If Obamacare is so great why are there no insurers backing it and

[debbiedowner]

Wrong, Red. The trouble with the VA is that they own and run their own hospitals. Medicare simply contracst that out to the private sector.

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

"medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill"

He is absolutely correct, Medicare Part A pays ONLY 80%, hence the need for a supplement. Medicare Advantage plans only work well in areas of high population density.

Nope you are wrong Medicare Part A doesn't pay 80%.

 

[Doc1]

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

"medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill"

He is absolutely correct, Medicare Part A pays ONLY 80%, hence the need for a supplement. Medicare Advantage plans only work well in areas of high population density.

Nope you are wrong Medicare Part A doesn't pay 80%.

Correct B does.

 

[dblack]

Because Medicare isn't single payer.

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

Black, when people say, "Single payer", they mean the same as Medicare.Medicare used to be a single payer, until they allowed the private sector to compete by bringing out advantage products, which has worked extremely well. We call it "single payer", because it is to much trouble to advocate, "government run insurance for all, except private companies would compete the same what they do in Medicare".

Geeze........!

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

 

[Vandalshandle]

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

Because it takes over the entire health care market, rather than just a small slice of it.

That being the case, and knowing that Medicare has existed for 50 years, why are there no government run Medicare hospitals?

Because Medicare isn't single payer.

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

Black, when people say, "Single payer", they mean the same as Medicare.Medicare used to be a single payer, until they allowed the private sector to compete by bringing out advantage products, which has worked extremely well. We call it "single payer", because it is to much trouble to advocate, "government run insurance for all, except private companies would compete the same what they do in Medicare".

Geeze........!

LOL, you just make shit up as you go.

"Single-payer health care
Single-payer health care is a system in which the government, rather than private insurers, pays for all health care costs. Single-payer systems may contract for healthcare services from private organizations (as is the case in Canada) or may own and employ healthcare resources and personnel (as is the case in the United Kingdom)."

Well, Do, if you want to get technical about it, Medicare is STILL a single payer system. They either pay my providers, or they pay my HMO medicare Advantage plan my premium to handle my health insurance for them, so I believe that you are off base, here.

 

[Vandalshandle]

Wrong, Red. The trouble with the VA is that they own and run their own hospitals. Medicare simply contracst that out to the private sector.

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

"medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill"

He is absolutely correct, Medicare Part A pays ONLY 80%, hence the need for a supplement. Medicare Advantage plans only work well in areas of high population density.

Wrong again doc. My Advantage plan pays ioo% of my hospital costs after my deductible, until I reach 30 days hospitalization, which is not likely to happen.

 

[Vandalshandle]

Because Medicare isn't single payer.

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

Black, when people say, "Single payer", they mean the same as Medicare.Medicare used to be a single payer, until they allowed the private sector to compete by bringing out advantage products, which has worked extremely well. We call it "single payer", because it is to much trouble to advocate, "government run insurance for all, except private companies would compete the same what they do in Medicare".

Geeze........!

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

Black, do you not understand Medicare Advantage at all? My HMO, Caremore, controls Medicare provider prices by demanding the lowest cost provider contracts they can get. We will call that "Y". The government pays them "X" dollars for my coverage. The difference between Y and X is used partially as profit, and also for what they call "added value", which is freebies thrown in to attract people to sign up with their advantage plan. In my case, those freebies include lower coinsurance and deductibles, free vision care, free rides to my health provider's places of business, and even $20 per month of over-the counter medications at Walgreens. The government is paying my HMO to do what they do best, Keep costs down, and they have no interest in getting into the healthcare delivery business. The whole purpose of the Advantage plans was to make the industry and the republicans happy by letting the private industry do what they do best.

 

[debbiedowner]

Because it takes over the entire health care market, rather than just a small slice of it.

That being the case, and knowing that Medicare has existed for 50 years, why are there no government run Medicare hospitals?

Because Medicare isn't single payer.

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

Black, when people say, "Single payer", they mean the same as Medicare.Medicare used to be a single payer, until they allowed the private sector to compete by bringing out advantage products, which has worked extremely well. We call it "single payer", because it is to much trouble to advocate, "government run insurance for all, except private companies would compete the same what they do in Medicare".

Geeze........!

LOL, you just make shit up as you go.

"Single-payer health care
Single-payer health care is a system in which the government, rather than private insurers, pays for all health care costs. Single-payer systems may contract for healthcare services from private organizations (as is the case in Canada) or may own and employ healthcare resources and personnel (as is the case in the United Kingdom)."

