the Cost of Medicare, ALREADY!

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  1. Don Bobbitt profile image79
    Don Bobbittposted 13 years ago

    They want to take more, but all of you retirees and soon to be retirees need to know that part of the Obama-Care plan is the following increases in the monthly Medicare fee;
    2012= increase from 96.40 to 104.20 or 8%,
    then in 2013- increase from 104.20 to 120.20 or another 15%,
    and in 2014, after he gets re-elected and his healthcare goes into effect, the increase will be from 120.20 to 247.00 or 105%.
    How do you like what has already been done to us? Don't you want to bend over for some more?

    1. Ralph Deeds profile image70
      Ralph Deedsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The problem is the rapidly increasing cost of health care, not the cost of Medicare.

      Steps are needed to retard skyrocketing health care costs, not shifting future cost increases onto the backd of people who are eligible for Medicare (the Paul Ryan proposal). The cost increases are attributable to a variety of causes--greedy insurance and pharmaceutical companies, for profit hospitals, testing labs and doctors, too many frivolous malpractice lawsuits, payments to doctors and hospitals for the number of procedures rather than the results, Medicare fraud, too many futile, costly procedures in the final months of life, etc. There is no simple fix, but we'd better get started before it's too late.

      1. lady_love158 profile image60
        lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

        What nonsense! The purpose of Obamacare was to cut costs! Obviously THAT was a lie! Oh and don't worry, if Obamcare survives constitutional challenges and isn't repealed by the republicans insurance companies will drop out since the law makes them pay 85% of their premiums to providers. Sounds like socialism doesn't it? Then you'll have your single payer system. Oh and that promise that you could keep your insurance won't come to pass as companies realize it's cheaper to pay the fine then buy the insurance. Oh and all that "waste" (500 billion) that will be pulled out of medicare by lowering payments to providers will mean doctors leaving the business, and less access for patcients. The good news is with all the new taxes in the bill the deficit will be lowered! roll

        1. thisisoli profile image80
          thisisoliposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Considering the republicans did everything in their power to make national healthcare as useless as possible at the expense of the welfare of the country I think it is interesting you can say that.

          You do realise what a democracy is don't you, where the majoirty decide?  Instead the Republicans don't like Obama's change and stallwall it till it loses it's value, no matter how much it hurts the country.

          Maybe the democrats do the same thing to Republicans plans, not been in America long enough to find out, but the problems in American politics right now boild down to the fact that right now America is getting ground in to the dust over petty squabbling when they should be trying to bring their country up to international standards in education and healthcare.

          1. lady_love158 profile image60
            lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            America isn't a democracy , it's a republic. Obamacare is unconstitutional and was shoved through congress where dems had a majority but are NOT the majority of the people in this country. The republicans weren't even consulted on the bill and house rules were used in a fashion that had never been done before nor had it been intended.

            1. Don Bobbitt profile image79
              Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

              Lady_Love, The problem, as i see it, is the fact that both of "the people parties" are standing in their opposing corners, pouting and pointing fingers at each other and neither is willing to take a step towards compromise and a reasonable solution.

              1. lady_love158 profile image60
                lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

                The choices are freedom in accordance with the constitution or oppression by an over reaching ever expanding ruling elite class. There is no compromise between the two. Liberals are the enemy and enemies are to be defeated not compromised with. 2012 is coming and we're going to take this country back to greatness in spite of the damage these liberals heaped upon her!

  2. Don Bobbitt profile image79
    Don Bobbittposted 13 years ago

    Understood Ralph, but these increases are the Law now! and BTW, that's with people on SS and M-Care sitting on 0% COL increases for last year, this year, and I understand for next year!
    I agree with going after the SYSTEM, but when i hear our forked tongue leaders up in washington wanting to take even more, I  shudder. These numbers alone will dry up a large portion of the retirees savings that we will end up with an even larger portion of the population actually living a Socialist lifestyle, on the dole, and on the streets, I am afraid.

    1. Ralph Deeds profile image70
      Ralph Deedsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree. Unfortunately, Congress failed to pass a single-payer health care reform bill which offered a better chance to curb health care cost increases. The best option would have been to extend Medicare to the entire population in stages over 10 years or so beginning with children, the poor and unemployed until everyone was covered. I depend on Medicare and find that it works quite well. But more must be done to control its costs by curbing fraud and stopping payments for unnecessary and ineffective procedures. Otherwise we will all be stuck with absorbing future cost increases.

      1. wilderness profile image89
        wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        It works well for you, but does it work well for the doctor or hospital providing your services?  Can they maintain a practice on what Medicare pays or must they depend on someone else to cover costs and profits that Medicare does not?

        Until Medicare actually pays for its share of ALL the costs of providing services it can't be said to work.  And, of course, your point of controlling fraud and unneeded tests and procedures is part of that.

        1. Ralph Deeds profile image70
          Ralph Deedsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I haven't heard many complaints other than that using the coding system is complicated and takes up a lot of time.

