Biden calls for everyone having the choice to buy into Medicare

[mystery-ak]

Biden calls for everyone having the choice to buy into Medicare
By Peter Sullivan - 04/29/19 05:13 PM EDT

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Monday called for giving everyone the option to buy into Medicare but stopped short of supporting the full "Medicare for all" proposal backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Biden framed his approach as giving people a choice whether they want government-run insurance or to stay on a private plan. In contrast, the proposal from Sanders, a rival presidential candidate, would require everyone to be on the government plan.

more
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/441232-biden-calls-for-giving-everyone-the-choice-to-buy-into-medicare

[mystery-ak]

Medicare for all...make sure you tell them it will cost you a monthly premium and you need a supplemental for what it doesn't pay for....

[rustynail]

Medicare for all...make sure you tell them it will cost you a monthly premium and you need a supplemental for what it doesn't pay for....

Yes.  Wish I had the option to return to my former plan.

[RetBobbyMI]

Medicare for all...make sure you tell them it will cost you a monthly premium and you need a supplemental for what it doesn't pay for....

Don't forget that it will also go belly up in 2026 by their own forecast.

[libertybele]

Medicare for all...make sure you tell them it will cost you a monthly premium and you need a supplemental for what it doesn't pay for....

Exactly.  So many people believe that Medicare is free and everything is covered.  It is far from free it is deducted from your Social Security and if you don't have supplemental insurance (which is very expensive) you then are responsible for out of pocket expenses at 100%.   You also still must meet deductibles.

So ... in the future, rumor has it that SS will only be able to pay out a portion of what we should have been entitled to and Medicare premiums are going to go through the roof.

Remember, social security and medicare are both 'fees' that were deducted from every one of your paychecks for decades!!

I question if these 'rumors' are merely a way to force single payer healthcare??

[edpc]

No thanks. Why the hell would I want to buy something that still requires supplemental coverage, despite decades of paying into it?

[Hoodat]

If given a "choice", I wouldn't be 'buying into Social Security.  Yet I am forced to do so at the point of a gun.

[bilo]

Yes.  Wish I had the option to return to my former plan.

 

I'm just getting started with trying to figure out what to do. I sure wish I could just buy a major medical policy with a $10,000 deductible.

[austingirl]

Watching Slow Joe trying to thread the needle of how to be woke, but not too woke, will be hilarious. He won't be able to prevent his slide to the left. When all his negatives come out, the old white dude doesn't stand a chance.

[berdie]

Exactly.  So many people believe that Medicare is free and everything is covered.  It is far from free it is deducted from your Social Security and if you don't have supplemental insurance (which is very expensive) you then are responsible for out of pocket expenses at 100%.   You also still must meet deductibles.

So ... in the future, rumor has it that SS will only be able to pay out a portion of what we should have been entitled to and Medicare premiums are going to go through the roof.

Remember, social security and medicare are both 'fees' that were deducted from every one of your paychecks for decades!!

I question if these 'rumors' are merely a way to force single payer healthcare??

I'm so glad to see this thread. I recently went on Medicare/supplement/drug plan.  None of it is free as it is being presented.  In fact, after being on employer group insurance for the last 40+ years it's damned expensive. I thought I had not studied the options hard enough and missed a "free plan", lol.  Plus if you don't sign up within certain time periods...you are penalized.

I did just read an article that the Dems are debating a free plan.  It's FREE, I tell ya.  A push toward single payer, imho.

[Jazzhead]

 A couple of points:

1.    Medicare for folks under 65 won't be the affordable "bargain" it is for seniors today,  because Medicare taxes have been collected all these years on the assumption they would be subsidizing health care for seniors,  not everyone.    Expect premiums to be comparable to premiums for private insurance covering similar risk pools but with fewer choices of providers (because many providers will opt out of accepting Medicare because of its low reimbursement rates.

2.   This is still better than Medicare for All that displaces the private insurance system.

3.    The wiser approach is to limit the Medicare option to folks over the age of 50.    This will have the side benefit of decreasing costs for businesses that would otherwise need to insure these older employees.   The down side is that additional taxes would be needed to support this group,  which is older and therefore more expensive.     

[berdie]

A couple of points:

1.    Medicare for folks under 65 won't be the affordable "bargain" it is for seniors today,  because Medicare taxes have been collected all these years on the assumption they would be subsidizing health care for seniors,  not everyone.    Expect premiums to be comparable to premiums for private insurance covering similar risk pools but with fewer choices of providers (because many providers will opt out of accepting Medicare because of its low reimbursement rates.

2.   This is still better than Medicare for All that displaces the private insurance system.

3.    The wiser approach is to limit the Medicare option to folks over the age of 50.    This will have the side benefit of decreasing costs for businesses that would otherwise need to insure these older employees.   The down side is that additional taxes would be needed to support this group,  which is older and therefore more expensive.   

In regards to your point #3...My employer was still the "first insurer" and Medicare was second.  So it wouldn't have helped them in the least.  Helps the employee.  I'm not saying that is a bad thing...just how it was.

But I totally agree...taxes will have to be raised...substantially to accommodate those changes.  I don't care what any of these Dems are pedaling...nothing is free.