Jay Rockefeller amendment to buy into Medicare at age 55?

[Eric J in MN]

From a Daily Kos diary on Saturday by "War on Error"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/26/115716/691

My favorite Rockefeller Amendment:

11. Rockefeller Coverage Amendment #26 to America’s Healthy Future Act
Rockefeller Amendment #C26 to Title I, Subtitle G (Role of Public Programs)

Short Title: Allow early retirees between ages 55 and 64 to buy into Medicare

Description of Amendment:

This amendment would add the option for early retirees between ages 55 and 64 to buy into Medicare using language consistent with the concepts included in the Medicare Early Access Act (S. 960).

Anyone know if it's been voted on, and if not, when it will be?

[Captain Hilts]

1. Bubba tried it in 1998. I know that. nt

[Eric J in MN]

34. Thanks, I didn't know that. NT

NT

[Cleita]

2. So how will that help someone 54 and under?

This is more capitulation to the health care industry. People will still die. Of course, what a nice french kiss for the insurance companies, leaving them that nice demographic of healthy people under 55 to cherry pick from. Profit$! Profit$! Profit$! I can picture them high fiving in their board rooms all over the industry. Of course Medicare will still be able to deliver better health care for less cost, like they always have, in spite of this.

[Oregone]

7. Lowers the private risk pool models by removing more expensive consumers

"IF" the companies were so inclined to pass the savings to the consumers, it would lower premiums a fair share by creating a healthier, cheaper pool.

This is definitely not an ideal move. BUT, it also establishes Medicare as a liquid and dynamic provider, and it may be easier moving the goalposts later too. Adding in that many people (more than what the public option is estimated to cover by 2019), may bolster the public support of Medicare that much more.

[kiranon]

17. Well said and I agree. n/t

[DBoon]

20. yes, you now have more people benfitting from a "public option"

The more voters who benefit from Medicare, the easier it is to expand that sort of program

[laughingliberal]

11. I still think it's a good idea

This group (over 50's, actually) are going to be the hardest hit by current plans if they don't do enough to force the cost of premiums down. And it does add a group that is not as expensive as the over 65's into Medicare. Perhaps a higher premium to buy in at that age would help.

[Cleita]

13. If that's all we can get, it's a Pyhrric victory of sorts. However, we should

aim further and higher until there is no road left before the cliff, not before. If not, you won't see this issue visited for another 30 years.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. Early retirees? Last thing I heard the first retirement age was 62.

[liberal N proud]

4. A lot of companies are forcing people to retire early

Our company just forced over 250 company wide to retire, They were 58 and older.

Insurance is the biggest problem for those who had to retire but were not eligible for Medicare.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. I'm talking about US social security retirement age. I know people can "retire" at different ages.

ie police, firemen, postal workers etc

[Pirate Smile]

15. Right. A lot of people would retire earlier if they could get health care at that time. Who knows,

maybe it could help with jobs by letting people who want out out and fill the jobs with other people who need the jobs and need to work.

[Thickasabrick]

10. I am 55 and was just forced to retire. This amendment would be

sweet!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. I'm going to be 58, I'm self-employed, so where would I stand in this?

I have a tiny business with no employees and can't afford health insurance.

:shrug:

[Thickasabrick]

21. You would be eligible - I don't think it would matter if you had a

job or not (or business). I'm not going to get excited, Republicans and Blue Dogs will screw this up too.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

24. I also think that selfishly I like this idea but this won't help millions more.

I have 2 sons, 19 and 22. They are still on their Dad's insurance because they're both in college, but what will happen when they graduate or have to leave school? I want single payer. Period.

And as to the Blue Dogs. The irony is, most of them are not from prosperous states, and their constituents probably need single payer as much or more than anyone else...

[csziggy]

26. It won't help soon, but if they start opening Medicare to younger people

It may open the door in the long run to letting more groups into Medicare. A phased in movement to Medicare is the most likely path to single payer.

[tabbycat31]

31. I would raise the age in which young adults can be covered by their parents plan

I'd make it at least 25 if not 30

[Hepburn]

5. Excellent....

...if one can qualify for senior housing, AARP, and a discount at the movies, then one is a senior and should get Medicare.

Well, not much of an argument from me ~~ but I hope it goes through. Doubting it, but I hope it happens. Maybe each Prez Term we can keep lowering the age by 10 years?

