Medicare for All, but especially for Insurance companies.

[dblack]

Proponents of "Medicare for All" tout it as a ready-to-go answer to the shortcomings of ACA. But they seem to have a lot of misconceptions about Medicare. The worst of these, in my view, is the idea that Medicare takes for-profit insurance companies out of the equation. On the contrary, it secures their position, and their profits.

Medicare is essentially a group insurance plan, purchased for you by the federal government. It's not much different than a group plan purchased by an employer for their employees. And it's still still sold by private, for-profit insurance companies - often the very same insurance companies who have been screwing us for the last fifty years. These companies are still responsible for approving, and denying claims, and they are still driven by the same profit motive.

It's just frustrating to see so many people kidding themselves, thinking that Medicare for All would somehow steer around the insurance companies, when it reality - just like ACA - it would simply herd us all into their clutches.

 

[Oddball]

It's just frustrating to see so many people kidding themselves, thinking that Medicare for All would somehow steer around the insurance companies, when it reality - just like ACA - it would simply herd us all into their clutches.

Lolberals excel at that....Why would this issue be any different?

 

[Maxdeath]

Those touting Medicare for all do not have the slightest clue what they are talking about. Medicare as it is now is not free. It is paid for every time you get a paycheck long before you are eligible to recieve it.
Medicare does not cover everything. If you do not purchase supplements then you will be paying all or at the very best 20% of any medical bill.

What Bernie and his protege OC are talking is single payer. That is estimated to cost 32.6 Trillion for ten years or about 3.2 Trillion a year. Considering total tax receipts for 2016 was only 3.2 Trillion that leaves no one to collect the taxes so therefore no insurance.

Some think that they will just make companies and the rich pay for it all. They seem to forget that the rich do not need to stay here and companies can and have left the U.S. They have even left money overseas where it is not taxed so heavily. In reality to pay for single payer the tax rate would need to be 45-50% on all income.

They also tend to forget that private or semi private rooms would be a thing of the past. Newer procedures and drugs would be less frequent. Doctors and nurses would probably be of lower quality. The waiting period to see a specialist would be almost six months and a non life threatening surgery would be an almost year wait.

 

[Oddball]

Those touting Medicare for all do not have the slightest clue what they are talking about. Medicare as it is now is not free. It is paid for every time you get a paycheck long before you are eligible to recieve it.
Medicare does not cover everything. If you do not purchase supplements then you will be paying all or at the very best 20% of any medical bill.

What Bernie and his protege OC are talking is single payer. That is estimated to cost 32.6 Trillion for ten years or about 3.2 Trillion a year. Considering total tax receipts for 2016 was only 3.2 Trillion that leaves no one to collect the taxes so therefore no insurance.

Some think that they will just make companies and the rich pay for it all. They seem to forget that the rich do not need to stay here and companies can and have left the U.S. They have even left money overseas where it is not taxed so heavily. In reality to pay for single payer the tax rate would need to be 45-50% on all income.

They also tend to forget that private or semi private rooms would be a thing of the past. Newer procedures and drugs would be less frequent. Doctors and nurses would probably be of lower quality. The waiting period to see a specialist would be almost six months and a non life threatening surgery would be an almost year wait.

They don't forget...They're willfully ignorant.....You cannot forget that which you refuse to know in the first place.

 

[debbiedowner]

Proponents of "Medicare for All" tout it as a ready-to-go answer to the shortcomings of ACA. But they seem to have a lot of misconceptions about Medicare. The worst of these, in my view, is the idea that Medicare takes for-profit insurance companies out of the equation. On the contrary, it secures their position, and their profits.

Medicare is essentially a group insurance plan, purchased for you by the federal government. It's not much different than a group plan purchased by an employer for their employees. And it's still still sold by private, for-profit insurance companies - often the very same insurance companies who have been screwing us for the last fifty years. These companies are still responsible for approving, and denying claims, and they are still driven by the same profit motive.

It's just frustrating to see so many people kidding themselves, thinking that Medicare for All would somehow steer around the insurance companies, when it reality - just like ACA - it would simply herd us all into their clutches.

One dem senator or congressman last week did propose he would vote for a 50 or 55 year olds and up to buy into Medicare but he didn't believe "for all" could pass. I don't remember his name but not one you hear everyday.

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans, if they left them out you would see unemployment go up, up and up. Think of how many thousands of employee's work for all the major insurers.

 

[debbiedowner]

Those touting Medicare for all do not have the slightest clue what they are talking about. Medicare as it is now is not free. It is paid for every time you get a paycheck long before you are eligible to recieve it.
Medicare does not cover everything. If you do not purchase supplements then you will be paying all or at the very best 20% of any medical bill.

What Bernie and his protege OC are talking is single payer. That is estimated to cost 32.6 Trillion for ten years or about 3.2 Trillion a year. Considering total tax receipts for 2016 was only 3.2 Trillion that leaves no one to collect the taxes so therefore no insurance.

Some think that they will just make companies and the rich pay for it all. They seem to forget that the rich do not need to stay here and companies can and have left the U.S. They have even left money overseas where it is not taxed so heavily. In reality to pay for single payer the tax rate would need to be 45-50% on all income.

