Medicare only covers eye examines up to 80%. No coverage for eye glasses. It's the same for ears. My point is Medicare is not at good as it could be, far from it.
There's little to no chance of any bills to expand Medicare coverage passing in the House.
Medicare only covers eye examines up to 80%. No coverage for eye glasses. It's the same for ears. My point is Medicare is not at good as it could be, far from it.
There's little to no chance of any bills to expand Medicare coverage passing in the House.
Covers ophthalmology and EENT. Part B only covers 80% for everything
Same as practically every other form of insurance. Need a supplemental to eliminate the 20%. The reason so many people go bankrupt is the 20% can add up. However, some medical providers waive the 20%. You can get a list from Medicare.
If Democrats win both houses there's every chance, including Medicare for all.
Medicare for all is never going to happen as the all the players in our dysfunctional healthcare system won't let it happen. Just like health insurance lobby did when Obama proposed a public option. That idea was nixed after the health insurance lobby threatened Obama with boycotting the meetings to get the ACA done. My understanding is the health insurance lobby wrote a fair amount of what became the ACA.
For Democrats to pass a "Medicare for All" law, they would need a huge majority in the House and 60 or more seats in the Senate. The odds of the Democrats winning 60 seats in the Senate are zero. I also doubt the House will change much as the Democrats are at a disadvantage electorally to win big in the House.
And if a majority favor it, it makes a great campaign issue. You aren't paying attention to the House races. New Democratic seats in Alabama, NY, CA, maybe more.
Since I've worn hearing aids (HAs) for about 60 years and a a cochlear implant for > a decade, I can add some facts that y'all already seem to know.
HAs aren't covered but I think back in 2006, I went on the internet and purchased a HA I was wearing. Did that to save money. So, M.Care doesn't pay for them. As a medical device, if you itemize, they're deductible. You can now get them over the counter. Prices have dropped.
Medicare with Supplemental does pay for cochlear implants and every 6 months allows the purchase of up to 4 (I think 4) necessary accessories (like cables and lithium batteries that we would be charged $250 each).
I dreaded ending up on Medicare. I'm sorry I ended up on it. It's better than nothing. So, if magas have their way and end these programs (SS/MC), another layer of the societal and demographic onion will be peeled away.
I’m not against Medicare for All but I’d like it to avoid the problems experienced in other government provided healthcare systems in other countries. I hope they will study the best healthcare systems of other countries to create a great system. Healthy, educated citizens are a benefit to the country. But it seems our current system benefits from keeping us unhealthy, from the food system to information and healthcare.
I lived in one of those countries (and have many friends who still live there) that have government provided health insurance. I also have friends who live in a couple others. From my own experience and that of my friends, I can say that most of the complaints against them are pure bunkum.
Norm, most of my concern came from reading past articles either in the Intercept or Guardian about problems the UK was having in their system. It’s good to hear from someone who has experienced one of these systems.
I’ve also seen complaints that it takes a long time to get appointments in Canada, but we experience that in our system too. Maybe we need more healthcare providers too.
The complaint about long times to get appointments in Canada is false when trying to get an appointment with one's regular doctor or when one has an urgent care need. It has been true only for a few elective surgery specialties The biggest source of trouble getting those appointments in some specialties is the US system. US hospitals, etc. have for decades raided the Canadian profession to get doctors down in the Sun Belt. I lived in the Vancouver, BC and Toronto, ON regions. US organizations would come to town every year, set up in hotels and advertise that they were looking to hire health care professionals for positions in the States. Even so, for all urgent or normal needs, getting to one's doctor there was considerably easier than it was here when I got transferred back to the US. But the bills were far different -- 0$ in Canada vs. $1200 despite full insurance through my job. During the pandemic, they experienced the same issues that we did, but with hugely fewer deaths per capita.
Two interesting experiences from my family and my friends in Canada: My mother had a fall. She had about as good insurance as one can get in the US due to my dad having worked in the US Forest Service. She had some back surgery. She was sent to a rehab center. We noticed that she was not getting her strength back. But her time of full coverage (roughly three months) was running out; so, they sent her back to my sister's home, in a still weakened condition. A few days later, she fell again, this time resulting in a bad gash in her arm. Back to the hospital; back to a (different) rehab facility. They found that the meds she had been prescribed after the first fall were interfering with other meds. Once that was corrected, she recovered fairly quickly.
At about the same time, my buddy in Toronto had a small heart attack and a stroke. He spent almost nine months in the hospital, nursing facility and in therapy. He recovered nicely. He was royally p!$$ed that his bill was a little over $100. My mom's bill was for several thousand dollars.
