Too bad we could only choose one. Both raising the age and tightening cost control would be good places to start. Also, needs-basing it along with social security. Not everyone needs the safety net. Yeah yeah, I know it's not fair to someone who has paid into it and then won't get the benefit because they've been successful. Well guess what, I've been paying taxes of some sort since I was 15, that would be 37 years and there's a lot of stuff other people get that I don't. Either we're all in this together or we're not.
Dave, I don't think simply tightening cost controls is one of the viable alternatives. By the government simply saying "we will only pay this for that", less services will be available for seniors. Already, some doctors are opting out of medicare due to what they consider to be already low reimbursement rates.
The way to REDUCE cost is to reduce what health care providers and insurance companies have to pay out to do business, and increase private health insurance competition.
Massive tort reform and opening insurance availability across state and regional lines would be an awesome start.
"By the government simply saying "we will only pay this for that", less services will be available for seniors." That's exactly what my insurance company does, anything outside their guidelines I pay out of pocket, and if I go outside the network, they only pay 80% of what they want to pay for. I'm not saying that's right, just that it's an accepted practice.
I agree with you,Bob: open competition across state lines for individual insurance purchasing would be a great thing. The onus should be taken off employers. Unfortunately too many of our Rep's and Senators are in the insurance, pharma. and corporate hospital lobbies pockets for that to happen. "When one is ass deep in alligators, it is often difficult to remember that one's initial objective was to drain the swamp" or something like that. We definitely need to drain the swamp.
raise the minimum age and increase the payroll deduction
Tighten cost controls on administration of medicare.
look at fraud
Open it up to people of all ages
single payer
revamp from the ground up
medicare for all
Raise min age, tighten cost controls, , and make benefits need-based.
Raise minimum age AND tighen cost controls.
Remove the ceiling on payroll deductions.
reduce fraud
Go after all the fraud
nrease yearly salary limits for SSI with holding
thats a tough one
Ryan plan, should be considered.
apply the FICA and Medicare tax to the total amount of everyone's wages.
Fraud is the largest problem for Medicare. The penalties for fraud have to be severe. Raising taxes never works. I think working people pay plenty of taxes already.
I for one am all for a spend tax and dissolving current tax collecting methods. Everyone needs to contribute and a spend tax is the only real way to make that happen with efficiency.
Dave - FYI Medicare Part B (the premium based insurance that most closely resembles health coverage through an employer) has a monthly premium attached to it.
That premium is adjusted based on a participant's AGI from 2 years prior (your most recently filed tax return). If you exceed certain income limits, you pay more than the base amount.
Fraud and waste represent a ery small part of the program. The first step to solvency for Medicare and Social Security is to remove the income cap, there is no reason why the well off get a break at $108,000 on income. Second, the medical profession is one of the most subsidised profession, for those doctors who want to ot out fine let them but make it an opt out from any and all tax supported fees and procedures, no more fat checks from hospitals that get money from the taxpayers. There is no reason that this profession should have all of the advantages of being a private business enterprise with subsidies galore and then bitch that they aren't well compensated. Third, if you want true tort reform because of the percieved cost of malpractice insurance then get that small percentage doctors who make the majority of errors only to have a hospital or insurance company drive the costs up by covering for incompetance until they really screw up and do serious harm or kill someone. Fourth, big pharma should be brought under control with bulk buying and cost plus pricing for seniors, again this is an industry that is heavely subsidised and should be subject to both quality control of the products they sell and market as well as price controls on the products that Medicare buys and/or subsidises.
Edmund, The total amount of Medicare fraud is difficult to track, because not all fraud is detected and not all suspicious claims turn out to be fraudulent. According to the Office of Management and Budget, Medicare "improper payments" were $47.9 billion in 2010, but some of these payments later turned out to be valid. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that total Medicare spending was $528 billion in 2010, so this gives a very rough estimate of about 9% waste.
The Medicare program is a target for fraud because it is based on the "honor system" of billing. It was originally set-up to help honest doctors who helped the needy with medical services. There are few safeguards to eliminate false claims. In fact, claims are paid automatically because the goal of Medicare is not to root out false claims, but to pay claims quickly and smoothly.