Well, Do, if you want to get technical about it, Medicare is STILL a single payer system. They either pay my providers, or they pay my HMO medicare Advantage plan my premium to handle my health insurance for them, so I believe that you are off base, here.

Medicare is only a type of single payer and only single payer if one does not purchase a supplement or go with a MAPD plan. Most go with one or another which puts the insurance company on the hook for either Part A deductibles and Part B 20% or the plans that replace Medicare that the govt pays the insurance company to take over your health care, except some hospital and doctor office injections and hospice which revert to Medicare.

 

[Papageorgio]

I have lost patience with you guys who are dead set in favor of repealing ACA, and replacing it with a health insurance system which NOBODY thinks is better than ACA. What I see is sour grapes, not solutions. The solution is what i have been saying for years. Universal health coverage, based on the Medicare model.

We should Expect the Finest health care money can buy in our Republic, with our One Percenter in Chief.

Sure do, however Democrats and Republicans have failed to deliver.

 

[Papageorgio]

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

Because it takes over the entire health care market, rather than just a small slice of it.

That being the case, and knowing that Medicare has existed for 50 years, why are there no government run Medicare hospitals?

military health care is a form of communism or applied socialism.

It's a debt that we those who served and sacrificed in the military.

 

[dblack]

If we go with single payer, the government will be able dictate terms to doctors, and patients, because government will be the primary source of health care funding. In their more candid moments, liberals actually tout this as a "feature" (not a bug!). They claim that government can use the new power to control prices, which they can. But you're saying they won't. Which is it?

Black, do you not understand Medicare Advantage at all?...

I understand it. Are you going to answer my question?

 

[Redfish]

not now, but if we turn all medical care over to the government, the VA model is what we will get. This is not complicated----------------------------THINK!

Wrong, Red. The trouble with the VA is that they own and run their own hospitals. Medicare simply contracst that out to the private sector.

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

sorry dude, but I am on medicare. My wife and I have a medicare advantage plan through Humana that pays for things as you described in your post. It is a great plan and costs us about $45/month.

My point, which you refuse to get, is that if you put the entire country on plans like we have there just isn't enough money. Medicare is going broke. Medicare taxes on working people will have to be raised just to support the new retirees to whom medicare is guaranteed.

Yes, medicare is a good program, I like it. The supplements and advantage plans work well--------------for the small % of the country that is on them. Putting 330,000,000 people on medicare would bankrupt the country---------------unless the working americans are willing to have 60% of their paychecks taken from them by the government.

 

[Redfish]

not now, but if we turn all medical care over to the government, the VA model is what we will get. This is not complicated----------------------------THINK!

Wrong, Red. The trouble with the VA is that they own and run their own hospitals. Medicare simply contracst that out to the private sector.

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

So are they on the government payroll with Medicare?

No, and that's why many doctors wont accept medicare patients------------------they expect to get paid for their services

they won't accept it altogether or simply won't accept Medicare assignment?

not sure what you are asking, many doctors do not take people using medicare for their only payment. several reasons: the paperwork requires them to hire staff just to process the forms, it only pays 80% and they have a hard time collecting the other 20% from the patients, medicare limits the treatment options and drugs that they can prescribe.

all reasons why putting the entire population on medicare would be a disaster.

 

[Redfish]

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

"medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill"

He is absolutely correct, Medicare Part A pays ONLY 80%, hence the need for a supplement. Medicare Advantage plans only work well in areas of high population density.

Wrong again doc. My Advantage plan pays ioo% of my hospital costs after my deductible, until I reach 30 days hospitalization, which is not likely to happen.

basic medicare pays 80%. we are not talking about supplements or advantage plans.

 

[debbiedowner]

Wrong, Red. The trouble with the VA is that they own and run their own hospitals. Medicare simply contracst that out to the private sector.

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

sorry dude, but I am on medicare. My wife and I have a medicare advantage plan through Humana that pays for things as you described in your post. It is a great plan and costs us about $45/month.

My point, which you refuse to get, is that if you put the entire country on plans like we have there just isn't enough money. Medicare is going broke. Medicare taxes on working people will have to be raised just to support the new retirees to whom medicare is guaranteed.

Yes, medicare is a good program, I like it. The supplements and advantage plans work well--------------for the small % of the country that is on them. Putting 330,000,000 people on medicare would bankrupt the country---------------unless the working americans are willing to have 60% of their paychecks taken from them by the government.