They also tend to forget that private or semi private rooms would be a thing of the past. Newer procedures and drugs would be less frequent. Doctors and nurses would probably be of lower quality. The waiting period to see a specialist would be almost six months and a non life threatening surgery would be an almost year wait.

Do some research and math, tricare, va, medicaid would go away and everyone would fall under one roof so in the end would save a few billlion.

 

[dblack]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

 

[Ambivalent1]

Proponents of "Medicare for All" tout it as a ready-to-go answer to the shortcomings of ACA. But they seem to have a lot of misconceptions about Medicare. The worst of these, in my view, is the idea that Medicare takes for-profit insurance companies out of the equation. On the contrary, it secures their position, and their profits.

Medicare is essentially a group insurance plan, purchased for you by the federal government. It's not much different than a group plan purchased by an employer for their employees. And it's still still sold by private, for-profit insurance companies - often the very same insurance companies who have been screwing us for the last fifty years. These companies are still responsible for approving, and denying claims, and they are still driven by the same profit motive.

It's just frustrating to see so many people kidding themselves, thinking that Medicare for All would somehow steer around the insurance companies, when it reality - just like ACA - it would simply herd us all into their clutches.

"These companies are still responsible for approving, and denying claims, and they are still driven by the same profit motive."

Companies that market Supplement Plans ONLY pay for what Medicare approves. They do not autonomously decide what get denied.

 

[dblack]

"These companies are still responsible for approving, and denying claims, and they are still driven by the same profit motive."

Companies that market Supplement Plans ONLY pay for what Medicare approves. They do not autonomously decide what get denied.

I'm not talking about supplemental plans, I'm talking about Medicare itself. Here: 33. Medicare is a Private–Public Partnership || Center for Medicare Advocacy

"... the entities granting or denying coverage, and those deciding whether or not to pay claims, are mostly private insurance companies. For example, Anthem is the parent company of “National Government Services,” one of the major Medicare claims administrators."

"if coverage is denied unfairly… don’t blame the government. It’s probably not “Medicare” that made the decision; it’s most likely a private insurance company that’s paid by Medicare to make coverage decisions."

 

[debbiedowner]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

 

[dblack]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

 

[dblack]

Promoting (often legally requiring) employer provided health insurance has been a mistake. It's created a situation where our employers can decide whether or not we get the health care we need. Voters are being sold a bill of goods that claims "Medicare for All" will take the profit out of health insurance, that it will remove private, for-profit insurance companies from the equation. But that won't happen.

What changes with Medicare for All isn't the companies selling the insurance. What changes is who's buying it. Instead of your employer footing the bill, and your health care depending on staying on good terms with your boss, the government is the gatekeeper. Your health care will depend on the increasingly erratic political winds. It will depend on Donald Trump, or the next band of deplorables. No thanks.

 

[Ambivalent1]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

Stupid post. What is "straight up" Medicare?

 

[Ambivalent1]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

Your point is patently false. Medicare consists Part A and Part B. Do your homework kid.

 

[dblack]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

Your point is patently false. Medicare consists Part A and Part B. Do your homework kid.

It's a fact. Did you read the link I posted?

Here's another: Nearly 60 percent of top health insurers' revenue comes from Medicare and Medicaid

 

[Ambivalent1]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

Your point is patently false. Medicare consists Part A and Part B. Do your homework kid.

It's a fact. Did you read the link I posted?

It's what I do, I do it every day.
Medicare is Part A and Part B.
EVERYTHING else supplements or replaces those two things.

 

[dblack]

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

Your point is patently false. Medicare consists Part A and Part B. Do your homework kid.

It's a fact. Did you read the link I posted?

It's what I do, I do it every day.
Medicare is Part A and Part B.
EVERYTHING else supplements or replaces those two things.

As I said earlier, I'm not talking about everything else. I'm talking about Medicare (Part A and Part B). Neither were the two articles I linked to. Did you read them? Is it fake news?

 

[debbiedowner]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

Your point is patently false. Medicare consists Part A and Part B. Do your homework kid.

If you want to be correct it consists of Part A, B, C and D

 

[dblack]

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

Your point is patently false. Medicare consists Part A and Part B. Do your homework kid.

It's a fact. Did you read the link I posted?

It's what I do, I do it every day.
Medicare is Part A and Part B.
EVERYTHING else supplements or replaces those two things.

As I said earlier, I'm not talking about everything else. I'm talking about Medicare (Part A and Part B). Neither were the two articles I linked to. Did you read them? Is it fake news?

I'd love to be proven wrong about this. I'd really rather not think of Medicare as yet another corporate-rent-seeking parking space. If you can show how my sources are incorrect, I'm all ears.

 

[Ambivalent1]

Sure insurance companies would be involved with the Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans,

Nope. Insurance companies profit from straight up Medicare, and they would make even more with "Medicare for All".

I don't know what you're saying here because I have always knows insurance companies adjudicate claims for Medicare.

I thought you implied that insurance companies would not sell plans if there was Medicare for all and I was simply replying that they would still offer supplements and MAPD plans and the government still believes the MAPD's save Medicare money which they do not, actually costing them around 13-14% more than if Medicare just paid the claims that were adjudicated.

I don't know what you're talking about either. My point is that Medicare is farmed out to private insurance companies. It doesn't deny insurance companies their profits, it guarantees them.

No it doesn't. Charging the correct amount in Premium makes them profitable.