Fraud and waste are a small part of the problem? Are you serious? Since when is $48 BILLION dollars a small part of any problem?
I think the government needs to set limits on how much a doctor/hospital can charge for their services. In many cases they are overcharging because some insurance companies will pay the high fees. Other times the insurance companies are able to negotiate and lower the price...this tells me that the healthcare providers are just trying to get whatever they can out of the insurance companies. In fact, my dentist charges me less because I use a flex account rather than dental insurance, so again they are charging the insurance companies more.(Don't think I believe insurance companies are innocent, trust me I have had my fair share of issues with them too!)But, if they somehow "capped" how much health services cost it will benefit everyone, not just those on Medicare. My work pays 75% of my premiums, but my insurance only covers 80% of most healthcare services, and physicals/routine medical care aren't covered at all. I still end up paying hundreds of dollars on top of my perimiums every year. (See what wonderful benefits us teachers get!)
There was a former Congressman on one of the talk shows Sunday. He said that while he can easily afford his own insurance, he was required to sign up for Medicare, which then became the primary payer.
That is true of many plans. The retired military are a good example. Once you are eligible, you must sign up for Medicare or lose your military coverage, even if you don't want Medicare.
Stopping this forced system would help save at least a little money.
And if Congress will allow real private company competition, maybe insurance would be more affordable so that people who want, can skip medicare. They still pay in, but have a choice later to take it or not.
How many of us know what our doctor charges for a routine visit? Would we buy any other service without knowing what it would cost us? Or at least knowing what the hourly rate and fee structure looks like? We have allowed the medical industry and the insurance industry set their own pricing because we don't care what it costs. Heck, most times we don't even see a bill until after it has already been paid.
I'd like to see an HSA/high deductible type plan become standard for everyone. The gov't can provide $$ to HSA accounts for people who truly need it. Competition will drive pricing down, but competition won't happen until we all see and react to the prices for these services.
John, that former congressman is Dick Armey (R) Texas, who is still covered under his federal congressional plan from his years in the Congress. Your statement about the military is wrong as well, yes you sign up for Medicare but you do not lose any coverage or incur additional costs. What is needed is a single payer plan that covers everyone, it can be spread among the private carriers who should have to compete for the contracts. AETNA was and still is one of the largest third party billing agents for Medicare and in for Medicaid in several states. This will eliminate the whining of those who complain that its creeping socialism while satisfying the desire for a private insurance industry that does little more than ration care and administer payments. The big difference is that instead of the faux competition and mopnopolies that private for-profit and non-profit insurance companies will actually have to compete and be accountable or risk losing their subsidy.
Competition is a key to lowering costs (across state lines being the first and most immediate) as a few have mentioned already, reducing fraud is also key but resources to track/enforce are minimal. Remember all those people we would free up at the IRS with the flat tax? Cross train them for not only tax fraud but Medicare/Medicaid fraud as well. Edmund hit on a key point as well with the SS wage base cap. It's time to remove the employee wage cap along with lowering the rate for employers down to the current 4.2% employee rate. This would stimulate growth opportunities in business.
Tort reform would not only reduce costs, it would improve care as well. Keeping Drs. on point with malpractice is one thing, but I think the pendulum has swung so far the other way that Drs in high risk specialties are actually practicing out of fear and not innovation, training, and sound medical decision making.
Edmund, I was told my TRICARE (Military) will be lost if I do not take Medicare, parts A & B when eligible. My information came from TRICARE, where did yours come from?
Dick Armey is the one who said he must join Medicare. His congressional coverage becomes the secondary payer. He is forced into medicare while he does not need or want it. I think I'll take his word on that.
What IF? Medicare was secondary coverage? What if the private insurers were allowed to sell a government-approved level one basic coverage that was cost and service regulated? ...That dovetailed with a Medicare level two program?
The level one program would cover everyday, health maintenance costs. The level two plan would cover long-term, major surgical- more costly healthcare.
For people who could not afford coverage, the insurance companies would provide a no-cost level one plan with a provision to recoup associated claims.
Costs and coverage associated with Level 1 & 2 would be regulated, anyone desiring traditional coverage could still do so, the insurance companies would profit and the government would save on administrative costs.
