Medicare, Medicaid... older folks get theirs

[Rex_Goodheart]

so why should Grandpa Fundy Redneck ever vote for a Democratic Party candidate who wants to bring universal healthcare?

[Politicub]

1. B/c pappy fundy redneck hates himself so much that he doesn't

appreciate the healthcare. he would rather die than get taken care of with dignity.

[zorahopkins]

2. The Same Reason A Rich Person Should

Some people -- some rich people and some old people -- are NOT motivated purely by self interest.

Some people -- rich and old alike -- are motivated by a sense of community -- a sense that we really are all in this together.

THOSE are the people who vote Democratic.

[Rex_Goodheart]

3. Does that apply to most fundy rednecks?

[Cleita]

4. I get Medicare, but I want everyone to have Medicare available

to them because they pay into it so therefore they should be able to participate in the program as well. It isn't really that hard to understand.

[zanne]

5. Let me tell you about old people and Medicare...

Medicare provides the very minimum amount of care. If you're old, you're more likely to have to see an optometrist or an opthalmologist. Medicare doesn't pay for that. Other things Medicare doesn't pay for are dentistry, hearing loss, podiatry, etc. Grandpa doesn't have it made.

[fishnfla]

7. You're wrong on that eye thing

if you belong to a Medicare HMO you get no choice,,,with straight medicare you have more options

[Cleita]

8. There are limited procedures that Medicare does pay for

like cataract surgery but not glasses. They will pay for getting your toenails clipped at a podiatrist if you can't do it anymore. There is very little dental and true and that can be a big expense. Also, you have to pay a 20% co-pay and that can amount to a lot for some procedures like ER visits, MRIs and surgeries.

[BlackVelvet04]

9. I was told that the

maximum co-pay for a doctor's visit is $30 and hospital stay is $600.

[China_cat]

10. That's less than one day in a hospital.

And that's ALL you get.

It wasn't even this bad when my grandfather broke his hip. He was 90 at the time. He had to have it pinned on an outpatient basis and was given -3- physical therapy sessions. If it had happened today, I doubt he'd get that much

[Cleita]

11. Maybe on a privatized Medicare HMO like Secure Horizons.

Traditional Medicare is $100 deductible a year and 20% copay. There is a Medicare approved amount that might be less than the bill, but if the provider accepts assignment you don't have to pay more than 20% of the approved amount. Incidentally, the privatized Medicare HMOs aren't accepted by most health care providers because they are so bad at paying and good at denying claims. Those who do accept are basically what we seniors call pill pushers. They aren't much good as doctors but can write a prescription.

[zanne]

13. No; It's 20%. nt

[zanne]

12. No on the toenail clipping thing...

I have a form of Muscular Dystrophy which causes my toes to "curl under". It's just about impossible for me to cut my toenails; they actually grow into my skin when they get too long. Very painful. I've tried to get Medicare to pay for it so many times, but no luck. Now I have to wait for some senior center to have a foot clinic so I can have it done.

[Cleita]

14. My husband did for years. Maybe it's just the podiatrists who

don't want to accept the Medicare assignment which isn't very much. It was limited to every three months but he did get it done in a podiatrists office and Medicare paid for it at three month intervals not sooner.

[fishnfla]

6. When Grandpa gets an incurable disease, insurance does not matter

When grandpa Fundy is told that the only hope for a cure is stem cell research...you should see the look on his face when he realizes he screwed his own pooch

[allalone]

15. we pay a monthly premium for medicare

sorry to burst your little ageist bubble, but medicare does not cover many things you'd think they would. also they pay 80%. it's exactly like regualr insurance except that many doctors won't accept
medicare because they get shortchanged on the payments and the governament is a very slow payer.
I did medicare billing before I retired so I know. And regarding medicaid, it is only for the poorest
among us. It's a disgrace. For instance, they won't pay for dental care, only for pulling teeth.
So poor children and adults are getting mocked in poor areas for something they have no choice about.