Like Medicare? We LOVE It!

[eridani]

http://healthcare.change.org/blog/view/like_medicare_we_love_it

You’re hearing a lot of bashing of government-run health care these days, but notice the bashers don't call out the programs out by name. There’s a reason for that. SCHIP is hugely popular. The VA is arguably the best system of care in the country. Medicaid has less of a sterling reputation, but that's largely because no one really understands how it works or who is eligible for what state-by-state. And Medicare? Well, as a new Commonwealth Fund poll confirms, Americans are significantly more satisfied with Medicare than private insurance. It’s time to get back to basics. “Government-run” may be scary to some, but it’s lovable in practice.

Single-payer advocates often call their plan “Medicare for All.” The public health insurance option touted by Obama, Baucus and most of the Democratic leaders is usually referred to as “like Medicare.” Clearly there’s magic in the program, but how strong is it? The poll compared the responses of those over 65 with Medicare to a random assortment of those with private insurance. Now this isn’t exactly apples to apples – Medicare beneficiaries in this poll were nearly three times as likely as those with private insurance to list their condition as “fair or poor” (the lowest ranking), almost four times as likely to have multiple chronic conditions, and twice as likely to be 200% of the poverty line or below. To no one’s surprise, Medicare beneficiaries are older, sicker, more in need of care, and poorer – the exact reasons why Lyndon Johnson and JFK wanted to create the program in the first place.

But despite their higher needs for consistent and likely expensive care, the magic of Medicare is that it’s more responsive to the customer than private health insurance. 32% of beneficiaries report having a negative incident with Medicare – a number that’s clearly too high and indicative of how much Medicare needs some reforms to improve the program. But that number is 44% for private insurance. Still, we keep hearing Medicare ain’t as good as it used to be. Think of the developments over the past few years that call into question how satisfied someone might be with Medicare – turns out many of them aren’t as bad as we’d think.

[vadawg]

1. i dont mind single payer, but i still want an option for private if i want it N/T

[eridani]

2. What for? Private will still be allowed for bells and whistles not covered by public

That's the case for all other single payer countries, and even countries with actual socialized medicine.

[vadawg]

3. as long as i can still go private for my family if i want then im fine with it

i just dont want to have no private option.

[cap]

4. Nobody is advocating the abolition of private insurance

no one.

We all realize the government can't pick up the bill for everything. You can make sure that you will get yours.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. Exactly.

Everyone keeps mentioning the Canadian system, like it's the only single-payer program out there. If we did single-payer here in America I imagine it would be more like the UK's NHS: a public system that you can use for free, but with a private alternative you can pay for if you prefer.

[eridani]

16. Insisting on having private duplicate the public option is a choice to kill sick people

Assenting to having your money used for cherrypicking is killing sick people. Being in a statistically healthier demographic should not entitle anyone to collaborate in anyone else's death. It's a different matter entirely for private insurance to offer extra options in addition to those provided publicly. You will always have that choice.

[eridani]

18. You are not entitled to choose to kill other people

That's what a private option for basic care does. Nothing wrong with private insurance to cover those things in the single payer plan that aren't covered.

[Bandit]

15. Single Payer means one person pay the bills, that is it

You can see ANY Doctor any place in America, at any medical center at any time and not pay a single dime for their service and your treatment. There will be NO Insurance Bureaucrat that has no real medical knowledge making decisions whether a procedure should be covered or not. Every doctor will be in Private Practice and will have their bureaucratic nightmares cut 99%. You wish to keep bureaucrats in charge of your medical needs so be it but I would say it isn't a very smart course.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Well, I'm "covered" by the VA, and if it's the "best"...

everything else must really be for shit. I have never had a full physical, never had the ability to get a second opinion, never had alternative treatment options, and have to drive 60 miles each way to see a doctor. And the waits for some specialties, like dermatology, have been up to six months. They work on a hospital setting-- where a constantly changing group of trainees and residents see and treat you with the experienced doctors nowhere to be found. Much is said about their computerized records, but they really need them since you rarely see the same doctor twice.

