medicare for all?

[Dave's Not Here Man]

www.cnbc.com/2021/12/05/why-this-68-year-old-cancer-patient-cannot-enroll-in-medicare-part-b.html

Pretty good example of why we still have so many that don't want the govt in charge of health care. Yes, I am aware of the broad stroke and Equally aware that the particular problem this woman is having may not be a problem at all if private insurance were a thing of the past. But the current system is in fact a giant clusterfuck mired in bureaucracy/red tape/hoops of fire/etc where millions of individuals with no idea on where to even begin to navigate the system are typically thrown into and at the mercy of nonsensical government rules. 

[k9krap]

I’ve been going through this - trying to decipher it all. My Medicare kicks in next month. Woohoo! I’m officially old, although I’ve felt that way for years. It’s a confusing quagmire. I made my decision last week - I’m keeping my current federal blue cross coverage as a supplement to Medicare.

[minx]

See, this is where I disagree. I think that universal coverage would remove all of this enrollment and coordinating benefits crap.

You'd enroll once, and then be done with it forever. My Canadian friends say that you get enrolled at birth, and that's it. If you emigrate, you get to enroll when you become a permanent resident and start paying taxes.

Cause right now it sucks, and there's no guidance on what to do. Part B isn't cheap, and a lot of people who have a supplemental policy want to avoid paying that premium if they can.

My understanding is that once you're on Medicare, the process is pretty smooth in terms of claims - it's getting on it that's a bitch.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

remember, I did say this- "Equally aware that the particular problem this woman is having may not be a problem at all if private insurance were a thing of the past."

I have much less faith than you when it comes to our government being able to administrate a simple and straightforward system. Look at the VA for example. You'd think that our VA would be the gold standard for the world but I can't recall it ever being worthy of a model for anything. 

PS- The Part B for me is currently $250/mo but I have no fucking idea if I have it or not. I know I didn't opt out. I think the state is currently paying that premium but also has not dropped me from Medicaid because of the COVID emergency measures our current governor ordered which prevents the state from dropping or cutting any benefits. Tomorrow is the deadline for open season but I am scared shitless to make a move and change anything, but at the same time I know our incoming governor and the conservatives are surely going to choke off those state programs in short fucking order.

[bobathon]

There's a reason government run health care sucks, and it's intentional. There's no inherent reason it can't be excellent.

[minx]

I truly think the issue with the VA is that it's 'privatized' for lack of a better term - if you're a vet, you can't go elsewhere for the most part. Should be more like Medicare where you can see any doctor you want, and the doctor has to treat you - the government reimburses the doctor for that treatment.

Then have specialty hospitals for wounded vets and those who need mental health treatment.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Dec 6, 2021 12:55:58 GMT -5 bobathon said:

There's a reason government run health care sucks, and it's intentional. There's no inherent reason it can't be excellent.

That's a very good point and I suppose also applies to reasons for the feats of wonder one must perform in order to receive it?

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Dec 6, 2021 13:41:30 GMT -5 minx said:

I truly think the issue with the VA is that it's 'privatized' for lack of a better term - if you're a vet, you can't go elsewhere for the most part. Should be more like Medicare where you can see any doctor you want, and the doctor has to treat you - the government reimburses the doctor for that treatment.

Then have specialty hospitals for wounded vets and those who need mental health treatment.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't there some sort of recent bill or perhaps even law passed that allowed vets to be able to seek care outside of the VA at no cost to them?

I can't imagine myself supporting anything other than a single payer system without the need for supplemental coverages for medically necessary care of any kind including all specialties. Of course this can never be allowed to happen because there are hundreds of billions to be made by your friendly corporations and their subsidiaries.

[minx]

I think that bill was passed last year, but there's some sort of shit where you have to prove that you can't get care at the VA first. Anything to force a vet to jump through another hoop to get treatment.

[bobathon]

Dec 6, 2021 16:04:21 GMT -5 Dave's Not Here Man said:

Dec 6, 2021 12:55:58 GMT -5 bobathon said:

There's a reason government run health care sucks, and it's intentional. There's no inherent reason it can't be excellent.

That's a very good point and I suppose also applies to reasons for the feats of wonder one must perform in order to receive it?

Budget, too. Everything is on the cheap, especially things with human benefits. We wouldn't want the überwealthy to miss a yacht payment.