialized.

DID for me! Nearly $2,000 more with my Advantage plan in my pocket!

Yah you are sounding like a liberal now, that 2k come out of other peoples pockets

 

[uscitizen]

They're not bad. They're expensive, with little resulting consumer surplus to show for it. Their promise of lowering costs never materialized.

Expensive? I think you and I have a different definition of expensive. When we compare cost straight across the board Medicare Advantage programs offer the same benefits as Medicare for 9% lower costs. That doesn't seem expensive to me, why do you think it is expensive?

Lower costs to their customers higher costs to the government.
You are getting money from other peoples pockets.

 

[bitterlyclingin]

AARP will have the only Medicare Advantage Plan that will survive after Obamacare's inception. If you're an AARP exec "Just think of the money..." The money.. The money... The money... The money....
That's why AARP abandoned the people they claim to support and tossed their lot in behind Obamacare. The Louisiana Purchase, The Cornhusker Kickback, AARP
"The Medicare Advantage Plans are bad" theme is just a rationalization by the Left for what they did.
Who was the Country and Western Singer at the Iowa State Fair to rousing applause from his audience this weekend when he told them that Obama was a Muslim who hated the elderly, the military, farmers, and America?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

They're not bad. They're expensive, with little resulting consumer surplus to show for it. Their promise of lowering costs never materialized.

Expensive? I think you and I have a different definition of expensive. When we compare cost straight across the board Medicare Advantage programs offer the same benefits as Medicare for 9% lower costs. That doesn't seem expensive to me, why do you think it is expensive?

Lower costs to their customers higher costs to the government.
You are getting money from other peoples pockets.

Wrong. The overall cost for the same services are 9% less expensive to the government. The extra cost comes when extra benefits are covered, which most people seem to think make sense. for some reason, Democrats want to argue it is bad.

 

[Lakhota]

Paul Ryan and the Problem With Competitive Bidding | Mother Jones

 

[uscitizen]

Expensive? I think you and I have a different definition of expensive. When we compare cost straight across the board Medicare Advantage programs offer the same benefits as Medicare for 9% lower costs. That doesn't seem expensive to me, why do you think it is expensive?

Lower costs to their customers higher costs to the government.
You are getting money from other peoples pockets.

Wrong. The overall cost for the same services are 9% less expensive to the government. The extra cost comes when extra benefits are covered, which most people seem to think make sense. for some reason, Democrats want to argue it is bad.

so they come in when extra benefits are covered in any case Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers more than traditional medicare.

 

[uscitizen]

Paul Ryan and the Problem With Competitive Bidding | Mother Jones

Rayn voted against competetive biddnig for drugs for Medicare Part D.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Lower costs to their customers higher costs to the government.
You are getting money from other peoples pockets.

Wrong. The overall cost for the same services are 9% less expensive to the government. The extra cost comes when extra benefits are covered, which most people seem to think make sense. for some reason, Democrats want to argue it is bad.

so they come in when extra benefits are covered in any case Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers more than traditional medicare.

And this is bad because?

 

[uscitizen]

Wrong. The overall cost for the same services are 9% less expensive to the government. The extra cost comes when extra benefits are covered, which most people seem to think make sense. for some reason, Democrats want to argue it is bad.

so they come in when extra benefits are covered in any case Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers more than traditional medicare.

And this is bad because?

It costs more tax dollars and increases the budget defecit.
Duhhh

If the Ryan plan does not require the insurance outfits to take "all comers" then they will be stuck with traditional medicare and will more quickly run it out of business.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

so they come in when extra benefits are covered in any case Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers more than traditional medicare.

And this is bad because?

It costs more tax dollars and increases the budget defecit.
Duhhh

If the Ryan plan does not require the insurance outfits to take "all comers" then they will be stuck with traditional medicare and will more quickly run it out of business.

That money comes out of the Medicare Trust Fund, it doesn't increase the deficit. Want to try again?