TxDeb writes:
But as it is Medicare doesn't cover a senior's healthcare, most seniors have to carry a supplemental policy to pay for uncovered medical care, so what would be the difference a voucher plus additional if needed or medicare plus a supplement.
The big difference is that Medicare *today* covers a defined set of benefits (and yes, there are costs that are not covered as you accurately indicated) whereas a voucher program gives you $X which you can then apply to whatever insurance will cover you. There is no guarantee or definition of what a program that costs $X will actually cover.
Well I have X amount of dollars taken out of my paycheck, and it's a percentage based so the more I make the more they take out of Medicare. So I should have a choice of what to do with those dollars.
TxDeb writes:
Well I have X amount of dollars taken out of my paycheck, and it's a percentage based so the more I make the more they take out of Medicare. So I should have a choice of what to do with those dollars.
Obviously you support a voucher program then. I disagree of course - I generally prefer to avoid programs that either increase costs or reduce coverage as the voucher solution seems destined to do.
TxDeb writes:
Well I have X amount of dollars taken out of my paycheck, and it's a percentage based so the more I make the more they take out of Medicare. So I should have a choice of what to do with those dollars.
Obviously you support a voucher program then. I disagree of course - I generally prefer to avoid programs that either increase costs or reduce coverage as the voucher solution seems destined to do.
UKMatt
I think we need to look at both sides of the issue. I know that my parents have Medicare, they have to pay for a supplement. Many doctors limit the number of Medicare patients they accept, but yet we are forced to pay for Medicare before we are even eligible to take it, so basically you have not choice, you've paid for it so you are forced into taking it.
I just have never run across a doctor that won't take my Medicare. I have lived in two states since going on the program and have had nothing, but the best of care...........equal to what I would have on a good insurance policy. I have, in the past, bought "in-patient only" insurance and it was extremely high with $5000 deductable and 20 percent co-pay. I could not afford to get hospitalized on that policy today.
I agree with Matt, if the program is changed, it will only be for the worse.
sstonetx writes:
I just have never run across a doctor that won't take my Medicare. I have lived in two states since going on the program and have had nothing, but the best of care...........equal to what I would have on a good insurance policy. I have, in the past, bought "in-patient only" insurance and it was extremely high with $5000 deductable and 20 percent co-pay. I could not afford to get hospitalized on that policy today.
I agree with Matt, if the program is changed, it will only be for the worse.
Well, I've run across many seniors who would disagree with you, my parents included. There are many doctors who won't take on more Medicare patients.
sstonetx writes:
I just have never run across a doctor that won't take my Medicare. I have lived in two states since going on the program and have had nothing, but the best of care...........equal to what I would have on a good insurance policy. I have, in the past, bought "in-patient only" insurance and it was extremely high with $5000 deductable and 20 percent co-pay. I could not afford to get hospitalized on that policy today.
Are your parents in a different state? I know that NE and Texas have been very good for Medicare.
I agree with Matt, if the program is changed, it will only be for the worse.
Well, I've run across many seniors who would disagree with you, my parents included. There are many doctors who won't take on more Medicare patients.
sstonetx writes:
I just have never run across a doctor that won't take my Medicare. I have lived in two states since going on the program and have had nothing, but the best of care...........equal to what I would have on a good insurance policy. I have, in the past, bought "in-patient only" insurance and it was extremely high with $5000 deductable and 20 percent co-pay. I could not afford to get hospitalized on that policy today.
Are your parents in a different state? I know that NE and Texas have been very good for Medicare.
I agree with Matt, if the program is changed, it will only be for the worse.
Well, I've run across many seniors who would disagree with you, my parents included. There are many doctors who won't take on more Medicare patients.
My parents are in Texas. We have been in Texas since 1964.
Have to agree with TxDeb. While the majority of doctors offices I have gone to did not have a sign that read "are not taking more medicare patients", I have in fact seen 2 different offices that read something very similar. So there are indeed Dr. Offices that are not taking more medicare patients. I know my Nuerologist and Liver Specialist also don't. That doesn't mean there are others who do, but it also doesn't mean there are doctors who don't.
As a newly-minted "Senior", in body if not in spirit (Don't ALL "Seniors" [Yeech!] feel this way?), I can attest to the increasing reluctance of doctors to accept Medicare patients. When the Sadler Clinic imploded, I had to find a new primary-care physician and I asked my urologist for a recommendation. It turned out that neither of the doctors that he recommended accepted Medicare, including one who had just had to restart her practice (formerly Sadler) and whom one would think would WANT to increase her client roster a.s.a.p. I contacted about eight primary-care physicians before finding one that took Medicare and whose credentials were acceptable.
I queried one group, Kelsey-Seybold, in desperation about five inquiries on and despite an aversion to groups after the Sadler experience, only to find that it ONLY took Medicare patients if they signed up with the Kelsey-Seybold Medicare Advantage plan and received ALL medical treatment from it. Fortunately, that proved unnecessary.
As regards the candidates' plans for Medicare, both bode ill for retirees. Unless primary-care reimbursement rates are increased or primary-care doctors are compelled to accept Medicare, more and more will refuse to do so. Obama's plan does not envisage raising rates (as far as I know.) Romney's plan will require retirees on fixed incomes to absorb increases in health care costs due to inflation.
Nonetheless, I am willing to live with the difficulty of finding a doctor who accepts my insurance in exchange for insurance coverage of the 50 million of my countrymen who are currently uninsured.
I just have never run across a doctor that won't take my Medicare. I have lived in two states since going on the program and have had nothing, but the best of care...........
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I have ran into several, specialists, family practioners, etc. that do not take Medicare patients. A few of my Specialists are not taking any new Medicare patienrs. I also have a supplement, Aetna.
So what happens when there are no doctors taking medicare. I just hope by the time I get there which is in the near future that my current doctors will accept my Medicare since I am already a patient. It's scary to think that I may not have care just because of the insurance I have. I think that needs to be addressed because having insurance won't help you if you can't find a doctor who will take it.
I have AARP as a supplement. Aetna is a good one, as well. I would imagine that some doctors won't take it if you don't have a good supplement. In The Woodlands, I have been to several specialists and none of them have turned me away. I guess, from some of the other posts, I have been very fortunate.
sstonetx writes:
I have AARP as a supplement. Aetna is a good one, as well. I would imagine that some doctors won't take it if you don't have a good supplement. In The Woodlands, I have been to several specialists and none of them have turned me away. I guess, from some of the other posts, I have been very fortunate.
Nope the supplement has nothing to do with it because Medicare is the primary all the supplement does is help some. If Medicare is your primary that's what they are looking at not whether you have a supplement or not. What usually happens with my parents is they have to pay what Medicare doesn't then they have to get reimbursed from their supplement. It's like having 2 insurance policies.
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