C.M., how is that not just a giveaway to private insurers just like the Ryan plan?
The Paul Ryan voucher system is a favor to private insurance companies that are pissed about losing the elderly to a solid, single-payer government health care system. It passes extra costs on to seniors who can't afford it while padding the pockets of private insurer's who have proven time and again that they're goal is to avoid providing health care to their customers.
I see where C.M. is going, his example would at least protect people from being denied a higher level of care, but I see the introduction of vouchers as a flaw that simply cannot be overcome.
The Medicare system is running out of money because the baby boomers are entering the system in force and because the cost of healthcare (among other things) is increasing.
The Ryan plan doesn't stop a growing population from getting older and living longer, it doesn't stop the rate of inflation and it doesn't stop rising healthcare costs in the private sector.
Even if the Ryan plan were implemented, cost increases would still necessitate a tax increase to hold the line. If Paul Ryan is being honest about wanting to save the system, then he'll have to admit that the system is going to have to raise more money very soon.
The voucher program weakens Medicare because there is no way for seniors to avoid out of pocket expenses. The donut hole was bad enough, let's not make it worse.
Raise the age of eligibility for Medicare by two years and keep that age in line with the social security eligibility threshold. Increase the medicare withholding a reasonable amount. Keep a proven system and try to make it more efficient. There is no reason to take money we pay to the government in taxes over a lifetime in order to provide for our health care as we get older and hand it over to private insurers who will very reliably, and with good reason, see to their own bottom line before seeing to our needs.
Cut the wasteful spending on welfare to generate extra revenue for medicare and education. This country relies WAY to much on its government, what happened to our independence?
Raise the age limit slightly (along with Social Security), lift the cap on wages and adjust coverage. Medicare should also not be mandatory for those who have other options or resources.
Americans treat their health insurance completely different than any other insurance that is out there. If we had car insurance like our health insurance, our insurance would pay for new tires and brakes when we needed them and even pay for our gas. Similar homeowners insurance would pay for the house to be repainted and the shrubs would be trimmed twice a year. These plans would also cost thousands per year as well!
Insurance is supposed to protect you from large expenses that you can not afford to pay out of pocket such as a car crash, house fire or a major surgery. It is not meant to cover every single cost associated with one's health. Because our health insurance (and gov't plans) covers most treatments, it is easy to ignore the actual costs associated with various treatments. Doctors think nothing of putting you through a mess load of tests--and people don't mind either. Heck--the insurance company is paying!
As other's have stated, because health insurance is provided under group coverage, most people have no choice to opt into high deductible plans, HSAs or similar concepts that could offer premium savings. Group plans also mean that we all share in the costs for the uninsured, those who do not take care of themselves (a whole other conversation) and the costs that the government "negotiates" or doesn't pay under medicaid and medicare.
Worse than the actual cost of health care is how insurance companies and the government (now into the health insurance business big time) are using these skyrocketing costs to control every facet of our lives. New regulations pop up every day controlling everything from smoking, fat in foods, cartoon characters on cereal boxes, and even banning Ronald McDonald. All of this is done in the name of lowering insurance costs and saving us from ourselves.
I know there is a moral argument to care for everyone at any cost, but is this really a practical solution? There are plenty of things that our nation could do at any cost, but we would quickly be bankrupt and living in the stone age.
Recently an elderly gentleman was dying. He was scheduled to go to Cross Roads House on a particular day. He passed the night before.
His widow was notified several weeks later by Medicare, that a bill for $1200.00 had been submited by Cross Roads House, and had been paid by Medicare.
She called Medicare, explained what had happened,(she was very upset). She was given the run around. Nobody wanted to know anything. She gave up, and hung up.
Only $1200.00? How many times a day could this be happening all over the country?
Cut the fraud, not only in Medicare and Medicaid, but Welfare, State disability, Workmen's Comp, unemployment......just cut the fraud in HALF, Washington and New York State wouldn't know what to do with all the money!!!!!!!!
Chris, I am a single-payer advocate. Having said that, I concede that the current climate calls for either a compromise or a transitional proposal. My suggestion was put forth merely to generate feedback. It seemed like an avenue that had not been explored. If the private insurers could be included as regulated administrators of a universal basic-level care plan, perhaps we could get past the roadblocks to providing affordable coverage for everyone.
