Help me understand something about this single payer stuff

[loyalkydem]

I'm currently on medicare, with this single payer thing, if medicaid becomes a better option and all of my health concerns can be addressed, under this single payer system, could someone like me who is already on medicare switch to medicad?

I'm still trying to make sense of things

[napi21]

1. I doubt it. Single payer simply means one source pays all the bills.

Medicare is already a single payer program. Medicade is a sub of Medicare. I'm on Medicare too, so much of what is going to change with whatever solution they choose won't affect me. I am still concerned about a lot of friends I have though.

As far as I know, the only major change I've heard about involving Medicare is a change or elimination of the Advantage plans. I have one of those and so far I'm happy with it. It's a cheap supplemental for us. I've been watching the hearings to learn as much as I can, but so far they're still very preliminary debates.

[Juche]

2. Are you confusing single payer with a public option?

Under single payer there'd be no medicare, medicaid, or private insurance. We'd just have one system. Under the healthcare reforms being considered various private and a public plan would compete for people to join them.

As far as a public option, I do not think retirees could go off medicare in favor of another system because you have paid premiums via taxes for decades to pay for medicare.

I think a good percentage of retirees who are on medicare also get medicaid. So you can do both.

[loyalkydem]

3. So would

my benefits change under this? Would I get more services that I don't have access to now? I am seriously confused over this. I support it, but I want to understand exactly how this will affect me.