Rand Paul went to Canada to have hernia surgery. A presidential candidate, back in the '80s as I recall had gone to Canada to have surgery. A few years ago Ontario was experiencing so many US "tourists" suddenly getting sick with serious conditions after very recently crossing the border and getting free care there that OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) started to turn away non-urgent care for newly arrived Americans.
Norm, I hope you come back. What Midwest has heard, and I have too, is it takes months to get in to see someone (in Canada). god knows what will happen here if or when ... but hospitals will shutdown or buckle. They already are.
The billionaires and those bought will never agree to allow it. I love what ACA has done and if the current lovely campaign ad with Joe and Barak commenting on the BFD old joke with a new update, and 16.3 M people signed up for it. It's amazing and magas can allow it.
Here's one blurb from hhs.gov. It is blooming crazy. Yep, and with this, I can even say anything else that's running through my mind. This, alone, is about the ACA.
I disagree. It certainly won't happen in this Congress, but I don't pretend to know the future with any degree of accuracy. Cynicism is self-defeating. History indicates that, in times like these characterized by corruption, everything good gets thrown in the round file until things get so obviously bad that it becomes obvious that the ship is about to hit the sand. The corruption that is endemic within both parties, far worse among the Repubs, is beginning to change the trajectory of Congressional action. How long it will take to correct this most recent 50 year descent into abuse and sociopathy, I can't say. But change will come if we work to make it happen.
Medicare covered my cataract surgery, which included an eye exam, the lenses and approved frames, not designer frames,but necessary frames, the opometrists frames that are Medicare approved are marked.
No. I don't have Medicare Disadvantage. The Eye clinic, has an separate business that sells glasses and lenses. They are co located, I made the appointment for cataract surgery through the receptionist, I saw an optometrist who evaluated me, then a surgeon, and after completion of all surgeries and follow ups, the optometrist wrote a prescription, and walked to the glasses side of the facility, separated from the surgical waiting room by a partition, and a walkway between them.
I imagine if one wanted to see an optometrist, they would see one of the optometrists that serve the serve the surgical center.
Not sure if the people I saw were optometrists or opthamologists, both can write scrips.
Medicare only covers eye examines up to 80%. No coverage for eye glasses. It's the same for ears. My point is Medicare is not at good as it could be, far from it.
There's little to no chance of any bills to expand Medicare coverage passing in the House.
Covers ophthalmology and EENT. Part B only covers 80% for everything
Same as practically every other form of insurance. Need a supplemental to eliminate the 20%. The reason so many people go bankrupt is the 20% can add up. However, some medical providers waive the 20%. You can get a list from Medicare.
If Democrats win both houses there's every chance, including Medicare for all.
Medicare for all is never going to happen as the all the players in our dysfunctional healthcare system won't let it happen. Just like health insurance lobby did when Obama proposed a public option. That idea was nixed after the health insurance lobby threatened Obama with boycotting the meetings to get the ACA done. My understanding is the health insurance lobby wrote a fair amount of what became the ACA.
For Democrats to pass a "Medicare for All" law, they would need a huge majority in the House and 60 or more seats in the Senate. The odds of the Democrats winning 60 seats in the Senate are zero. I also doubt the House will change much as the Democrats are at a disadvantage electorally to win big in the House.
Obviously not a golfer. Never up, never in.
And if a majority favor it, it makes a great campaign issue. You aren't paying attention to the House races. New Democratic seats in Alabama, NY, CA, maybe more.
Since I've worn hearing aids (HAs) for about 60 years and a a cochlear implant for > a decade, I can add some facts that y'all already seem to know.
HAs aren't covered but I think back in 2006, I went on the internet and purchased a HA I was wearing. Did that to save money. So, M.Care doesn't pay for them. As a medical device, if you itemize, they're deductible. You can now get them over the counter. Prices have dropped.
Medicare with Supplemental does pay for cochlear implants and every 6 months allows the purchase of up to 4 (I think 4) necessary accessories (like cables and lithium batteries that we would be charged $250 each).
I dreaded ending up on Medicare. I'm sorry I ended up on it. It's better than nothing. So, if magas have their way and end these programs (SS/MC), another layer of the societal and demographic onion will be peeled away.
Medicare for All will, if enacted as currently written, cover all those areas with zero co-pays, deductibles or maximums.
I’m not against Medicare for All but I’d like it to avoid the problems experienced in other government provided healthcare systems in other countries. I hope they will study the best healthcare systems of other countries to create a great system. Healthy, educated citizens are a benefit to the country. But it seems our current system benefits from keeping us unhealthy, from the food system to information and healthcare.