Am I complaining? Not really-- if not for the VA I would be definitely be blind and possibly dead from colon cancer or diabetes complications. And they have adequately treated a bunch of small things (even if I did have to battle with them to test me for Lyme disease, and when they found I had it, decided nothing could be done).

But, to set the VA up as a model for health care is still to set a very strange standard.

[enough]

7. After decades of paying for private insurance (self-employed), my husband and I

have finally reached the age where Medicare kicks in. And believe me, WE LOVE IT!

[shraby]

12. We had employer offered private which got worse

every year..we're on Medicare now and we love it too! No worries about anything.

[madrchsod]

8. both my parents were on medicare with arrp supplemental

never paid a penny,never denied any treatment,and never waited "months" for treatment. the biggest expenditure was for medicine.

i have insurance (through my wifes employer) that costs 3500 a year 1000 deductible with 80% payment. i we close to 15,000 for several surgeries in the last three years. that`s 15,000 dollars that could retro fit my home for fuel efficiency,buy a car,or start a business....but no i have to pay for medical expenses that my parents never had to because they were on medicare.

[Lancer]

9. I'd be in debtor's prison if not for Medicare.

I'm only 48, but receive SSDI benefits for a neurological disorder. I am amazed at how comprehensive Medicare coverage is. 2009 has been the worst year of my life healthwise. I've been to doctors, hospitals, emergency rooms and/or had outpatient procedures eight times. That's five times more that I've needed medical attention than I ever have my entire life.

The bill for kidney stone treatment, which took only six hours but required numerous diagnostic tests and two CT scans, was $5K. After Medicare I paid $150.

With Medicare Part D prescription benefits, my medications cost me $23 per month. If I had to pay out of pocket they would cost close to $1300. Before Part D kicked in I could only pay a week at a time for one of them because it cost $700 a month -- before it went generic. So now I could pay for it in full if I had to.

I needed new glasses this year, too. The exam was the most expensive part because there is a new procedure that replaces having the dilating drops put in your eyes. I know some private insurers do cover the exam but not the glasses. So if the country did provide coverage similar to Medicare for all, yes, I believe there should be additional options available.

But I have found that for non-elective procedures and health services, (including annual checkups, for which I pay only $7), Medicare is a good and fair deal. Just my experience.

[newfie11]

10. I have VA and medicare

Where as VA may have it faults but it is better than nothing as far as I am concerned. Medicare alone however can leave you still in major financial distress if you have a serious problem. You must have a supplement and the AARP my husband has runs around 200.00 a month, combine that with 100 a month for medicare. It is true that the combination of both pays most bills completely. However if you are unemployed or on a very limited income 300 a month is hard to manage.

I have friends in Germany that pay 30 dollars to see a doctor and if that doctor send you to another one there is no other charge. There is no charge for hospitalization. The husband just had hernia surgery. No lengthy wait time and only bill 30 dollars for doctor.

[madokie]

11. I use the VA and wish everyone had similar health care

I resisted for far too long to sign up because of all the scary, mostly untrue stories I'd heard. I find it to be well coordinated, reasoned and affordable.

[tj2001]

13. Simplest solution might be to expand Medicare to all citizens

[SeeHopeWin]

14. Bingo! Or to as many people as possible...Right now, we can put in all under 18, all vets, unions

All employees of big companies now owned by the government: AIG, CITI Bank, GM, Chrysler, All Federal employees...etc. Fold all of those plans into Medicare...I think we will have 75-80% of Americans covered. Then, a small group of people will stay covered by their employers or private plans if they want, let them!

[eridani]

17. HR 676 does exactly that n/t

[HopeOverFear]

19. I hope my Medicare Part A covers my recent gallbladder surgery

I haven't gotten my MSN yet. I'm scared Medicare isn't going to cover all of it.