Monday, June 15, 2009

Universal health care to be on backs of poor and elderly?

To receive health care through medicare and medicaid, the poor and the elderly have to "jump through hoops." The care received is limited, and in the case of medicare, it costs recipients each month, an amount withheld from Social Security checks. Those who have a supplement pay an huge monthly premium as well. Some hospitals and many doctors no longer accept patients on medicare and medicaid because of the small amount they are paid. Add deductibles and co-payments to the premiums, and an elderly couple might pay as much as $600 - $900 a month.

Now the government suggests that the care for those on medicare and medicaid be cut, actually "slowed" is the word used. The idea is that "slowing" amounts paid for care through those programs will help pay for universal health care. Maybe if the poor and elderly receive less care, they'll die off, and more will be available for the young and wealthier. Ish.

All federal government employees, especially the members of the House, Senate, Supreme Court, and the Executive branch have health care that provides coverage for everything and costs them nothing, or very little. Why not cut that expense to pay for health care for others?

Of course the people who make decisions about medicare and medicaid will never have to depend on health care through those programs. Therefore, they don't care about the results of their actions.

Australia is looking better all the time, but they don't want elderly emigrants either.


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2 comments:

Rena Jones said...

Oh, Vivian -- this whole thing makes me sick. I don't know what they're thinking. I'm wondering how this is going to affect my mom, who is in a nursing home in California. Not a good combo there with the state being bankrupt either. It's absolutely insane what they're trying to do, and sadly, I don't think people know how badly it's going to affect them.

Joyce Anthony said...

Vivian: I have just become aware of just how bad this is as my mother retired last month-rather, she partially retired because she can't afford her medication if she does so fully :-(