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This is odd! Post #221 states that Medicare becomes the primary insurer for 65 & over citizens without employer provided health care, is a rule!
Also, why are there only some? I would think seniors would be flocking to get private health insurance as their primary provider if it is so much better than Medicare!
If you looked into it - you would find out that you can opt out of social security and / or medicare.
Then, there are many, like myself, who did drop out of the system decades ago - have not paid into social security or medicare for decades - and can never get either. In this case, private insurance is the only option - or being self insured.
I don't know of any hospitals that have stopped taking medicare. Since most seniors/disabled are on it, that's where a great part of their revenue is generated. In fact, the way the government forces hospitals to take any patient regardless of payor status is by threatening to revoke medicare reimbursement. Which is why there are private EDs popping up.
And it's not just the cuts in payment that is the problem. You have to jump through way more hoops/paperwork.
1. UnitedHealth Group — $ 4.654 BILLION. UnitedHealth Group owns Oxford, PacifiCare, IBA, AmeriChoice, Evercare, Ovations, MAMSI and Ingenix, a healthcare data company
2. WellPoint — $ 3.345 BILLION. Wellpoint owns BLUES across the US, including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin, Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Healthy Alliance, and many others
3. Aetna Inc. — $ 1.831 BILLION
4. CIGNA Corp — $ 1.115 BILLION
5. Humana Inc. — $ 834 million
6. Coventry Health Care — $626 million. Coventry owns Altius, Carelink, Group Health Plan, HealthAmerica, OmniCare, WellPath, others
7. Health Net — $ 194 million
The huge insurance company profits—BILLIONS EACH YEAR—could be used to provide quality healthcare for millions of people, and to pay physicians adequately for their work.
since you listed the profits of insurance companies, why dont you also list all the tax that the federal goverment stole from the "PEOPLE" and used in alot on unwanted programs and all taxpayer monies uaed to pay out entitlements.
Overall, 11% of the doctors at NYU Langone don't participate in at least two insurance plans -- Aetna or Blue Cross, for instance -- so I end up not being able to refer my patients to some of our top specialists. This problem, in addition to the mass of paperwork and diminishing reimbursements, is enough of a reason for me to consider dropping out as well.
Bottom line: None of the current plans, government or private, provide my patients with the care they need
.
This should tell us, our healthcare system is broken and dysfunctional!
Your profile says you are an Anesthetist.
You don't seem to be very familiar with all this.
It also says your hobby is research. Perhaps you should do some basic research on this issue.
However...just for you since it's so easy to find:
Scroll down to General Enrollment Period
If you looked into it - you would find out that you can opt out of social security and / or medicare.
Then, there are many, like myself, who did drop out of the system decades ago - have not paid into social security or medicare for decades - and can never get either. In this case, private insurance is the only option - or being self insured.
Good luck with that once you become older! Your premiums could become extremely expensive one day if our system continues as it is.
I did not find anything there indicating that a person 65 or older must take Medicare as the primary medical coverage!
That is the Medicare.gov site.
All it'll take is a tiny little bit of reading.
If you'd like to just believe me, let me tell you that at age 65 you are automatically enrolled in Medicare....get your cards in the mail and everything.
That is the Medicare.gov site.
All it'll take is a tiny little bit of reading.
If you'd like to just believe me, let me tell you that at age 65 you are automatically enrolled in Medicare....get your cards in the mail and everything.
But it is not a law that you must accept it! One is free to use private insurance companies instead. Just read Greatday's posts about that!
Good luck with that once you become older! Your premiums could become extremely expensive one day if our system continues as it is.
I already AM in that older group jojajn. We have already discussed the type(s) of coverage(s) I have. I have no problem with the premiums and will not.
Dropping Social Security was, imo, one of the BEST things I have EVER done, financially, in my entire life.
But it is not a law that you must accept it! One is free to use private insurance companies instead. Just read Greatday's posts about that!
Check into what greatday had to do in order to opt out and what he is financially prepared to do because of it.
Maybe you can do it too but I'll bet you won't
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