        2. Don Bobbitt profile image79
          Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          OK, Slow down here! The insured of this country are already paying for the care of the illegal aliens and the indigent. If you don't think this is true, then go to your local Emergency Room and see who is sitting beside you i=on a Saturday night. And BTW, all of those costs are being passe don by the Hospitals (non-profit, of course) in every one elses insurance bills.capitalism at its best! so Lets get real here.

          1. wilderness profile image89
            wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            That was kind of the point - indigents and aliens don't cover their costs and neither does medicare.  It depends on insurance and other payments to make up for what it doesn't pay.  In that regard it doesn't work.

            It works for Ralph because he doesn't have to cover the costs of his treatment, but it doesn't work for the doctor who treats him for less that it costs.  It doesn't work for the insured who pays (in premiums) to make up the difference and provide enough funding to maintain that doctors office or hospital.

    2. SimeyC profile image83
      SimeyCposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The Republicans will repeal Obama Care.....

      ...of course as there are going to be no tax increases to pay for the huge deficit, sadly Medicare will be pared down - thus whoever is in power, the elderly suffer.

      There is no answer that would be acceptable to both so we'll just have to accept that Medicare is on its last legs and will either become too expensive, or won't be worth it....

      1. Paul Wingert profile image60
        Paul Wingertposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Repeal Obamacare and replace it with what? Republicans like to shoot their mouths off about a problem but don't have a clue on how to fix it.

        1. lady_love158 profile image60
          lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Move to MA! Otherwise show me where healthcare is in the constitution.

          1. wilderness profile image89
            wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Maybe the same place that forces (allows) govt to rebuild New Orleans over and over again while providing support for those that repeatedly made homeless from the inevitable hurricanes and flooding?

            1. lady_love158 profile image60
              lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

              Uh, yeah, that's not in there either! Note this famous quote from the liberal Grover Cleveland veto of the Texas Farmers seed bill.

              "I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution; and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadily resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people."

              1. wilderness profile image89
                wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                And yet we have become a welfare state with 1/2 the citizens living off of the efforts of the other 1/2.  Even to the point that we refuse to control our borders so that we can support the citizens of other nationalities as well as our own!

                1. lady_love158 profile image60
                  lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Unfortunately Cleveland was the last liberal that read the constitution, understood it, and posessed the integrity to adhere to his oath of office and perform his duty. Liberals today have an agenda, the destruction of America, a break down in the system and their rise to supreme power to shape a Utopian society in their vision. It's taken them a long time but they have never been closer to their goal.

                  1. Cagsil profile image70
                    Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                    That's like the pot calling the kettle. Both sides are just as guilty, with regards to your statement.

                  2. profile image0
                    Nick Lucasposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                    you are correct, the movement we are seeing now didnt just happen or isnt just obama it started in the 60's and I dont think most people realize that

                  3. Don Bobbitt profile image79
                    Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                    Interesting! So the elderly should just walk into the Sunset and die in a corner quietly, even though our Congress allowed the lobbyists to re-design all of our insurance systems to rely on there being a Medicare system?
                    Well, I checked my Genealogy, and there are no Lemmings in there, so I have no family history of walking off of a cliff just because the person in front of me did! Sorry!

              2. Don Bobbitt profile image79
                Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                Ladylove? You gotta feel the Love!  We are an advanced race, and we do need to understand the word Compassion. The questions that I think you are asking are; Where does it end? What is the limit of socialism? What cn we do for others that lets us sleep at night and still doesn't destroy our lifestyle and even Country? Well, Nobody said it was easy, but nothing good is ever easily done!

                1. Cagsil profile image70
                  Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Distortion much? Advanced race? Really? Care to explain how that America is an advanced RACE of people, when it's a mixture of all different races?

                  1. lady_love158 profile image60
                    lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

                    Obviously he meant "human" race.

                  2. Don Bobbitt profile image79
                    Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                    OK, Heat of the moment and all of that! Human race, Species! Here again is another of our problems when politics is involved. Let's leave the Nits alone, and concentrate on the core of the conversation. I was trying to point out that we, of  this world, are evolving from our more controversial failings in the past, and this is due to our broader knowledge base,and the lessons of History. But, I probably spelled something wrong here, or left out a comma that you can divert people to?

                2. lady_love158 profile image60
                  lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Its not charity or compassion when its extracted by force at the point of a gun. We have a duty, an obligation to help our fellow beings and we should do so until it hurts, but we don't need to be compelled to do so by a third party, nor do we need a bunch of faceless bureaucrats to dictate to us what constitutes compassion.

                  1. Don Bobbitt profile image79
                    Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                    Really? In the world we live in, today, exactly which gun is it that you don't want pointed at you? The forced contributions to charity? The thousands of new IRS agents that are empowered to take your home and life savings away from you without representation, or one of the other forcibly run federal systems?

      2. Ralph Deeds profile image70
        Ralph Deedsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Not likely.

      3. Don Bobbitt profile image79
        Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        I, don;t accept defeat until i can see the boot heel in my face!  :>) I am fighting the idiotic in DC and trying to get an open forum going so that we, the Seniors, ourselves can work out a reasonable proposition for them to put through, not this claptrap we see on CNN!

  3. psycheskinner profile image79
    psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

    Healthcare is expensive.  So is the answer to not give people healthcare?

