Medicare is not free...

Maggie, over at her famous Notebook,  has a enlightening article about Medicare and the perceptions many people have about the cost.  She wrote in response to Deficit Commission Co-Chair Republican Alan Simpson, who lauded the “Greatest Generation” and slammed those who are on Medicare, or will be in not too many years, as “the greediest generation.”  Once again we have a member of this administration, up to and including the current president, who finds it perfectly acceptable to insult and demean citizens.  

"We had some favorite forty-somethings over for Thanksgiving dinner who were shocked to learn that those on Medicare actually pay for coverage. They thought it was free – for life, and we can’t blame them. If you listen to the discussions about Medicare, I believe the goal is to give the impression that coverage is free. It isn’t free and it isn’t even almost free. During the discussion over turkey, dressing and the best sweet potatoes to be served on any table, anywhere, it was determined that a couple will pay just under $700 per month per couple for coverage." read the rest including Maggie's common sense solutions

This hits rather close to home.  My husband started receiving Medicare a little over a year ago and I will be on Medicare starting December 1st.  In the past, other than for about 8 years working at Costco, we have paid for our own private insurance.  It was high deductible and so we paid for all our appointments, check-ups, etc.

We're not real excited about being on Medicare but the way the system is devised, only the extremely wealthy can self-insure.  One of my husband's students is a doctor who accepts Medicare patients and has agreed to be our doctor.  It is doubtful if we could find a doctor within 100 miles who would be willing to take on any  Medicare patients.  And why should they?!  Medicare doesn't pay them squat and is trying to cut that amount by 23%.   It's beyond comprehension why any doctor would treat Medicare patients. 

I was a bit shocked to read in Maggie's article that there are actually people who think Medicare is free.  Trust me - it's far from free.  If we opted for prescription coverage (which we didn't) it would be costing us about  7 to 8 hundred dollars per month.  This is in addition to the amount of money we've contributed since the beginning of Medicare.  The only insurance payment that was ever made on my behalf was wrist and hand surgery while I worked at Costco.  I'd say the insurance company did just fine,  considering they received approximately $10K per year for 8 years and only had to pay for a few operations that totaled about 3K.

Aside from the common sense approaches presented by Maggie, another area of health insurance that should be addressed is employer-provided coverage.  It is time for this anachronism to be stopped.  Individuals and families should provide their own insurance rather than have it tied to employment.  Employers are not "giving" you anything when they provide benefits.  It is factored in as part of your salary.  It is not "free."

More:

The Foundry:   Time to Clean Up the Medicare Doctor Payment Mess
Jammie Wearing Fool:  Democrats' Scheme to Fund Obamacare By Gutting Medicare Like a Fish Proceeds Apace 
The Blog Prof:  Obama - the Black Knight of socialized medicine
The Lonely Conservative:   SEIU Dumps Insurance Policies for Workers’ Kids




 While cruising around the internet looking for some figures I stumbled upon Dr. Wes. 

Westby G. Fisher, MD, FACC is a board certified internist, cardiologist, and cardiac electrophysiologist (doctor specializing in heart rhythm disorders) practicing at North Shore University Health System, Evanston, IL and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine. He entered the blog-o-sphere in November, 2005.

His "letter to patients from June of 2009 is priceless.  Be sure and read the comments - they're a real eyeopener:

An Open Letter To Patients Regarding Health Reform

Dear Mr. and Ms. Patient,

It has come to my attention that in order for you to enjoy success as patients in the new era of health care reform, you must start working now to prevent illnesses that might befall you. Do not, under any circumstances, eat or drink too much. Fast food might as well be considered illegal. Exercise three, four, five times a day, even if it means take time off from work. It goes without saying that you should not smoke. The government has data that demonstrates how you have become fat, lazy, and a huge burden on our health care system. Your non-compliance threatens the very fiber of our economy. Even employers realize this, and are using calculators to figure your financial burden to them.  read the rest  (link fixed - sorry)