Tim, I agree completely that health insurance ought to be more like car or homeowners insurance. That is why I would like to see HSA's become the standard. As soon as people actually have to write a check (even if it is a gov't subsidized check) for their routine health care they will be much more careful about where they go for medical care and what they agree to have done. Supply and demand concepts will then affect medical care pricing.
Get rid of the fraud, waste and optional things
medicare for all
voucher system
put all aid to other countries into social security and medicare
do away with tax exemptions and make everyone pay their fair share of taxes.
keep medicare, stricter mediCAID requirements
Tighten benefits; limit medical problems due to lifestyle choices
go after medicade and medicare fraud first
Cut Welfare, maintain constants with medicare
reduce waste and crackdown on fraud
have the government put back the money they stole from medicare
Batavian is a scam
stop the fraud
force the receipents to be 100% hydrated, exercise, and eat properly. lower vis
Means Test for the program, Vouchers for priv. ins, sell ins across state lines
remove the cap and make everyone pay in - even elected officials...
stop borrowing from fund
Actively and enthusiasticly go after FRAUD!!!
Eliminate
If your company offers medical insurance as part of your retirement, no medicare
elininate fraud claims
increase faud investigation
Add as a poll answer
Fight fraud
Ignore it like was done 10 years !
Single Payer Healthcare
Stop giving it to bums who just abuse the system
raise the minimum age and increase the payroll deduction
Tighten cost controls on administration of medicare.
look at fraud
Open it up to people of all ages
single payer
revamp from the ground up
medicare for all
There are people who are on the Medicare system who do not belong on there. I for one am 45, and have been since 2009. I did not choose to go out get injured severely, wait for the doctor's to finally take care of me... while I was in another state, and then finally treat me for my injuries which I am now getting care for in my home state. I did not choose to have seizures, TBI, PTSD and lose the job I loved more than life itself. I was a truckdriver. The one who brought you your groceries, clothing and anything to keep your butt moving. When the truck stops moving, what are you going to blame next? It's bad enough my meds are partially covered. You want to take my coverage away from me because of something I didn't do to myself. I didn't wreck my truck. Someone else wrecked me. They took my life from me! All I ever wanted to do was keep america happy.
Go after the ones who are illegal and getting welfare. Or how about Welfare Fraud? Millions of dollars are wasted there because they don't screen well against these people driving around in the Durango's and Cadillac's who say they don't have a dime. How they get away with it... Go find that out. You need to find out since you think you know who's cheating the government! Watch what you say. Because, not all of us "young and dumb disabled for the rest of our life" cheat you out of YOUR money!
Medicare is not that great for people on Social Security Retirement or Disability. You worked hard most of your life and now you're old or disabled and need medical treatment. You must pay for medicare and some tests and medications out of your monthly benefits. If you are lucky enough and never really worked steady you are awarded SSI or Public Assistance and you receive FULL FREE medicaid. I think that medicaid should be lumped into medicare and make SSI and Public Assistance clients pay into it too. Watch how much medical costs go down. I know I don't go to see the doctor or get tests and forgo certain medications because it would cost me money to live on. Meanwhile other people go once a month for free visits, tests, and medications galore, even for a bad cold. There is the big money pit right there.
If 'bums' who do not deserve Medicare are being served, who's abetting it? A physician must be complicit in any undeserving claim. A $500,000 fine per instance of facilitating fraud would likely discourage unscrupulous claims.
Too bad we could only choose
Too bad we could only choose one. Both raising the age and tightening cost control would be good places to start. Also, needs-basing it along with social security. Not everyone needs the safety net. Yeah yeah, I know it's not fair to someone who has paid into it and then won't get the benefit because they've been successful. Well guess what, I've been paying taxes of some sort since I was 15, that would be 37 years and there's a lot of stuff other people get that I don't. Either we're all in this together or we're not.
Dave, I don't think simply
Dave, I don't think simply tightening cost controls is one of the viable alternatives. By the government simply saying "we will only pay this for that", less services will be available for seniors. Already, some doctors are opting out of medicare due to what they consider to be already low reimbursement rates.
