As always, I deeply appreciate your rundown of the planned decay of our national well being and our democracy that's been going on for over 50 years. As a boomer, i have been fortunate enough to catch the tail end of what was a promising post- WW2 luberal consensus. And unfortunate enough to experience the purposeful, despicable dismantling of that world.
Your insights help me both sort it out, and validate the "blink" reaction that I had in 1980, just months after proudly receiving my doctorate in Social Work and Social Research from Bryn Mawr College . When Reagan got elected, I came home and told my husband "the field I just busted my ass to enter is dead". I spent the ensuing years watching both my once useful field devolve and watching my civic world decay. Your analysis of many of the components of this demolition is validating in a gruesome way.
But my real question is this: How in the face of seeing all of this decay and corruption so clearly, do you maintain optimism? I have fought long and hard to maintain the values and dreams that I came into this field with. But seeing the depravity and avarice that underlies this systematic multi- decade assault is often overwhelming. In the end your force and optimism in the face of this destruction gives me hope and the strength to keep fighting the darkness .
A reason my husband was unfortunately sold on Medicare Advantage was also the glasses, hearing, and dental benefits which also turned out to have severe restrictions. It wasn't worth it.
I figured that out quickly. My biggest problem with MA was that it was essentially an HMO, and HMO's don't travel well, and you can't just select a physician, I am aware that physicians have to subscribe to Medicare, but most don't.
I have Tricare for life, as a secondary, and like Medicare the provider has to sign a contract with Tricare (DOD).
No I made good choices. Well I am fortunate in one aspect I look back at my 26 year career and can think of at least 6 instances when fate intervened and I did not die
My husband's a pretty smart guy who retired from a long career in accounting, so I let him manage the money and insurance decisions. And even he was fooled by the Medicare Advantage BS and put me on the phone to agree to a list of questions.
We endured on MA for two years when we were fortunate that our plan dropped everybody in our county. They probably didn't realize all the delayed healthcare and the poor health of many in our community that had our medical care managed by our State Senator in the insurance business who was a Senator on the Illinois health insurance committees.
So we we are back on Medicare with a United Healthcare Gap plan that I'm afraid is still deciding what healthcare we're allowed to have, not just end up paying for.
We need Medicare for All which probably won't happen unless the impossible happens and we get a super majority of Democrats in the Senate and a significant number of them committed to the Progressive Caucus.
Gloria, those advantage plans are so sneaky. I’ve been lucky at least so far, because my Dad founded a non-profit medical insurance company during WW11 (I was the first baby born into it-:) Wild Bill Donovan, when my Dad went to sign up for the then nascent secret service, told him:’We do negative/bad things. What you’re doing is the opposite. It’s positive, and exactly what we’ll need after this war’s over.’
That’s a rough quote, but he was correct. My Father also pushed hard for universal health care way back in the 60s among other things and was involved with affordable housing as well. I was lucky to have a man like that as a Father, and am daily grateful. I signed up for medicare when I turned 65.
He also helped write it, and was at the official signing during the Johnson administration.
Don't get mad; get even. Expose this fraud. Call it Medicare Dis-advantage. Write letters to the editor and to your Congressional representatives. Tell everybody you know over 50. Cancel and go back to traditional Medicare. It took me a while, but it wasn't as hard as I expected.
Medicare Advantage is basically tuition at Hardknocks University. Sadly, as Thom pointed out, enrollment in Advantage risks not living long enough to graduate to Happilyeverafter.
The same lack of attention to one's own welfare - not thoroughly researching the pros and cons of important life decisions - likely explains the 27% of Americans who are die-hard MAGAs. Some people just let life happen to them rather than them happening to life. No surprise that we saw stories on the TV news during COVID in which a dying celebrity MAGA anti-vaxxer influencer encouraged the unvaccinated to get the shots.
It is the MAGA fools who voted for a jerk asserting that America was not already great. Now, the Trump motto rightly belongs to the Democrats who have to rebuild our government before they can finally implement Medicare for All - assuming that November leads to impeachments.
For years, I have been telling anyone who would listen do not choose the MA plan. And to hear today that 55% of americans are on that plan makes me sick. Are we really that easily deceived? Kind of a silly question when you look at who's running our country.
