Medicare For All Would Really Suck

[Bullseye]

Nope. The guy I'm talking about is close enough to me that I know he's legit. Also, I've got healthcare workers close to me - and they agree. With MedicAid, everything is straight forward. The providers know exactly the services they can provide, and how much they will get paid. Private insurance, OTOH, is a nightmare of getting permission to do procedures, never knowing if they'll be approved. I don't profess to be a pro at this, but in my very large metro area pretty much all the essential providers take MedicAid. As with Mediare, It's too big a market to pass on. I suspect it's similar in other large cities, but I'm open to listening otherwise.

My wife had aneurisms, metastasized breast cancer, thyroid problems requiring myriad seeing specialists, undergoing chemo, radiation and numerous other procedures and tests. We never had a problem getting any of that approved through private insurances. A few times we even had the provider call up and join the provider so she could get treatment.

 

[Chomsky]

My wife had aneurisms, metastasized breast cancer, thyroid problems requiring myriad seeing specialists, undergoing chemo, radiation and numerous other procedures and tests. We never had a problem getting any of that approved through private insurances. A few times we even had the provider call up and join the provider so she could get treatment.

Doesn't always go that smoothly. And it's often a lot of work for the staff to get things passed through insurance.

I also assumed you had a fair amount of out-of-pocket or co-pays.

Anyway, hope she's fine now. We had a loss in our family. It was excruciatingly painful for both the victim & us.

 

[Bullseye]

Doesn't always go that smoothly. And it's often a lot of work for the staff to get things passed through insurance.

I also assumed you had a fair amount of out-of-pocket or co-pays.

Actually, no. Co-pays/out-of-pockets were quite minimal.

Anyway, hope she's fine now. We had a loss in our family. It was excruciatingly painful for both the victim & us.

No, sadly I lost her almost ten years ago.

 

[Chomsky]

Actually, no. Co-pays/out-of-pockets were quite minimal.

You had some pretty good insurance, by today's standards.

No, sadly I lost her almost ten years ago.

Oh Bullseye, I'm so sorry. Forgive me for bringing it up.

Been there, too. Not a spouse, but someone very close to me.

 

[Bullseye]

You had some pretty good insurance, by today's standards.

Oh Bullseye, I'm so sorry. Forgive me for bringing it up.

Been there, too. Not a spouse, but someone very close to me.

Not a problem. we good.

 

[Chomsky]

Not a problem. we good.

Great. Take care, and have a good night!

 

[jaeger19]

Nope. The guy I'm talking about is close enough to me that I know he's legit. Also, I've got healthcare workers close to me - and they agree. With MedicAid, everything is straight forward. The providers know exactly the services they can provide, and how much they will get paid. Private insurance, OTOH, is a nightmare of getting permission to do procedures, never knowing if they'll be approved. I don't profess to be a pro at this, but in my very large metro area pretty much all the essential providers take MedicAid. As with Mediare, It's too big a market to pass on. I suspect it's similar in other large cities, but I'm open to listening otherwise.

Hmmm... I don;t think your friend actually has it right. I don;t think they are in a position to know.. because what you are saying is VERY VERY rare in the business. Unless perhaps your friend is a dentist.. who works with Pediatrics.. or a therapist that works with pediatrics... etc. Or a chiropractor. or perhaps mental health.

The reality is that private insurance basically subsidizes medicaid. Payer mix is everything for most providers.. and Medicaid alone would mean most facilities would fail

• Providers are less likely to accept Medicaid patients than people on other types of health insurance, according to a new Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program Payment and Access Commission report.
  [*]Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has had no impact on whether doctors accept the insurance. MACPAC didn't find any difference between Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states except for obstetrician/gynecologists. Those specialists were more likely to accept new Medicaid patients in non-expansion states than expansion states (90% compared to 74%).
  [*]One likely reason fewer doctors accept Medicaid patients is that those claims are paid at a lower rate than other insurance. More providers would be interested in Medicaid if the program's reimbursements weremore like medicare.

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news...-accept-medicaid-than-other-insurance/546941/

 

[Ouroboros]

It is true that as currently written the basic Medicare does not have a yearly out of pocket limit.
For those who pay for a Medicare Advantage plan there is a yearly out of pocket cap. The cap is very similar to private health care plans.

Currently about 36% of those on Medicare have the Advantage Plan.

A Dozen Facts About Medicare Advantage in 2020

Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown rapidly over the past decade, and Medicare Advantage plans have taken on a larger role in the Medicare program. More than 24 million Medicare beneficiaries (…

www.kff.org

.

So would it be true to state that most private insurers are akin to A and B, where you must pay both deductible and then a percentage of whatever the insurer think the doctor should by their lights bill you on every individual doctor visit?

 

[ataraxia]

The government doesn't cover everything in Medicare, but that is better than the government not covering anything. Also, seniors can purchase supplementary private insurance. I don't understand why governments who don't want public healthcare to cover anything, are complaining that public healthcare doesn't cover enough for seniors, and they want it to cover more, which will cost more for taxpayers. Also, Medicare for all will expand Medicare coverage for everything and actually help seniors already on Medicare. In fact it covers so much its also incredibly expensive.

Because the Republican motto is: all for me, none for you!

You remember those 2009 placards after the passage of the ACA: "Stop socialized medicine and keep your government hands off my Medicare!"