I lived in one of those countries (and have many friends who still live there) that have government provided health insurance. I also have friends who live in a couple others. From my own experience and that of my friends, I can say that most of the complaints against them are pure bunkum.
Norm, most of my concern came from reading past articles either in the Intercept or Guardian about problems the UK was having in their system. It’s good to hear from someone who has experienced one of these systems.
I’ve also seen complaints that it takes a long time to get appointments in Canada, but we experience that in our system too. Maybe we need more healthcare providers too.
The complaint about long times to get appointments in Canada is false when trying to get an appointment with one's regular doctor or when one has an urgent care need. It has been true only for a few elective surgery specialties The biggest source of trouble getting those appointments in some specialties is the US system. US hospitals, etc. have for decades raided the Canadian profession to get doctors down in the Sun Belt. I lived in the Vancouver, BC and Toronto, ON regions. US organizations would come to town every year, set up in hotels and advertise that they were looking to hire health care professionals for positions in the States. Even so, for all urgent or normal needs, getting to one's doctor there was considerably easier than it was here when I got transferred back to the US. But the bills were far different -- 0$ in Canada vs. $1200 despite full insurance through my job. During the pandemic, they experienced the same issues that we did, but with hugely fewer deaths per capita.
Two interesting experiences from my family and my friends in Canada: My mother had a fall. She had about as good insurance as one can get in the US due to my dad having worked in the US Forest Service. She had some back surgery. She was sent to a rehab center. We noticed that she was not getting her strength back. But her time of full coverage (roughly three months) was running out; so, they sent her back to my sister's home, in a still weakened condition. A few days later, she fell again, this time resulting in a bad gash in her arm. Back to the hospital; back to a (different) rehab facility. They found that the meds she had been prescribed after the first fall were interfering with other meds. Once that was corrected, she recovered fairly quickly.
At about the same time, my buddy in Toronto had a small heart attack and a stroke. He spent almost nine months in the hospital, nursing facility and in therapy. He recovered nicely. He was royally p!$$ed that his bill was a little over $100. My mom's bill was for several thousand dollars.
Rand Paul went to Canada to have hernia surgery. A presidential candidate, back in the '80s as I recall had gone to Canada to have surgery. A few years ago Ontario was experiencing so many US "tourists" suddenly getting sick with serious conditions after very recently crossing the border and getting free care there that OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) started to turn away non-urgent care for newly arrived Americans.
Norm, I hope you come back. What Midwest has heard, and I have too, is it takes months to get in to see someone (in Canada). god knows what will happen here if or when ... but hospitals will shutdown or buckle. They already are.
Sherri, See above.
The billionaires and those bought will never agree to allow it. I love what ACA has done and if the current lovely campaign ad with Joe and Barak commenting on the BFD old joke with a new update, and 16.3 M people signed up for it. It's amazing and magas can allow it.
Here's one blurb from hhs.gov. It is blooming crazy. Yep, and with this, I can even say anything else that's running through my mind. This, alone, is about the ACA.
Nearly 50% increase in HealthCare.gov signups
since President Biden took office, and 3.6 million
people signed up for health care coverage on the
Marketplaces for the first time this year
Medicare for All has little to no chances of passing in Congress even if there was a decent Democratic majority in both Houses.
I disagree. It certainly won't happen in this Congress, but I don't pretend to know the future with any degree of accuracy. Cynicism is self-defeating. History indicates that, in times like these characterized by corruption, everything good gets thrown in the round file until things get so obviously bad that it becomes obvious that the ship is about to hit the sand. The corruption that is endemic within both parties, far worse among the Repubs, is beginning to change the trajectory of Congressional action. How long it will take to correct this most recent 50 year descent into abuse and sociopathy, I can't say. But change will come if we work to make it happen.
Medicare covered my cataract surgery, which included an eye exam, the lenses and approved frames, not designer frames,but necessary frames, the opometrists frames that are Medicare approved are marked.
They'll cover cataract surgery but I don't think neither my spouse nor I had frames offered by the office. (Do you have an Advantage plan?
No. I don't have Medicare Disadvantage. The Eye clinic, has an separate business that sells glasses and lenses. They are co located, I made the appointment for cataract surgery through the receptionist, I saw an optometrist who evaluated me, then a surgeon, and after completion of all surgeries and follow ups, the optometrist wrote a prescription, and walked to the glasses side of the facility, separated from the surgical waiting room by a partition, and a walkway between them.
I imagine if one wanted to see an optometrist, they would see one of the optometrists that serve the serve the surgical center.
Not sure if the people I saw were optometrists or opthamologists, both can write scrips.