My experience with "mandatory, government health care" with U.S. Medicare.

[CTyankee]

When I went on Medicare 2 years ago, upon reaching the golden age, I was immediately issued the Medicare Part A (hospitalization) card. A few months later I received a letter saying that it was time for me to sign up for Medicare Part B, which is for doctor visits. I was warned that if I didn't, and tried to sign up later, my coverage would cost a lot more. At the time I was (and still am) covered by my husband's excellent private policy from work. This policy covers not only doctor's visits but also dental and prescriptions. I pay in $74 a month. Medicare Part B is over $90 per month now and of course doesn't cover dental.

I called SS and asked if I could defer coverage of Part B until my husband retires and I no longer have his policy. They said yes, I could, if I wrote and explained my situation. They would allow me a certain number of months to transition and no, the cost would not exceed what it would be if I hadn't deferred. I asked for, and received, their response in writing.

Ditto with prescription coverage, btw, altho I would need a letter from my private policy attesting to the fact that I had had coverage all along when/if I go into the Medicare prescription drug plan.

Clearly, Medicare is imposing a higher fee on those who do not get their coverage in a timely manner because they don't want to spend the money. Then, when they are in bad shape, they sign up. Medicare wants to avoid that scenario. It makes sense. It simply says that if you are irresponsible about your health care, expect to pay extra for it.

So this is the situation we have right now and people are living with it, Medicare is a strongly supported government health care plan. We need Medicare for everybody!

[partylessinOhio]

1. Medicare sucks and Medicare lies. They have consistently refused to

pay for visits that they list as covered such as yearly GYN exam and Pap test. Who has the time and energy to fight them when you already have serious health problems? Medicare beneficiaries should not have to be an attorney and accountant to wrestle with Medicare - which is farmed out to God knows who.

[CTyankee]

3. I've never heard this complaint from my fellow Medicare recipients.

However, I will ask my GYN if this is so and has happened when she bills Medicare for provision of this annual service.

[pop goes the weasel]

5. that shouldn't be happening

It sure seems strange to me that you are having this problem with Medicare. The doctors around here generally prefer Medicare to private insurance because they are less likely to have trouble getting paid. I wonder if your gyn's office staff is perhaps putting in the wrong codes?

Anyway, call your Congresscritter. They should have available staff for running this sort of interference with Medicare.

[Cleita]

7. I have no problem getting a yearly GYN and pap smear on

Medicare. I'm not sure what you are talking about unless you signed your Medicare rights over to an HMO like Secure Horizons, essentially privatizing your health care rights.

[partylessinOhio]

10. I'm not an idiot. I didn't sign my rights over to anyone. It is strange

that people don't really tell the truth about Medicare and how much gets billed back to the patient. It is so bad that I wish I had never gotten of age that I had to be on it. I have the statements from Medicare and my providers to prove what I have said. Each statement from Medicare tells you that you can appeal their decision. They realize that many patients will not appeal, don't know how, don't understand or just don't have the strength to keep fighting cobwebs.

Last year (for 2007) many cuts were passed by Congress. Many more have already been passed for next year, 2008.

[Cleita]

12. If this is true then talk to your Congressman. Everyone I know

is on Medicare and no one seems to be pissed off like you are. Yes, there have been cuts because the Republicans want to get rid of Medicare and Social Security.

If you don't want Medicare what would you have? I mean you would have to pay for insurance, however, you probably wouldn't get any because you are in a high risk group that no for profit insurers want. So that in effect would leave you with nothing. Is that what you want?

On edit: Here's a website that can help you. http://my.medicare.gov/ You will have to register yourself to get help as I can only do so for myself.

[benddem]

2. My mom's been on

medicare for years and has had no problems. I use the VA and have nothing but praise for the care I get.

[kineneb]

4. Hubby is on Medicare/Medicaid

he has renal failure. The care he gets is pretty amazing, considering how much it would otherwise cost us; dialysis runs about $23,000 per month.

I would also like to thank those who are still paying into the system; you would want the same care if you had renal failure or any other chronic disease.

[Cleita]

8. My husband had ten years of amazing care for his end

stage renal disease and it didn't cost us anything but a two hundred dollar a month premium that covered the co-pays. Also, most private insurers don't cover end state renal disease so patients have to go on Medicare, otherwise no one could afford to get care and would die instead.

[Cleita]

6. I basically didn't have any medical care until I qualified for

Medicare although I had insurance coverage. Because of the large deductible, I not only had to pay for the premium but whatever health care I got out of pocket as well. The result was I didn't go to the doctor unless I had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.

When I turned 65 I was able to get Medicare and a private policy that covers everything Medicare doesn't. So when I go to the doctor I present both cards to take care of whatever my health care is. To date, other than dental, I haven't had to pay anything out of pocket except prescriptions. Since Medicare part D was supposed to take care of the prescription problem and since it turned out to be a big Republican give away in corporate welfare to the PHARMA companies, I refuse to sign up for it in protest.

I have friends who have opted for privatized Medicare, which weakens the program. These Medicare plans like Secure Horizons, promise to pay for everything except for a small copay yet they cheat their clients. They watch the bottom line by underpaying health care givers, so that most doctors won't accept them. In my area it's almost impossible to find a doctor or hospital that accepts Secure Horizons.

A friend of mine recently found out she has osteosporosis because she wasn't given a bone scan until she was displaying symptoms. I got a bone scan with my first physical at sixty five and was given the medication a regime I needed before osteosporosis developed. So privatizing Medicare is not an efficient way to run it.

If Medicare were run the way it was designed to run without the Newt(shoot a hole in them, make them shrink, then roll them up and throw them away)Gingrich type interference, all Americans could get full coverage with Medicare for half the cost health care costs us in this country today. Also, everyone would be covered, not just those with insurance.

[LisaL]

9. I used to be on Medicaid. There are no mandatory doctor

visit on Medicaid.
So, I have no clue as to why someone would propose mandatory doctor visits for government sponsored health care. You can have government sponsored health care without mandatory doctor visits.

[CTyankee]

11. It would be gravely unfair to do on Medicaid what is done on Medicare with the

penalty I described. People on Medicaid don't pay a monthly fee precisely because they have so little money and the requirements for Medicaid are extremely stringent. But if everyone is on Medicare, there is no need for Medicaid.

The Medicare system does work well as long as it is adequately funded. When/if we can apply it universally in the U.S. there will need to be adjustments. Obviously, there will be a huge public education effort, telling people how to sign up. But this idea that adults will be forcibly removed to the nearest doctor's office is just plain crazy. But, hey, there must be SOME incentive to get people to preventive checkups!