The way to REDUCE cost is to reduce what health care providers and insurance companies have to pay out to do business, and increase private health insurance competition.
Massive tort reform and opening insurance availability across state and regional lines would be an awesome start.
As I told somebody yesterday,
As I told somebody yesterday, the only thing I trust less than the government are health insurance companies.
There is no real competition in the health insurance industry because employers rather than individuals buy and specify the coverage.
"By the government simply
"By the government simply saying "we will only pay this for that", less services will be available for seniors." That's exactly what my insurance company does, anything outside their guidelines I pay out of pocket, and if I go outside the network, they only pay 80% of what they want to pay for. I'm not saying that's right, just that it's an accepted practice.
I agree with you,Bob: open competition across state lines for individual insurance purchasing would be a great thing. The onus should be taken off employers. Unfortunately too many of our Rep's and Senators are in the insurance, pharma. and corporate hospital lobbies pockets for that to happen. "When one is ass deep in alligators, it is often difficult to remember that one's initial objective was to drain the swamp" or something like that. We definitely need to drain the swamp.
Here's the other so
Here's the other so far:
raise the minimum age and increase the payroll deduction
Tighten cost controls on administration of medicare.
look at fraud
Open it up to people of all ages
single payer
revamp from the ground up
medicare for all
Raise min age, tighten cost controls, , and make benefits need-based.
Raise minimum age AND tighen cost controls.
Remove the ceiling on payroll deductions.
reduce fraud
Go after all the fraud
nrease yearly salary limits for SSI with holding
thats a tough one
Ryan plan, should be considered.
apply the FICA and Medicare tax to the total amount of everyone's wages.
Fraud is the largest problem
Fraud is the largest problem for Medicare. The penalties for fraud have to be severe. Raising taxes never works. I think working people pay plenty of taxes already.
I for one am all for a spend tax and dissolving current tax collecting methods. Everyone needs to contribute and a spend tax is the only real way to make that happen with efficiency.
I agree Doug, but I also
I agree Doug, but I also think government needs to take a hard look at Medicaid fraud, where even more money is wasted. But that's another issue.
Dave - FYI Medicare Part B
Dave - FYI Medicare Part B (the premium based insurance that most closely resembles health coverage through an employer) has a monthly premium attached to it.
That premium is adjusted based on a participant's AGI from 2 years prior (your most recently filed tax return). If you exceed certain income limits, you pay more than the base amount.
Fraud and waste represent a
Fraud and waste represent a ery small part of the program. The first step to solvency for Medicare and Social Security is to remove the income cap, there is no reason why the well off get a break at $108,000 on income. Second, the medical profession is one of the most subsidised profession, for those doctors who want to ot out fine let them but make it an opt out from any and all tax supported fees and procedures, no more fat checks from hospitals that get money from the taxpayers. There is no reason that this profession should have all of the advantages of being a private business enterprise with subsidies galore and then bitch that they aren't well compensated. Third, if you want true tort reform because of the percieved cost of malpractice insurance then get that small percentage doctors who make the majority of errors only to have a hospital or insurance company drive the costs up by covering for incompetance until they really screw up and do serious harm or kill someone. Fourth, big pharma should be brought under control with bulk buying and cost plus pricing for seniors, again this is an industry that is heavely subsidised and should be subject to both quality control of the products they sell and market as well as price controls on the products that Medicare buys and/or subsidises.
Edmund, The total amount of
Edmund, The total amount of Medicare fraud is difficult to track, because not all fraud is detected and not all suspicious claims turn out to be fraudulent. According to the Office of Management and Budget, Medicare "improper payments" were $47.9 billion in 2010, but some of these payments later turned out to be valid. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that total Medicare spending was $528 billion in 2010, so this gives a very rough estimate of about 9% waste.
The Medicare program is a target for fraud because it is based on the "honor system" of billing. It was originally set-up to help honest doctors who helped the needy with medical services. There are few safeguards to eliminate false claims. In fact, claims are paid automatically because the goal of Medicare is not to root out false claims, but to pay claims quickly and smoothly.
