southernhybrid
Contributor
I've worked in the healthcare for forty years. I don't think some of you understand our so called system. For one, Bernie talks about FREE care with no premiums. I think he's called it Medicare for all. Well, as someone who receives Medicare and who continues to serve people who are on Medicare, let me explain a few things. Medicare A is free, but it only covers hospitalization, ( after about a 1200 dollar deductible ) home health and hospice. Medicare B costs about 105 dollars a month for most recipients. It only pays 80% of out patient services. Part D is the drug plan. It's offered by private insurance companies. The cost ranges from about 20 bucks a month to over 100 a month. It includes co pays and there are a lot of drugs that aren't covered at all by most plans. Then there are the supplements. They cover the 20% not paid for by part B and the hospital deductible. None of those plans cover more than what Medicare will pay, so there are quite a few providers that won't even take Medicare for payment. The supplements usually cost anywhere from 125-300 or so per month. The price increases as one ages. So, if an individual has all of the parts, it's going to cost as much as 300 or more a month just for the premiums. There are still copays and deductibles for the drugs. Medicare is currently in financial trouble unless Congress votes to fix it. One big problem is end of life care, which accounts for as much as one third of total costs.
So, are Americans willing to give up aggressive end of life treatments? In my experience, a fairly good percentage of older adults want everything possible done to extend their lives. What about younger recipients if we had Medicare for all? Are they going to simply give up if they are diagnosed with a terminal or very serious chronic illness?
Oh, I forgot to mention Part C. Part C was introduced by a Republican Congress. It is basically an HMO with strict limitations. It is very cheap, but that's the best thing I can say about it. Everyone of my patients with Part C couldn't wait until open enrollment so they could change to the more traditional Medicare. Part C is a great option as long as you're younger or very healthy. Once you start having health problems, Part C can be a nightmare. Most of the better providers won't accept it.
In order to transition to what we have now, to Medicare for everyone, it would not only take a tremendous amount of support from both parties, it would require a lot of support from the medical community or medical industrial complex if you prefer. And, it most likely wouldn't be free. I wish the Bernie would at least be honest about the fact that Medicare isn't free. He never gives any reasonable answer when asked how free healthcare would be financed. I find him to be as dishonest as most any other politician. He promises things that, unless he's totally delusional, he knows won't happen. He takes advantage of the naivety of people that don't understand the complexity of our healthcare conglomeration.
I'll be the first to admit that our healthcare system needs vast improvement, but I don't think promising pie in the sky is going to help solve our problems with healthcare. Obama care was a step in the right direction but a lot more needs to be done and it's going to have to be done with baby steps.
So, Bernie supporters, I ask you this: just how do you think Bernie would be able to convince Congress to totally change what we have in exchange for FREE care for everyone? How would it be paid for? What programs would be ended or greatly reduced? How much would you be willing to pay in increased taxes in exchange for guaranteed healthcare?
So, are Americans willing to give up aggressive end of life treatments? In my experience, a fairly good percentage of older adults want everything possible done to extend their lives. What about younger recipients if we had Medicare for all? Are they going to simply give up if they are diagnosed with a terminal or very serious chronic illness?
Oh, I forgot to mention Part C. Part C was introduced by a Republican Congress. It is basically an HMO with strict limitations. It is very cheap, but that's the best thing I can say about it. Everyone of my patients with Part C couldn't wait until open enrollment so they could change to the more traditional Medicare. Part C is a great option as long as you're younger or very healthy. Once you start having health problems, Part C can be a nightmare. Most of the better providers won't accept it.
In order to transition to what we have now, to Medicare for everyone, it would not only take a tremendous amount of support from both parties, it would require a lot of support from the medical community or medical industrial complex if you prefer. And, it most likely wouldn't be free. I wish the Bernie would at least be honest about the fact that Medicare isn't free. He never gives any reasonable answer when asked how free healthcare would be financed. I find him to be as dishonest as most any other politician. He promises things that, unless he's totally delusional, he knows won't happen. He takes advantage of the naivety of people that don't understand the complexity of our healthcare conglomeration.
I'll be the first to admit that our healthcare system needs vast improvement, but I don't think promising pie in the sky is going to help solve our problems with healthcare. Obama care was a step in the right direction but a lot more needs to be done and it's going to have to be done with baby steps.
So, Bernie supporters, I ask you this: just how do you think Bernie would be able to convince Congress to totally change what we have in exchange for FREE care for everyone? How would it be paid for? What programs would be ended or greatly reduced? How much would you be willing to pay in increased taxes in exchange for guaranteed healthcare?