I am not proposing to put everyone on Medicare. I am proposing you give 50 or 55-64 the option to buy into it at a higher rate than we over 65 pay for it. They would have to pay a premium for A and B not just B like we currently pay.

 

[Redfish]

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

sorry dude, but I am on medicare. My wife and I have a medicare advantage plan through Humana that pays for things as you described in your post. It is a great plan and costs us about $45/month.

My point, which you refuse to get, is that if you put the entire country on plans like we have there just isn't enough money. Medicare is going broke. Medicare taxes on working people will have to be raised just to support the new retirees to whom medicare is guaranteed.

Yes, medicare is a good program, I like it. The supplements and advantage plans work well--------------for the small % of the country that is on them. Putting 330,000,000 people on medicare would bankrupt the country---------------unless the working americans are willing to have 60% of their paychecks taken from them by the government.

I am not proposing to put everyone on Medicare. I am proposing you give 50 or 55-64 the option to buy into it at a higher rate than we over 65 pay for it. They would have to pay a premium for A and B not just B like we currently pay.

that might work but the buy in amount would have to cover the cost and that might make it too expensive for most people.

 

[Redfish]

the best fix

repeal ACA completely, pass a new law that says:
1. insurance companies can compete across state lines
2. people with pre-existing conditions must be allowed to buy policies
3. no policy can have a life time maximum pay out
4. policies can be tailored to the needs of individuals i.e. you can buy only the coverages that you want and need.
5. Drug patents limited to 5 years, then generics can be produced and sold.

problem solved with a one page bill/law.

 

[dblack]

the best fix

repeal ACA completely, pass a new law that says:
1. insurance companies can compete across state lines
2. people with pre-existing conditions must be allowed to buy policies
3. no policy can have a life time maximum pay out
4. policies can be tailored to the needs of individuals i.e. you can buy only the coverages that you want and need.
5. Drug patents limited to 5 years, then generics can be produced and sold.

problem solved with a one page bill/law.

So how is #2 supposed to work? How much "insurance*" must be offered, and for how much? Can they charge anything they want?

* in quotes because that's not really insurance al all, is it?

 

[debbiedowner]

Wrong, Red. The trouble with the VA is that they own and run their own hospitals. Medicare simply contracst that out to the private sector.

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

So are they on the government payroll with Medicare?

No, and that's why many doctors wont accept medicare patients------------------they expect to get paid for their services

they won't accept it altogether or simply won't accept Medicare assignment?

not sure what you are asking, many doctors do not take people using medicare for their only payment. several reasons: the paperwork requires them to hire staff just to process the forms, it only pays 80% and they have a hard time collecting the other 20% from the patients, medicare limits the treatment options and drugs that they can prescribe.

all reasons why putting the entire population on medicare would be a disaster.

And, yet, the government does not own a single health care provider under Medicare. Why do you think that universal health care would not operate like Medicare>?

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

sorry dude, but I am on medicare. My wife and I have a medicare advantage plan through Humana that pays for things as you described in your post. It is a great plan and costs us about $45/month.

My point, which you refuse to get, is that if you put the entire country on plans like we have there just isn't enough money. Medicare is going broke. Medicare taxes on working people will have to be raised just to support the new retirees to whom medicare is guaranteed.

Yes, medicare is a good program, I like it. The supplements and advantage plans work well--------------for the small % of the country that is on them. Putting 330,000,000 people on medicare would bankrupt the country---------------unless the working americans are willing to have 60% of their paychecks taken from them by the government.

I am not proposing to put everyone on Medicare. I am proposing you give 50 or 55-64 the option to buy into it at a higher rate than we over 65 pay for it. They would have to pay a premium for A and B not just B like we currently pay.

that might work but the buy in amount would have to cover the cost and that might make it too expensive for most people.

I saw a proposal yesterday that said the buy in around $8000 well I think that may a little too much. Some healthy people in their mid 50's would buy in and may offset some unhealthy one. Hell, I was pretty healthy up til last year, age 68.

Then encourage these buy ins to purchase Med Advantage plans and let the insurance company deal with their health insurance needs. If they didn't want a Med Advantage or supplement (which are pretty expensive now for the under 65 crowd if disabled) then they would be 80/20 and if a doc or other provider did not accept they would be responsible for filing their own claims. Let the law stand that a doctor who does not accept Medicare can only charge 15% higher than what Medicare would approve. Example:

Doc charges $100 for office visit, Medicare approves $60.00 therefore the doc can only charge $9.00 and he is receiving $69.00 for that visit. I am using a family doc, specialists would have a little higher Medicare approval rate.