What I don't understand: Those under 18 and those 65+ can get govt health ins and that is a good thing...but for those 18 through 64, it is evil socialism.

WTF??? :shrug:

[Walk away]

6. This is so important. After the age of 55 it is difficult to replace a...

lost job even without an economic crash. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between January 2008 and January 2009, the number of unemployed workers age 55 and older increased 70 percent. Imagine the nightmare of trying to find an insurance company that will accept you at that age and the premiums would be astronomic.

[laughingliberal]

14. Don't have to imagine it. I'm so there

54 years old and unemployed. Paid $1200 per month for COBRA for a year after losing job but, finally, came down to choice of sleeping indoors or having health insurance. Opted for shelter. Use the pray we don't get sick plan, now.

[Thickasabrick]

22. Crap....well, the only good thing about not having a job is that I will

have a lot of time to volunteer and work for progressive candidates. Still haven't worked out the lack of pay issue yet. ;)

[csziggy]

27. OFA does have some paid organizers - maybe you could get a job with them?

[Thickasabrick]

30. Thanks.....um....what is OFA?? I should know that I think but I

don't. :blush:

[csziggy]

35. Obama for America - it is what has rolled over from the campaign organization

Into an activist organization. Right now they are doing a lot (in some areas at least) to push health care reform.

If you had a My.BarackObama.com ID for the campaign, that should still work for signing in now.

I have not been able to be active, but I get emails and calls from them on a regular basis. I know our local area group is still very active (Tallahassee FL). Our organizer for the campaign got hired back to be an organizer for the OFA continuing activities - that is how I know they have some paid positions.

[2Design]

8. for the early laid off since companies don't want high premiums for older workers - this would

help us be able to get jobs

[Statistical]

25. That was my first thought.

[Eric J in MN]

32. The short title uses the phrase "early retirees" and so...

...it isn't clear that one could keep the Medicare after getting a new job.

[Barack_America]

12. Yes, please. And let's do it immediately. My mom needs insurance.

The piece of shit public plans in FL cover nothing! (for a hefty fee, of course)

[Overseas]

16. Shouldn't have to be reitred to get it.

Insurance companies jack up the premiums employers have to pay to hire staff over 50. Age is my pre-existing condition and I don't hear that being ruled out for price-gouging.

If I can say I've got my public option Medicare, then an employer won't have to decide if my 25 years of experience and good references can still beat the qualifications of a 30-something whose premiums are 300% less than mine.

[Ruby the Liberal]

23. This is a very important point

Would definitely take down a barrier to employment.

[Eric J in MN]

33. self-delete NT

NT

[rucky]

19. Anyone who can retire early won't need it. n/t

[csziggy]

28. A lot of people over 50 have not retired by choice, but were laid off

And cannot get jobs. Some small companies would hire them, but having older workers on their insurance plans jacks up the rates. So either way, having access to Medicare could help.

[rucky]

29. No doubt it would benefit a certain portion of the population, but..

I'm questioning why we're narrowing it down at all.

Public: the general populace
Option: choice

[csziggy]

36. That would be ideal, but we can't even get a public option through now

That is actually a sweetheart deal for the insurance industry. The powers that be did not allow serious discussion or consideration of a single payer option. So trying to get Medicare for all now is not going to fly.

But if we could get through provisions to roll in people who the insurance companies do not want to cover, then gradually roll in more and more groups, maybe we could get Medicare for all in time. No, it will not be soon enough - soon enough would have been decades ago. But if it is eventually, that would be progress over what we have now.

[TheKentuckian]

37. Its also not bad for some of our fellow citizens that have the most trouble

getting covered. There's nothing to be sour grapes about and it might help the rest of us by making our pool cheaper and by might I mean it will make covering the adult pool cheaper but the insurance companies may or may not pass it on.

[fujiyama]

38. This would be an easier short term improvement

but I don't think it should cover just "retirees". I'd hope it covers self employed and full time employees as well. It should be open to all above 55. It would help people like my parents, and especially my dad who has a "pre existing condition".

Hell, at this point, if we could then at least provide something all the lines of catastrophic coverage for all those between 18-54, then we'd at lease take a big worry out of many lives. Though, single payer is still ideal and gets rid of all this nonsense and confusion. This country seems to love unecessary complexity with everything, just to protect the profits of the few and very wealthy.

[eridani]

39. That would be a start. Why not let anyone buy in? n/t