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"Medigap substantially increases what Medicare spends on treatment and tests, gives new ammunition to those who want to restrict these plans."
So if I am rich enough to cover Medicare's deducts and co-pays out of my pocket, that's OK. But if I pay a private insurance co. to help me cover those costs, that needs to be taxed.
"Medigap substantially increases what Medicare spends on treatment and tests, gives new ammunition to those who want to restrict these plans."
So if I am rich enough to cover Medicare's deducts and co-pays out of my pocket, that's OK. But if I pay a private insurance co. to help me cover those costs, that needs to be taxed.
Medicare for my mom was awesome and she did have a Medigap policy that picked up the slack. She never paid a dime for any of her care...well almost all was covered. She had one small bill that did not get coverage. A small tax on the gap insurance should not be a problem for many, but maybe for some.
Medicare for my mom was awesome and she did have a Medigap policy that picked up the slack. She never paid a dime for any of her care...well almost all was covered. She had one small bill that did not get coverage. A small tax on the gap insurance should not be a problem for many, but maybe for some.
As I've said before--Medicare is not wonderful and it's expensive. What was wonderful for your mom was that gap policy...had she just had Medicare she would have been paying 20% of all charges with no stop-loss...now they want to tax the "wonderful" part of "Medicare"....
"Medigap substantially increases what Medicare spends on treatment and tests, gives new ammunition to those who want to restrict these plans."
So if I am rich enough to cover Medicare's deducts and co-pays out of my pocket, that's OK. But if I pay a private insurance co. to help me cover those costs, that needs to be taxed.
What a crock !
Last I checked, it's Medicare that decides what healthcare services to cover and the allowable charges for those services, not the Medigap plans. Medigap plans just pay the costs of Medicare-covered services that Medicare does not cover. For instance, a senior visits a doctor for a covered service, doctor bills Medicare for that service, lets say, $100. Medicare says the allowable charge for that service is $33, and pays 80% of that- approximately $25 for that visit, and the Medigap plan pays about $8.00.
Must read that article better- I could see where costs are raised to the Medigap providers, for increased numbers of claims, for lowered reimbursements by Medicare for claims, which raise the reimbursements paid by the Medigap plans but increased costs to Medicare???????
Last I checked, it's Medicare that decides what healthcare services to cover and the allowable charges for those services, not the Medigap plans. Medigap plans just pay the costs of Medicare-covered services that Medicare does not cover. For instance, a senior visits a doctor for a covered service, doctor bills Medicare for that service, lets say, $100. Medicare says the allowable charge for that service is $33, and pays 80% of that- approximately $25 for that visit, and the Medigap plan pays about $8.00.
Must read that article better- I could see where costs are raised to the Medigap providers, for increased numbers of claims, for lowered reimbursements by Medicare for claims, which raise the reimbursements paid by the Medigap plans but increased costs to Medicare???????
Sounds like the seniors will be hit on all sides!
This hits on one of the aspects of health care costs that is often overlooked. Costs for a lot of services are patient driven, and if the patient does not have to pay anything, he is more likely to go to the doctor. The increased cost due to Medigap is due to increased utilization. Your hypothetical $100 charge breakdown still stands, but more of those $100 charges are generated. Medicare pays first, so both Medicare and the Medigap plan pay more.
Another possibility is that sicker people know their utilization will be higher and are more likely to buy Medigap plans than healthier people.
"Medigap substantially increases what Medicare spends on treatment and tests, gives new ammunition to those who want to restrict these plans."
So if I am rich enough to cover Medicare's deducts and co-pays out of my pocket, that's OK. But if I pay a private insurance co. to help me cover those costs, that needs to be taxed.
What a crock !
If you really look some may write about it but no politician will touch it. Looking at 8K a day retiring; said to increase to 10K over next 19 years ;and those being high turn out voters consisting of 26% total population and more and more driven to one priority on healthcare as #1;you can see why. You only have to look at reductions in payments passed then restored in year past to see its a political death sentence for sponsors. If political will to do it was there then it would have been hidden in taxes in ACA; not there.The closest thing is company so called Cadillac plans not Medigap plans a person buys.
Some Medigap insurance policies are costing almost as regular full policies. Mine cost me $260 a month.
Now I do not see anything wrong in establishing a co-payment for doctor visits, but I think that the premium is all ready over the top. I would like to know what this study was comparing the study to.
Was it comparing it to only having regular medicare and leaving you with the 20% co-pay? Was it comparing it to the Medicare Advantage plans?
I do not think taxing Medigap policies would lessen the use of insurance. It might put money in the government coffers in the form of tax, but it will not limit use. How does the Medicare Advantage plan compare in outflow of medical costs compared to Medicare with Medigap? How much of this 22% excess is due to doctor visits vs medical procedures? Should something like a hip replacement be restricted, when you are in so much pain you can not walk any longer?
I fully understand the need to curtail costs when you are going broke because of them, and lessening unnecessary procedures certainly would be a good place to start. But who ever gets a procedure done or an operation that they don't think is necessary. Often times only the doctor knows if the operation was necessary.
Are we getting to the point now, where we can only pay for life threatening treatment, and older people must learn to live with pain for all their remaining years, or where even middle class families can no longer afford treatment when they get older. When costs get this high, do you think maybe it's time to examine our whole health care system and do something to change it. We've had plenty of studies done. We know all the reasons why our health care cost so much, but yet we remain immobile to do anything to overhaul it and change it.
Like I've said about the high deductible plans..if you make people responsible for some of the bill, they use their plans more reasonably and aren't running to the dr every time they sneeze. These plans have a stop-loss so people know ahead of time the max they will spend in a year. Same goes for Medicare and Sup plans. If someone knows they aren't going to have to pay anything to see the dr, well, they will go and find out they have a cold. If they have to pay $40-100, they are going to wait a day or two to see if they really need to go in. If they really need to go in, the cost of the visit isn't going to matter....
Starting to see the cost containment already from the increasing use of tax qualified high deductible plans...but everyone seems to think any plan they have to pay for or get bills from the doctor is bad...
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