Fraud and waste are a small part of the problem? Are you serious? Since when is $48 BILLION dollars a small part of any problem?
I think the government needs
I think the government needs to set limits on how much a doctor/hospital can charge for their services. In many cases they are overcharging because some insurance companies will pay the high fees. Other times the insurance companies are able to negotiate and lower the price...this tells me that the healthcare providers are just trying to get whatever they can out of the insurance companies. In fact, my dentist charges me less because I use a flex account rather than dental insurance, so again they are charging the insurance companies more.(Don't think I believe insurance companies are innocent, trust me I have had my fair share of issues with them too!)But, if they somehow "capped" how much health services cost it will benefit everyone, not just those on Medicare. My work pays 75% of my premiums, but my insurance only covers 80% of most healthcare services, and physicals/routine medical care aren't covered at all. I still end up paying hundreds of dollars on top of my perimiums every year. (See what wonderful benefits us teachers get!)
There was a former
There was a former Congressman on one of the talk shows Sunday. He said that while he can easily afford his own insurance, he was required to sign up for Medicare, which then became the primary payer.
That is true of many plans. The retired military are a good example. Once you are eligible, you must sign up for Medicare or lose your military coverage, even if you don't want Medicare.
Stopping this forced system would help save at least a little money.
And if Congress will allow real private company competition, maybe insurance would be more affordable so that people who want, can skip medicare. They still pay in, but have a choice later to take it or not.
How many of us know what our
How many of us know what our doctor charges for a routine visit? Would we buy any other service without knowing what it would cost us? Or at least knowing what the hourly rate and fee structure looks like? We have allowed the medical industry and the insurance industry set their own pricing because we don't care what it costs. Heck, most times we don't even see a bill until after it has already been paid.
I'd like to see an HSA/high deductible type plan become standard for everyone. The gov't can provide $$ to HSA accounts for people who truly need it. Competition will drive pricing down, but competition won't happen until we all see and react to the prices for these services.
John, that former congressman
John, that former congressman is Dick Armey (R) Texas, who is still covered under his federal congressional plan from his years in the Congress. Your statement about the military is wrong as well, yes you sign up for Medicare but you do not lose any coverage or incur additional costs. What is needed is a single payer plan that covers everyone, it can be spread among the private carriers who should have to compete for the contracts. AETNA was and still is one of the largest third party billing agents for Medicare and in for Medicaid in several states. This will eliminate the whining of those who complain that its creeping socialism while satisfying the desire for a private insurance industry that does little more than ration care and administer payments. The big difference is that instead of the faux competition and mopnopolies that private for-profit and non-profit insurance companies will actually have to compete and be accountable or risk losing their subsidy.
Competition is a key to
Competition is a key to lowering costs (across state lines being the first and most immediate) as a few have mentioned already, reducing fraud is also key but resources to track/enforce are minimal. Remember all those people we would free up at the IRS with the flat tax? Cross train them for not only tax fraud but Medicare/Medicaid fraud as well. Edmund hit on a key point as well with the SS wage base cap. It's time to remove the employee wage cap along with lowering the rate for employers down to the current 4.2% employee rate. This would stimulate growth opportunities in business.
Tort reform would not only reduce costs, it would improve care as well. Keeping Drs. on point with malpractice is one thing, but I think the pendulum has swung so far the other way that Drs in high risk specialties are actually practicing out of fear and not innovation, training, and sound medical decision making.
I should have been a doctor.
I should have been a doctor.
Edmund, I was told my TRICARE
Edmund, I was told my TRICARE (Military) will be lost if I do not take Medicare, parts A & B when eligible. My information came from TRICARE, where did yours come from?
Dick Armey is the one who said he must join Medicare. His congressional coverage becomes the secondary payer. He is forced into medicare while he does not need or want it. I think I'll take his word on that.
What IF? Medicare was
What IF? Medicare was secondary coverage? What if the private insurers were allowed to sell a government-approved level one basic coverage that was cost and service regulated? ...That dovetailed with a Medicare level two program?
The level one program would cover everyday, health maintenance costs. The level two plan would cover long-term, major surgical- more costly healthcare.