Each Of Us Can Do A Part To Make Sure Fat Cats Pay Their Fair Share
Yesterday HCR(bit.ly/4yFKvRZ)reported on the 2d concert held in Columbia Maryland centered on art taking down the current fascist government. This follows the words in recent days of Hungarian prime minister Peter Magyar about the grassroots’ effort that took down Victor Orban’s dictatorhship. , "After decades of lies. for the first time many millions of Hungarians could experience what real regime change and equality before the law really means. Hungary is no longer a country of no consequences."(bit.ly/4rS70AI) Indivisible/source The Guardian
The 2 day concert should be so inspiring for all Americans doubting the need for each of us to stand up for democracy and freedoms. If all of us 330m strong....yes even kids....stand up and do one small thing for our country and stand up to the fascist and oligarchic tyranny WE the People will overcome and the middle and lower classes will prosper. WE all have to come together and push these fascist Republicans out of the halls of government. They don't deserve to hold the office of dogcatcher. Donate, door knock, phone bank, write postcorads, protest, whatever but do one simple thing and that's enough!
Hi, Thom, I am taking issue with a few items in your rant re: Medicare (MCR) Advantage Plans;
#1: A MCR Advantage Plan is Medicare-Part C. CMS has all my records from my plan, a MCR PPO. I receive communications from CMS as well as my plan. Any updates are confirmed by my plan. An Advantage Plan must provide the same coverages as MCR Parts A and B, it is contractual. These plans add "perks" that drives the costs up, but many people take advantage of these. I don't. My plan has no premium, a minimal deductible, none to low co-pays. There is a co-insurance of 20% on certain tests and procedures. I also have dental, vision and hearing benefits that traditional Medicare (TradMCR) does not cover. It should.
#2: When one turns 65 and is a tax paying citizen, that are automatically enrolled in MCR Part A. CMS and/or SSA notifies the person, by snail mail. You must contact CMS to enroll in Part B, which is optional. You also need to buy a Part D (Pharmacy) plan, optional. Your friend "Sam" was enrolled in Part A or he couldn't have enrolled in an Advantage Plan. My guess is the agent who signed him up also enrolled him in Part B. "Sam" s/h rec'd a MCR ID card from CMS when he was auto-enrolled for Part A. It appears "Sam" is confused, as many are about MCR. As to his not getting care for his prostate problem, that's on him. He has access to his Plan's provider listing and I bet in NYC there are many good providers that can treat him.
#3: I was initially enrolled in Trad MCR, but opted for an Advantage Plan for financial reasons. A MCR supplement (Medigap) policy 14 years ago was costimg me over $200/mo. Today, it would be close to $400/mo. I can go back to Trad MCR during open enrollment. The kicker is if you've had a disease or condition that the insurer doesn't want to cover, as in cancer. I am a cancer survivor. If I want get a supplemental policy (medigap) I have to be cancer free for 5 years. (I am, thankfully). Again, that policy would be $400/mo.
#4: I have had -0- problems w/ my Advantage Plan, other than dealing w/ their horror story of electronic answering when I want to speak to a representative. Try calling CMS after DOGE got done w/ them.
I agree MCR4All will eliminate these Advantage Plans and provide better coverage for all citizens. I support it.
Thinking back, the original problem with American healthcare has always been: the rigid and somewhat arbitrary limits on doctor training and certification imposed by the AMA, the American Medical Association. More than most "union" restraints, this has successfully limited the supply of doctors and thereby raised their asking price by limiting competition. Medical training is grueling, demanding, and rightly so, but I gather there are further needless limitations. A side effect of this is the prevalence of doctors who received their certification in other countries where the training may be less exacting. I visited Cuba where a great many receive medical training, and many are recruited to go practice in other countries to benefit international relations and trade. (Whether this is wholly voluntary I don't know.) But medical care is more available (except for the vile evil, illegal 65-year US embargo on medicine and technology) and medical science in Cuba is well-regarded worldwide.
