General Discussion

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

28. I am on Medicare.

Thu Sep 24, 2015, 05:49 AM

Sep 2015

I have an Advantage plan (with Humana). I am very healthy, although I've been going to the doctor a whole lot more than I think I should be going. This is the result of failing a physical for a life insurance because of high blood pressure, and although the bp is more or less under control, I'm still seeing the doctor a lot more than I think I should.

End rant.

More to the point, I have zero copay for those doctor visits. For the three meds I'm taking, I get them via an internet pharmacy, and have a zero copay for a 90 day supply. I'm sure that I might instead have a prescription that costs a whole lot more, and I really do count myself as lucky.

I have a brother with assorted medical issues, including having had a kidney transplant several years ago and all that goes with that. He, understandably, hits the donut hole, and recently we (his siblings) all sent him checks to cover that. He had to retire on disability at age 50, has a small pension and Social Security. Which just cover his normal monthly expenses. Not much money at all.

EVERYONE should have as low medical costs and copays as I do. Ideally, everyone would be as healthy as I am, but since that's not possible, everyone should (I know I'm repeating myself) should have as low medical costs and copays as I do. Period. End of discussion. Individual health issues totally notwithstanding. Zero copay for a doctor visit. Zero copay for medications. I don't see any problem here. Do you?

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It's the deductibles, stupid!! [View all] eridani Sep 2015 OP

Before Obamacare, health care costs were the most frequent reason people filed for bankruptcy and, merrily Sep 2015 #1

Same situation applies after Obamacare. Most people remain unaware because most people-- eridani Sep 2015 #2

While younger, or ever? merrily Sep 2015 #3

The percentages are for each demographic group eridani Sep 2015 #24

Thank you. merrily Sep 2015 #26

I don't know if it is a state thing, but that is absolutely not true treestar Sep 2015 #18

There are plenty of people who move from a full cost they can't afford to-- eridani Sep 2015 #27

But we have made Big Pharma very happy dougolat Sep 2015 #4

I can answer that last question... Fairgo Sep 2015 #5

"Its not really insurance if you can't afford to use it." LittleGirl Sep 2015 #6

My best wishes Fairgo Sep 2015 #9

Thank you. eom LittleGirl Sep 2015 #10

"If you make a claim, they raise your rates or cancel you all together" progree Sep 2015 #13

thanks for the well wishes LittleGirl Sep 2015 #16

There is a lot of preventive treestar Sep 2015 #19

Almost $4000 for the whole family. Ilsa Sep 2015 #30

Not true. 5% of the people 60-70 years old still account for half the costs of that group eridani Sep 2015 #25

We need single payer. Enthusiast Sep 2015 #7

Medicare also has premiums and deductibles, both pretty high Recursion Sep 2015 #29

Pretty high? Not compared to private insurance! I qualified for Medicare this year, and Lydia Leftcoast Sep 2015 #38

Why everyone can't have this. Recursion Sep 2015 #40

A lot of young people are just paying the fine. yeoman6987 Sep 2015 #51

Obama was concerned about the insurance industry running out of control nationalize the fed Sep 2015 #8

Great post. Unknown Beatle Sep 2015 #12

Max Baucus One_Life_To_Give Sep 2015 #31

DUers were indignant when Dick Cheney met in secret with energy industry types Lydia Leftcoast Sep 2015 #39

Hillary will probably be put in the WH in 2017 to insure that Heritage Ed and Heritage Security Doctor_J Sep 2015 #22

Medicare for all, including dental, optical, hearing aids and mental health services. Scuba Sep 2015 #11

Afford it? ... But... but ... who will think of the corporate executives who Arugula Latte Sep 2015 #21

Health Equity Fairgo Sep 2015 #43

My deductibles AND co-pays went up. a la izquierda Sep 2015 #14

yep Doctor_J Sep 2015 #15

Even with insurance, the true cost of care is a crapshoot Thav Sep 2015 #17

my GF's deductable is so high, it's like not having healthcare at all. Javaman Sep 2015 #20

My sympathies, I'm with you. Kilgore Sep 2015 #33

Here's another Heritage Care story - truly American exceptionalism. Doctor_J Sep 2015 #23

I am on Medicare. SheilaT Sep 2015 #28

Present system has not benefited us at all Kilgore Sep 2015 #32

it's the bronze level that's the killer. Javaman Sep 2015 #34

Gold premieums were just silly. Kilgore Sep 2015 #35

while ACA is a baby step in the right direction... Javaman Sep 2015 #36

It's a step in the wrong direction. Doctor_J Sep 2015 #42

Very good point. Javaman Sep 2015 #44

Single payer still has premiums and deductibles Recursion Sep 2015 #41

Single payer HR 676 has no deductibles, and the premiums are vastly cheaper n/t eridani Sep 2015 #45

And has no dedicated revenue stream Recursion Sep 2015 #47

It certainly does. The fund would be separate from general tax funds. eridani Sep 2015 #48

The fund is separate, only a small portion of its levies are Recursion Sep 2015 #49

10% beats the shit out of the 17% we are currently paying to NOT cover everyone n/t eridani Sep 2015 #50

Well hell I can think of dozens of ideas that are better than our current system Recursion Sep 2015 #52

A $200/month tax beats an $800/month premium any old day. eridani Sep 2015 #53

Hillary has a plan to combat high out of pocket costs, fwiw... ProgressiveCheese Sep 2015 #37

Meaning she'll ask profit takers to be nicer n/t eridani Sep 2015 #46

I refuse to believe wages have gone up 10% KentuckyWoman Sep 2015 #54

I read that and thought, what complete bullshit Skittles Sep 2015 #60

At least this helps us get to single payer Texas Blues Sep 2015 #55

This must happen on a state by state basis. ACA lets us start in 2017 n/t eridani Sep 2015 #59

It really their wages. nt kelliekat44 Sep 2015 #56

Interesting how Jim Messina's strongly connected to this, espec. given his new allegiance suffragette Sep 2015 #57

I did not have a surgery because the out of pocket expenses were out of this world. Zorra Sep 2015 #58