For people who could not afford coverage, the insurance companies would provide a no-cost level one plan with a provision to recoup associated claims.
Costs and coverage associated with Level 1 & 2 would be regulated, anyone desiring traditional coverage could still do so, the insurance companies would profit and the government would save on administrative costs.
C.M., how is that not just a
C.M., how is that not just a giveaway to private insurers just like the Ryan plan?
The Paul Ryan voucher system is a favor to private insurance companies that are pissed about losing the elderly to a solid, single-payer government health care system. It passes extra costs on to seniors who can't afford it while padding the pockets of private insurer's who have proven time and again that they're goal is to avoid providing health care to their customers.
I see where C.M. is going, his example would at least protect people from being denied a higher level of care, but I see the introduction of vouchers as a flaw that simply cannot be overcome.
The Medicare system is running out of money because the baby boomers are entering the system in force and because the cost of healthcare (among other things) is increasing.
The Ryan plan doesn't stop a growing population from getting older and living longer, it doesn't stop the rate of inflation and it doesn't stop rising healthcare costs in the private sector.
Even if the Ryan plan were implemented, cost increases would still necessitate a tax increase to hold the line. If Paul Ryan is being honest about wanting to save the system, then he'll have to admit that the system is going to have to raise more money very soon.
The voucher program weakens Medicare because there is no way for seniors to avoid out of pocket expenses. The donut hole was bad enough, let's not make it worse.
Raise the age of eligibility for Medicare by two years and keep that age in line with the social security eligibility threshold. Increase the medicare withholding a reasonable amount. Keep a proven system and try to make it more efficient. There is no reason to take money we pay to the government in taxes over a lifetime in order to provide for our health care as we get older and hand it over to private insurers who will very reliably, and with good reason, see to their own bottom line before seeing to our needs.
Chris, You hit the nail on
Chris,
You hit the nail on the head.
Cut the wasteful spending on
Cut the wasteful spending on welfare to generate extra revenue for medicare and education. This country relies WAY to much on its government, what happened to our independence?
Raise the age limit slightly
Raise the age limit slightly (along with Social Security), lift the cap on wages and adjust coverage. Medicare should also not be mandatory for those who have other options or resources.
Americans treat their health insurance completely different than any other insurance that is out there. If we had car insurance like our health insurance, our insurance would pay for new tires and brakes when we needed them and even pay for our gas. Similar homeowners insurance would pay for the house to be repainted and the shrubs would be trimmed twice a year. These plans would also cost thousands per year as well!
Insurance is supposed to protect you from large expenses that you can not afford to pay out of pocket such as a car crash, house fire or a major surgery. It is not meant to cover every single cost associated with one's health. Because our health insurance (and gov't plans) covers most treatments, it is easy to ignore the actual costs associated with various treatments. Doctors think nothing of putting you through a mess load of tests--and people don't mind either. Heck--the insurance company is paying!
As other's have stated, because health insurance is provided under group coverage, most people have no choice to opt into high deductible plans, HSAs or similar concepts that could offer premium savings. Group plans also mean that we all share in the costs for the uninsured, those who do not take care of themselves (a whole other conversation) and the costs that the government "negotiates" or doesn't pay under medicaid and medicare.
Worse than the actual cost of health care is how insurance companies and the government (now into the health insurance business big time) are using these skyrocketing costs to control every facet of our lives. New regulations pop up every day controlling everything from smoking, fat in foods, cartoon characters on cereal boxes, and even banning Ronald McDonald. All of this is done in the name of lowering insurance costs and saving us from ourselves.
I know there is a moral argument to care for everyone at any cost, but is this really a practical solution? There are plenty of things that our nation could do at any cost, but we would quickly be bankrupt and living in the stone age.
Fraud would be a good place
Fraud would be a good place to start....
Recently an elderly gentleman was dying. He was scheduled to go to Cross Roads House on a particular day. He passed the night before.
His widow was notified several weeks later by Medicare, that a bill for $1200.00 had been submited by Cross Roads House, and had been paid by Medicare.
She called Medicare, explained what had happened,(she was very upset). She was given the run around. Nobody wanted to know anything. She gave up, and hung up.
Only $1200.00? How many times a day could this be happening all over the country?