    1. profile image0
      Nick Lucasposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      they need to work for it...healthcare is a benefit not a right

    2. Don Bobbitt profile image79
      Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I fervently believe that we can have a REASONABLE HEALTHCARE system in our country if we all become active and let the politicians know that we will be heard. I agree that it is a benefit (paid for by the way, already, by the Boomers) and not a right for everyone that can crawl over a fence, or falsify papers. And I believe that there are reasonable solutions that do not turn the people over 50 into the newly indigent socialists of the 2020's. We just need to work together for a LOGICAL system. Gog knows that we have enough examples around the world of failed socialist systems. let's learn form them????????

  4. Don Bobbitt profile image79
    Don Bobbittposted 13 years ago

    I have an IDEA!
    lets take care of our own and cut back on the support for illegal aliens and other non-citizens. DUH!
    Then we will have time to work out a program for all of us AMERICANS! Double DUH!

  5. Don Bobbitt profile image79
    Don Bobbittposted 13 years ago

    Sic!

  6. Don Bobbitt profile image79
    Don Bobbittposted 13 years ago

    I am not your Enemy! Really! In fact i agree with most of what you say! But ..... Damn ...... Let's get on the same boat and row together! We have to be smarter than the idiots that we elected????

    1. Cagsil profile image70
      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Makes one wonder who the real idiots are? lol

      1. lady_love158 profile image60
        lady_love158posted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Yourself excluded of course! roll

        1. Cagsil profile image70
          Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Did I say I was excluded? It would depend on many factors and your usage of the roll smiley insinuates something that might not be true.

          I could be excluded, but again that depends on factors, which YOU are completely unaware of. I'm sure you vote in the same manner.

          So, again.....who's the idiots? The willful ignorant voter or the actual political official? hmm

          1. BillWest165 profile image56
            BillWest165posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Typical Liberal. Smarter than anyone else.

            1. Don Bobbitt profile image79
              Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

              True Bill! No "Take a Walk in my shoes" reasoning allowed here!

            2. Cagsil profile image70
              Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

              I'm not a liberal and I would appreciate you not labeling me to any political position. So, next time think before you open mouth and insert foot.

              1. Don Bobbitt profile image79
                Don Bobbittposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                Cagsil, I posted this info to inform my fellow Hubbers of the increases to medicare coverage that are the law for the next three years, whether we, the citizens agreed to them or not. And let me add that SS and M-Care are riding on 0% COL last year, this year, and next year.
                This is a significant increase in cost to the people on the system.
                Is the system right? Is the COL freeze right? Is this the way to solve rthe problem of negative funds in 2032? And Yes, the actual date for going negative is 2032, not tomorrow.
                So, is there time to craft something new? Something Better? I think so.
                And for those of us that want to shut the systems down, then HOORAH!
                Write me a refund check for everything I put into the system for over 40-years, along with pro-rated basic interest, and i will go take care of myself, and you and I can then bear the true costs of what my insurance monies were used for when congress started raping the SS and M-Care systems. I await my refund!

                1. Cagsil profile image70
                  Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  I know why you posted it. It's obvious.
                  No need to add it, it's common knowledge for those who are in the know about it. Meaning, the people receiving it already know. The people who are not receiving...like they give a damn? hmm
                  No sh!t. Really, I wouldn't have known if you did not tell? roll
                  It's common knowledge to those who are using those that the system isn't right and needs changes.
                  That depends, but since government is mostly corrupt, then no.
                  Solving the issue is almost impossible, considering America is a broke nation to begin with and has to borrow money just to operate? roll
                  Craft whatever you want, it's not going to make a difference, due to the fact that America is BROKE.
                  Shutting the programs down isn't going to happen and anyone attempting to do so, isn't actually giving a damn about anyone but themselves.
                  Not going to happen.

  7. Don Bobbitt profile image79
    Don Bobbittposted 13 years ago

    Sadly, I agree, but my first name is already Don, so i might as well see about changing the last to that of the famous Spaniard and call this one of my windmills!

  8. Wayne Brown profile image81
    Wayne Brownposted 13 years ago

    It does not matter "why" folks...this program was on sold on the idea that it would be better in terms of offering "affordable" healthcare to the masses...that was a baldface lie and we all know it. We have painted Medicare Black in order to make it look like this program has some sort of redeeming value. I noticed that Ralph did not spend much time of talking about the lack of any Tort reform under the new program. This is an enormous area driving almost every aspect of the medical field yet our lawyers in Washington dare not touch the litigation aspects of the medical industry and kill the golden goose for the American Bar Association.  We need to get real here folks. Social Security and Medicare have been used as Ponzi Schemes by our own government leaving the American taxpayers holding 18% of the US national debt.  Most folks think China owns us now and they only hold a paltry 8%...where do you think thge 18% figure came from?  Now we are switching to another program which basically guts the competition out of the marketplace and we think that is a win for the consuming public???? What the hell ever happened to the belief in capitalism and freemarket competition in this country. Are you really willing to trade away our freedoms for things that no one in any elected office can guarantee?  WB

 
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