 

[dblack]

WTF do you think is the next step if we were to go to government run medicine? Think, dude (or dudette). Hospitals and doctors would be on the government payroll and the entire medical system would be one big VA like clusterf"k

So are they on the government payroll with Medicare?

No, and that's why many doctors wont accept medicare patients------------------they expect to get paid for their services

they won't accept it altogether or simply won't accept Medicare assignment?

not sure what you are asking, many doctors do not take people using medicare for their only payment. several reasons: the paperwork requires them to hire staff just to process the forms, it only pays 80% and they have a hard time collecting the other 20% from the patients, medicare limits the treatment options and drugs that they can prescribe.

all reasons why putting the entire population on medicare would be a disaster.

medicare only applies to people 65 and older, and we paid for it out of our paychecks while working. Make it apply to everyone and the government will control all medicine.

single payer would not operate like medicare for several reasons
1. medicare only pays 80% of your medical bill
2. medicare is funded by payroll taxes
3. insurance companies cover most people under 65, Medicaid covers the rest
4. with single payer there is no incentive for healthcare providers to compete, no incentive for drug companies to develop new drugs, no incentive for doctors to develop new surgical techniques--------------------why you say--------------------because under single payer, medical providers would be paid a flat salary.

Red, you are not on Medicare, and frankly you simply do not know what you are talking about. I live in a retire community with 31,000 people, all of whom are over 55 years old, and 80% are over 65 years old. Not only does the community have plenty of doctors, I have never had to wait more than 5 days to get an appointment. i have my choice of three private companies that compete with Medicare, or, Medicare, itself. I choose CareMore, which successfully competes because they throw in extra benefits that I like, including glasses, frames and vision exams. My benefits are 100% with a $300 hospital deductible, and a $15 copay to see a specialist. I pay nothing to see my primary care doc, or for lab work. My girl friend chose to buy a Medicare Supp. from a private company that even pays the copays and deductibles for her. Please try to stick to things that you are familiar with. Medicare Advantage, is apparently beyond your experience.

sorry dude, but I am on medicare. My wife and I have a medicare advantage plan through Humana that pays for things as you described in your post. It is a great plan and costs us about $45/month.

My point, which you refuse to get, is that if you put the entire country on plans like we have there just isn't enough money. Medicare is going broke. Medicare taxes on working people will have to be raised just to support the new retirees to whom medicare is guaranteed.

Yes, medicare is a good program, I like it. The supplements and advantage plans work well--------------for the small % of the country that is on them. Putting 330,000,000 people on medicare would bankrupt the country---------------unless the working americans are willing to have 60% of their paychecks taken from them by the government.

I am not proposing to put everyone on Medicare. I am proposing you give 50 or 55-64 the option to buy into it at a higher rate than we over 65 pay for it. They would have to pay a premium for A and B not just B like we currently pay.

that might work but the buy in amount would have to cover the cost and that might make it too expensive for most people.

I saw a proposal yesterday that said the buy in around $8000 well I think that may a little too much. Some healthy people in their mid 50's would buy in and may offset some unhealthy one. Hell, I was pretty healthy up til last year, age 68.

Then encourage these buy ins to purchase Med Advantage plans and let the insurance company deal with their health insurance needs. If they didn't want a Med Advantage or supplement (which are pretty expensive now for the under 65 crowd if disabled) then they would be 80/20 and if a doc or other provider did not accept they would be responsible for filing their own claims. Let the law stand that a doctor who does not accept Medicare can only charge 15% higher than what Medicare would approve. Example:

Doc charges $100 for office visit, Medicare approves $60.00 therefore the doc can only charge $9.00 and he is receiving $69.00 for that visit. I am using a family doc, specialists would have a little higher Medicare approval rate.

Do you sell MA policies?

 

[debbiedowner]

the best fix

repeal ACA completely, pass a new law that says:
1. insurance companies can compete across state lines
2. people with pre-existing conditions must be allowed to buy policies
3. no policy can have a life time maximum pay out
4. policies can be tailored to the needs of individuals i.e. you can buy only the coverages that you want and need.
5. Drug patents limited to 5 years, then generics can be produced and sold.

problem solved with a one page bill/law.

Unbeknownst to the general public Insurance companies were allowed to sell across state lines under obamacare and took effect 1/1/2016 no insurance company I know took advantage. You're dealing with each individual state office of insurance regulation and each state has different mandates that were in place before obamacare and damn near virtually impossible to set up networks. The closest thing to a national network is Bluecard under Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.