defrocked warped primitive listening to, trusting, 0bama

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6195316

Oh my.

mia (1000+ posts)      Fri Jul-31-09 07:13 PM
Original message
 
Health insurance for seniors. Need honest answers, please.

Are any of the options going to reduce coverge that seniors already have through Medicare?

After reading the following article, I'm getting very concerned. I already pay for extra supplements for my parents who are in their 80's and in a few years, I'll be looking at these extra costs for myself too.

Seniors uneasy over Medicare cuts in overhaul

WASHINGTON – Democrats are pushing for Medicare cuts on a scale not seen in years to underwrite health care for all. Many seniors now covered under the program don't like that one bit.

Seeing a political opportunity, Republicans have accused President Barack Obama of trying to use Medicare as a piggy bank to finance his top domestic priority — putting the president on the defensive on a highly sensitive issue.

At an AARP town hall meeting earlier this week, Obama went out of his way to address "a misperception" that the Democratic bills in Congress would cut medical benefits for the elderly.

"Nobody is talking about reducing Medicare benefits," Obama said. "Medicare benefits are there because people contributed into a system. It works. We don't want to change it. What we do want is to eliminate some of the waste that is being paid for out of the Medicare trust fund that could be used more effectively to cover more people and to strengthen the system."

<more>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090730/ap_on_go_co/us_heal...

I want to trust what President Obama says.

Got the pony yet?  There's been plenty of time passed, for a pony to show up.

The unfrocked warped primitive:

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Fri Jul-31-09 07:16 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I think you need to listen to Obama

Your Medigap insurance might change and it might not, depending on whether there is a public option for that and you choose it.

There was a vote yesterday on an amendment to eliminate Medicare, an attempt to shame GOPs into admitting a public insurance plan is efficient and effective. Not a single GOP dared to vote in favor of it.

Medicare was under much more serious attack when GOPs ran the show.

Ignore the fearmongering. The people doing it are not your friends.

mia (1000+ posts)      Fri Jul-31-09 07:37 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
6. Medicare for all, then with the option to buy additional coverage. How can the GOP argue with that?

lxlxlxl (728 posts)      Fri Jul-31-09 07:16 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. do you think seniors would have been better off with only private insurance?

why wouldnt you trust him?

mia (1000+ posts)      Fri Jul-31-09 07:29 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
4. Right now seniors have Medicare. I don't want that to be reduced.

Do you think there is a chance that seniors will loose Medicare and have no insurance unless they can afford private? As far as trusting in President Obama, this is what the artice said:

Obama and the Democrats say the cuts are needed to curb wasteful spending fattening the budgets of Medicare managed care plans, hospitals and other providers. Indeed, experts at the Health and Human Services Department estimate that the House bill would extend the solvency of Medicare's giant hospitalization trust fund by five years, from 2017 to 2022.

An analysis for the Kaiser Family Foundation found that private insurance plans operating through Medicare would bear 32 percent of the overall cuts, while another 37 percent would be distributed among hospitals and other service providers. But that's not what seniors seem to be hearing.

"I believe they are hearing that their benefits are going to be really restricted," said Robert Blendon, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, who follows public opinion on health care issues. "If that's the case, it will really cause some problems for lawmakers over the summer because seniors are the most politically responsive group, and they're the ones who on a day-to-day basis confront ill health and medical expenses."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., says Republicans are distorting the facts on a complex issue. "Medicare is going to be available for seniors — at the levels they need," he said.

Are they going to reconsider what seniors "need"?

Sure they are.  Bank on it.  Bet the farm on it.

glowing  (1000+ posts)        Fri Jul-31-09 07:22 PM
Response to Original message

3. The amt needed for funding medicare should come down with healthcare reform.

Currently, in regards to spending, we spend twice as much as other developed countries and do not guarante healthcare as a right. If the overhaul in takes place, there should be savings to the program, and less money will need to be allocated towards Seniors.

Hopefully, with a Strong PUblic option, in a few years, these ins. co's will be obsolete and everyone will be on a medicare type of system. Wish we could just jump there now, however, the Congresscritters have sold us out for their 30 pieces of silver.. so, baby steps and hopefully better congresscritters.

southernyankeebelle (415 posts)      Fri Jul-31-09 07:36 PM
Response to Original message
 
5. There is so much when it comes to medicare to worry about =

When my mother-in-law ended up going into a nursing home they were pretty good. She also had TRICARE witch is a program for retired military and their families. She was able to use both. Funny both programs are socialized medicine. My husband and I have TRICARE Primary as our primary insurance company which is given by the military for their retirees. Its been very good for us so far. My husband and I have been have some serious medical prombles.

[Peter3_1]

Seems to me that "tricare" and like programs are earned. They are and were guarantees for service rather than pay.  So. now, some want to steal the coverage?
Medicare we all paid for, premiums we were told. NOW the gvt. wants to steal that too? Sorry, pay up or return the $ PLUS INTEREST, PLUS INFLATION!

i'D BE AHEAD OF THE GAME.

[thundley4]

An analysis for the Kaiser Family Foundation found that private insurance plans operating through Medicare would bear 32 percent of the overall cuts, while another 37 percent would be distributed among hospitals and other service providers. But that's not what seniors seem to be hearing.

Let's see.  Hospitals and other providers are going to be paid less for providing the same services they do now to seniors?  For LESS money?  Right.  Hey DUmmies< I have some ocean front property in Arizona that I'll sell cheap.

[crockspot]

I bet Fister got his pony, and that's why we haven't heard much from him lately.

*hands out mind's-eye-sporks*