Cut the fraud, not only in Medicare and Medicaid, but Welfare, State disability, Workmen's Comp, unemployment......just cut the fraud in HALF, Washington and New York State wouldn't know what to do with all the money!!!!!!!!
Chris, I am a single-payer
Chris, I am a single-payer advocate. Having said that, I concede that the current climate calls for either a compromise or a transitional proposal. My suggestion was put forth merely to generate feedback. It seemed like an avenue that had not been explored. If the private insurers could be included as regulated administrators of a universal basic-level care plan, perhaps we could get past the roadblocks to providing affordable coverage for everyone.
Tim, I agree completely that
Tim, I agree completely that health insurance ought to be more like car or homeowners insurance. That is why I would like to see HSA's become the standard. As soon as people actually have to write a check (even if it is a gov't subsidized check) for their routine health care they will be much more careful about where they go for medical care and what they agree to have done. Supply and demand concepts will then affect medical care pricing.
The remaining "other"
The remaining "other" responses:
Get rid of the fraud, waste and optional things
medicare for all
voucher system
put all aid to other countries into social security and medicare
do away with tax exemptions and make everyone pay their fair share of taxes.
keep medicare, stricter mediCAID requirements
Tighten benefits; limit medical problems due to lifestyle choices
go after medicade and medicare fraud first
Cut Welfare, maintain constants with medicare
reduce waste and crackdown on fraud
have the government put back the money they stole from medicare
Batavian is a scam
stop the fraud
force the receipents to be 100% hydrated, exercise, and eat properly. lower vis
Means Test for the program, Vouchers for priv. ins, sell ins across state lines
remove the cap and make everyone pay in - even elected officials...
stop borrowing from fund
Actively and enthusiasticly go after FRAUD!!!
Eliminate
If your company offers medical insurance as part of your retirement, no medicare
elininate fraud claims
increase faud investigation
Add as a poll answer
Fight fraud
Ignore it like was done 10 years !
Single Payer Healthcare
Stop giving it to bums who just abuse the system
raise the minimum age and increase the payroll deduction
Tighten cost controls on administration of medicare.
look at fraud
Open it up to people of all ages
single payer
revamp from the ground up
medicare for all
There are people who are on
There are people who are on the Medicare system who do not belong on there. I for one am 45, and have been since 2009. I did not choose to go out get injured severely, wait for the doctor's to finally take care of me... while I was in another state, and then finally treat me for my injuries which I am now getting care for in my home state. I did not choose to have seizures, TBI, PTSD and lose the job I loved more than life itself. I was a truckdriver. The one who brought you your groceries, clothing and anything to keep your butt moving. When the truck stops moving, what are you going to blame next? It's bad enough my meds are partially covered. You want to take my coverage away from me because of something I didn't do to myself. I didn't wreck my truck. Someone else wrecked me. They took my life from me! All I ever wanted to do was keep america happy.
Go after the ones who are illegal and getting welfare. Or how about Welfare Fraud? Millions of dollars are wasted there because they don't screen well against these people driving around in the Durango's and Cadillac's who say they don't have a dime. How they get away with it... Go find that out. You need to find out since you think you know who's cheating the government! Watch what you say. Because, not all of us "young and dumb disabled for the rest of our life" cheat you out of YOUR money!
Medicare is not that great
Medicare is not that great for people on Social Security Retirement or Disability. You worked hard most of your life and now you're old or disabled and need medical treatment. You must pay for medicare and some tests and medications out of your monthly benefits. If you are lucky enough and never really worked steady you are awarded SSI or Public Assistance and you receive FULL FREE medicaid. I think that medicaid should be lumped into medicare and make SSI and Public Assistance clients pay into it too. Watch how much medical costs go down. I know I don't go to see the doctor or get tests and forgo certain medications because it would cost me money to live on. Meanwhile other people go once a month for free visits, tests, and medications galore, even for a bad cold. There is the big money pit right there.
If 'bums' who do not deserve
If 'bums' who do not deserve Medicare are being served, who's abetting it? A physician must be complicit in any undeserving claim. A $500,000 fine per instance of facilitating fraud would likely discourage unscrupulous claims.