I guess I must have been dreaming. The Presidents speech

[Paper Roses]

really did not address much in the way of Medicare costs for Seniors. Maybe I'm in a minority but I cannot afford any supplements. I feel like a sitting duck. Anyone else hoping that somehow he planned to restructure the deductibles, co-pays, balance bills and figure out how we could better pay for Medicare?

Many people think it is complete coverage for about $100.00 a month. We who use it know that unless you have about $2500.00 annually to pay for parts A,B, and the supplements also, it is very incomplete.

Yes, I know we're lucky to have it but we did pay for and continue to pay for it. I think a little revision is in order for Seniors too.

edited to change cost: I had posted the figure for me and my late husband. Changed the figure to reflect 1 person.

[MrModerate]

1. I think Obama's hope that he's the last president to address healthcare reform . . .

Is 1) wildly optimistic (we're going to be tinkering with this forever) and 2) meant to be a "line in the sand," demonstrating his seriousness.

[monmouth]

2. I'm with you. I take very good care of myself, I only have the hospital

coverage and pay out of pocket for the doctor visits every three years or so. Way too expensive for me to have good medical coverage and eat three meals a day. I may die if I get sick, but my stomach will be full....

[FrenchieCat]

3. Yes, you fell asleep!

First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10obama.text.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1


What else were you expecting? You get Government administered health care! You're quite fortunate.
I pay $1,200 per month for 3 of us, excluding $75 co-pay for each visit.

[Paper Roses]

4. Been there. I was self-employed for years and paid through the

nose for healthcare. I'm not expecting something for nothing, nor did I misinterpret what the president said. In order to make Medicare into good coverage, you have to buy the supplements.
For Seniors on fixed incomes, to complete the coverage picture, it would be double the monthly costs, taken directly from our Social Security checks.

I did not at all think rates were going to go up, I was hoping some co-pays, deductibles,
balance bills and supplement costs would go down.

[FrenchieCat]

6. I believe that if the cost of health care goes down,

it will also go down for Medicare at some point.

[JuniperLea]

5. The word "medicare" was used 16 times in his speech... eom

[Paper Roses]

7. The point I am trying to make, and maybe I didn't hear it, is that I

hoped the costs of the supplements, copays, deductibles, office visits etc. would go down. I must not be clear enough or maybe I really was asleep. The only time I heard reference to costs to recipients was the proposed change in the "donut hole" drug supplement.

I am not talking about his use of the term, only wondering about this particular aspect of Medicare in his proposal.

[raccoon]

8. I wish they would revise it so people over 50 would be covered. nt

[Stardust]

9. But if they did that, we might not have enough money to go bomb the bajesus

out of some pitiful country who has the misfortune of having resources that we happen to want and are somehow entitled to it, being a superpower and all that entails. Best killing machine money can buy that deludes itself that it can easily vanquish its fabricated "enemies." with the profits lining the pockets of nearly everyone with any power. And we've never accepted "no" for an answer and we damn won't start now with the terrorists multiplying like rabbits and getting skillful on the monkey bars. But while our troops shoot at god only knows, there are teams of worker drones building the gas pipeline that is merely the icing on the cake for this battle. Vanquish al-Queda (despite the fact that everyone pretty much agrees that aQ has moved on into Pakistan)AND get a bright shiny pipeline to plunder their treasure.

Oops, kinda went on a rant there. I'm sorry. If by some miracle they would extend Medicare to everyone over 50, I would die a very, very happy and proud woman. Proud that I finally saw some humanity in an administration for a change. It's been a long time coming.

"http://www.youtube.com/v/_PFCgAhZEO8&hl=en&fs=1&border=1"

Crosby, 1968

It's been a long time comin'
It's goin' to be a long time gone.
Appears to be a long time,
Yes, a long, long, long time
Before the dawn.
Turn, turn any corner.
Hear, you must hear what the people say,
You know there's something that's goin' on here,
That surely, surely, surely won't stand the light of day.
And it appears to be a long,
Such a long, long, long time before the dawn.
Speak out, you got to speak out against
The madness, you got to speak your mind,
If you dare.
But don't try to get yourself elected.
If you do you had better cut your hair.
'Cause it appears to be a long time,
Before the dawn.
It's been a long time comin',
It's been a long time gone.
But you know, the darkest hour,
Is always just before the dawn.
And it appears to be a long time,
Such a long, long, long time before the dawn.