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I think if Trump is elected we will see a dismantling of it in favor of a single payer. It will take will and courage, but at least he can crack some eggs and twist some arms. I don't think he is much of a golfer either.
The current Medicare monthly premium is about $121. It is projected to be $149 for 2017. That does not include any additional premiums that someone might pay for a Medigap plan plus the part D drug plan. Or the copays they pay if they opt for an Advantage plan. Of course a person could decide against both the Medigap and Advantage plans and stay with Original Medicare only. But that could possibly involve a huge deductible as well as no limit on the 20% portion that they must pay for all medical bills (since Medicare only pays 80%) which in itself could add up to a considerable sum.
Someone initially enrolling in Medicare and choosing a Medigap+drug plan would probably pay around $3000 a year. Or about $6000 for a couple. On an Advantage plan, likely around $3500 for a couple (if both are in good health). But as you age, the Medigap premiums rapidly go up in Medigap plans and more copays are paid in the Advantage plans. It doesn't take long for a couple to possibly be paying more than $10,000 a year on their medical expenses (not counting drugs). Thats quite a bit to pay if your primary income is social security only (lower income retirees are eligible to enroll in Medicaid as well).
Not exactly a lavish lifestyle for most thats for sure. Would you like to live that life?
You mean living on a set income, not working and getting unlimited medical coverage for a nominal cost with the knowledge that others will pay the rest? A lot of people would be fine with that life. They are retired. If they did not save and their entire living consists of their Social Security check, that is a decision they made and they had years to make it.
Someone else calculated theirs and their wife's monthly cost for Medicare and supplemental plans with a total of $291. per person per month for unlimited everything for the rest of their life. They said they love their Medicare and think everyone should have it. $291. per person for everything with no added expenses, no fear that a diagnosis will devastate you financially is what Medicare provides (including the supplemental plans) and that for as little as a ten year contribution. You seem to think that's expensive, I think that is a bargain only available to seniors with benefits paid to seniors on average three times as much as they contributed, the rest being paid for by taxpayers like me.
Anyone could have predicted that the signature achievement of "great leader" would implode. Now it is happening with costs through the ceiling and and unmitigated exodus of insurance companies and doctors from accepting the poorly conceived plan.
Thanks Obama. Looks like more time on the 13th hole for you flim flam man.
we've got to give them a little something, just enough to quiet them down, not enough to make a difference... I'll have them ******** voting Democratic for the next two hundred years". - Lyndon B. Johnson
To answer the question.. Yes.. I'm about as conservative as they come, and I support a single payer system, but not at all like its being done because it cant be paid for.
If they can relieve the stress off employers to provide and pay for these services, then they can focus on actually running the business, while the employees, dont have to be afraid of leaving a company that treats them like crap due to medical benefits.
Wow. The end all be all. Just "yes". Care to elaborate? Got some numbers to support your claim maybe? Saying you're conservative means nothing to me in the scope of this conversation. I'm neither and think it's absurd to think it wouldn't severely penalize a family that gets health insurance from their employer (which is currently approximately 1/2 the country).
Last edited by bodyforlife99; 08-26-2016 at 08:32 AM..
You mean living on a set income, not working and getting unlimited medical coverage for a nominal cost with the knowledge that others will pay the rest? A lot of people would be fine with that life. They are retired. If they did not save and their entire living consists of their Social Security check, that is a decision they made and they had years to make it.
Someone else calculated theirs and their wife's monthly cost for Medicare and supplemental plans with a total of $291. per person per month for unlimited everything for the rest of their life. They said they love their Medicare and think everyone should have it. $291. per person for everything with no added expenses, no fear that a diagnosis will devastate you financially is what Medicare provides (including the supplemental plans) and that for as little as a ten year contribution. You seem to think that's expensive, I think that is a bargain only available to seniors with benefits paid to seniors on average three times as much as they contributed, the rest being paid for by taxpayers like me.
You aren't listening (or rather, not comprehending what you read). For many, if not most, that set fixed income is not so great. The average social security payment is about $16,000 per year. For a couple, with luck, around $32,000. Not a large amount. And many don't have a 401k or IRA to supplement it (hard, if not impossible, to contribute with lower incomes/expenses/job losses). Along with that, life happens. Including accidents, illnesses (Medicare doesn't cover every thing), death, divorce, investment losses (like in 2008 and 2009). Any of those can financially crush you. I personally know retirees who have lost everything they once had.
Medicare part B rates do increase. With the $149 payment (2017) something like 50% in the past 5-6 years. The Medigap premiums/Advantage copays have increased correspondingly. And in the Medigaps, even more so with additional premium increases as one ages. $291? Rapidly exceeded. And nothing has been mentioned about the ever increasing drug prices and the expensive drugs that many seniors must take. Medicare doesn't cover dental either.
Try coping with more than 1/3rd of your income (of maybe $32k) going for medical expenses. Just how fine would you be with that? I'd bet you couldn't make it.
Get a part-time job? Many do, thats why you see so many seniors working at Walmart, drug stores, 7-11s. Even though the pay is very low, they need every cent. Assuming that they are physically able to work (many aren't) and can find something. A very difficult task to do that when you are 65 or 70 or older.
Really, you have no conception or understanding of what you are writing about. Maybe, when you are old enough to get a job, you'll begin to understand. Doubtful though, even then.
To answer the question.. Yes.. I'm about as conservative as they come, and I support a single payer system, but not at all like its being done because it cant be paid for.
If they can relieve the stress off employers to provide and pay for these services, then they can focus on actually running the business, while the employees, dont have to be afraid of leaving a company that treats them like crap due to medical benefits.
You aren't listening (or rather, not comprehending what you read). For many, if not most, that set fixed income is not so great. The average social security payment is about $16,000 per year. For a couple, with luck, around $32,000. Not a large amount. And many don't have a 401k or IRA to supplement it (hard, if not impossible, to contribute with lower incomes/expenses/job losses). Along with that, life happens. Including accidents, illnesses (Medicare doesn't cover every thing), death, divorce, investment losses (like in 2008 and 2009). Any of those can financially crush you. I personally know retirees who have lost everything they once had.
Medicare part B rates do increase. With the $149 payment (2017) something like 50% in the past 5-6 years. The Medigap premiums/Advantage copays have increased correspondingly. And in the Medigaps, even more so with additional premium increases as one ages. $291? Rapidly exceeded. And nothing has been mentioned about the ever increasing drug prices and the expensive drugs that many seniors must take. Medicare doesn't cover dental either.
Try coping with more than 1/3rd of your income (of maybe $32k) going for medical expenses. Just how fine would you be with that? I'd bet you couldn't make it.
Get a part-time job? Many do, thats why you see so many seniors working at Walmart, drug stores, 7-11s. Even though the pay is very low, they need every cent. Assuming that they are physically able to work (many aren't) and can find something. A very difficult task to do that when you are 65 or 70 or older.
Really, you have no conception or understanding of what you are writing about. Maybe, when you are old enough to get a job, you'll begin to understand. Doubtful though, even then.
I know seniors really want to justify the massive amounts of money they are getting but they had decades to save for their retirement. I have two high school boys and get the maximum for Social Security taken out and have for many years (in 2016 that's $118,500). What you are saying is those seniors who are already being supported and are already receiving on average three times the amount of benefits they contributed are suffering? I would have far more sympathy for them if they hadn't been protesting against health coverage for anyone but themselves. My sympathy went out the window right then. I think it's incredibly funny that seniors typically vote Republican but Paul Ryan (likely the 2020 GOP nominee) wants to give them a voucher. I wouldn't vote for him but I would laugh if they got what they voted for.
Remember when the GOP wanted to privatize Social Security? Let you invest it in stocks? What would have happened if seniors had invested their Social Security in Enron? Would the country be forced to support them due to their own bad stock investment?
I know seniors really want to justify the massive amounts of money they are getting but they had decades to save for their retirement. I have two high school boys and get the maximum for Social Security taken out and have for many years (in 2016 that's $118,500). What you are saying is those seniors who are already being supported and are already receiving on average three times the amount of benefits they contributed are suffering? I would have far more sympathy for them if they hadn't been protesting against health coverage for anyone but themselves. My sympathy went out the window right then. I think it's incredibly funny that seniors typically vote Republican but Paul Ryan (likely the 2020 GOP nominee) wants to give them a voucher. I wouldn't vote for him but I would laugh if they got what they voted for.
Remember when the GOP wanted to privatize Social Security? Let you invest it in stocks? What would have happened if seniors had invested their Social Security in Enron? Would the country be forced to support them due to their own bad stock investment?
No justification involved, I'm just stating the facts. Disagree with them as you wish. Nothing to me.
I'm sure that you don't accept employer health insurance subsidies at your job even if offered to you (or your spouse). Right? And that you are putting aside a few hundred thousand for your own retiree health care? Seeing as how you make over $118,500. Sounds good ... or ... eh, are you also relying on Medicare? Hmmm?
Any politician who really did screw up social security and/or medicare would very shortly be an ex-politician. That includes Paul Ryan.
But be of good cheer. Perhaps Ted Cruz will be next. Then you'd get (and possibly be required) to handle snakes in your religious services.
No justification involved, I'm just stating the facts. Disagree with them as you wish. Nothing to me.
I'm sure that you don't accept employer health insurance subsidies at your job even if offered to you (or your spouse). Right? And that you are putting aside a few hundred thousand for your own retiree health care? Seeing as how you make over $118,500. Sounds good ... or ... eh, are you also relying on Medicare? Hmmm?
Any politician who really did screw up social security and/or medicare would very shortly be an ex-politician. That includes Paul Ryan.
But be of good cheer. Perhaps Ted Cruz will be next. Then you'd get (and possibly be required) to handle snakes in your religious services.
You seem to think I'm a conservative which I'm not. I'm a happy liberal and no I'm not on Medicare, I work and have a family. What I am pointing out is the contradiction I see with seniors with mad love for their Medicare that also oppose "government health care/Obamacare/ACA" etc. I think if seniors lost their Medicare or their payments were commiserate with the benefits they receive, they would be a lot more supportive of find a way to provide basic health coverage to the country as a whole. As it is, they are getting what they want and then some while opposing anyone else getting coverage.
I do have employer paid health coverage though with the passage of ACA, it was reduced since it qualified as a "Cadillac" plan. I had no problem with that if it meant others could receive health coverage. But seniors who so oppose "government health care" like said, would completely lose it if Paul Ryan took away their goodies which - don't forget - my taxes pay for to the tune of three times the benefits on average that they contributed.
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