The word Medicare should be removed as should the tone of the ads change so that people should not be under the impression that "original" Medicare is short-changing us. Even the distinction of "original" leads one to think that this Medicare Advantage is a new improved Medicare. There needs to be a disclaimer stating that these programs remove you from Medicare, and become the manager of your insurance, and that means managing your care. The increased pay-out by the government to these companies, as opposed to our tax-payer funded Medicare should cause outrage by seniors directed at the politicians they may have elected who insist they are cutting waste & fraud, rather than benefits.
As always, I deeply appreciate your rundown of the planned decay of our national well being and our democracy that's been going on for over 50 years. As a boomer, i have been fortunate enough to catch the tail end of what was a promising post- WW2 luberal consensus. And unfortunate enough to experience the purposeful, despicable dismantling of that world.
Your insights help me both sort it out, and validate the "blink" reaction that I had in 1980, just months after proudly receiving my doctorate in Social Work and Social Research from Bryn Mawr College . When Reagan got elected, I came home and told my husband "the field I just busted my ass to enter is dead". I spent the ensuing years watching both my once useful field devolve and watching my civic world decay. Your analysis of many of the components of this demolition is validating in a gruesome way.
But my real question is this: How in the face of seeing all of this decay and corruption so clearly, do you maintain optimism? I have fought long and hard to maintain the values and dreams that I came into this field with. But seeing the depravity and avarice that underlies this systematic multi- decade assault is often overwhelming. In the end your force and optimism in the face of this destruction gives me hope and the strength to keep fighting the darkness .
All of America could and should know this, but we don't. Why? Because of corporate media.
We the people keep corporate media in power, by our subscriptions and buying the crap that they advertise in print, TV or on the internet
A reason my husband was unfortunately sold on Medicare Advantage was also the glasses, hearing, and dental benefits which also turned out to have severe restrictions. It wasn't worth it.
I figured that out quickly. My biggest problem with MA was that it was essentially an HMO, and HMO's don't travel well, and you can't just select a physician, I am aware that physicians have to subscribe to Medicare, but most don't.
I have Tricare for life, as a secondary, and like Medicare the provider has to sign a contract with Tricare (DOD).
You’re fortunate.
No I made good choices. Well I am fortunate in one aspect I look back at my 26 year career and can think of at least 6 instances when fate intervened and I did not die
'This is one of the GOP’s most successful bait-and-switch campaigns in American history."
What does this tell us about the state of the American electorate?
My husband's a pretty smart guy who retired from a long career in accounting, so I let him manage the money and insurance decisions. And even he was fooled by the Medicare Advantage BS and put me on the phone to agree to a list of questions.
We endured on MA for two years when we were fortunate that our plan dropped everybody in our county. They probably didn't realize all the delayed healthcare and the poor health of many in our community that had our medical care managed by our State Senator in the insurance business who was a Senator on the Illinois health insurance committees.
So we we are back on Medicare with a United Healthcare Gap plan that I'm afraid is still deciding what healthcare we're allowed to have, not just end up paying for.
We need Medicare for All which probably won't happen unless the impossible happens and we get a super majority of Democrats in the Senate and a significant number of them committed to the Progressive Caucus.
Gloria, those advantage plans are so sneaky. I’ve been lucky at least so far, because my Dad founded a non-profit medical insurance company during WW11 (I was the first baby born into it-:) Wild Bill Donovan, when my Dad went to sign up for the then nascent secret service, told him:’We do negative/bad things. What you’re doing is the opposite. It’s positive, and exactly what we’ll need after this war’s over.’
That’s a rough quote, but he was correct. My Father also pushed hard for universal health care way back in the 60s among other things and was involved with affordable housing as well. I was lucky to have a man like that as a Father, and am daily grateful. I signed up for medicare when I turned 65.
He also helped write it, and was at the official signing during the Johnson administration.
You should be proud of your father. I am too.
Don't get mad; get even. Expose this fraud. Call it Medicare Dis-advantage. Write letters to the editor and to your Congressional representatives. Tell everybody you know over 50. Cancel and go back to traditional Medicare. It took me a while, but it wasn't as hard as I expected.
Medicare Advantage is basically tuition at Hardknocks University. Sadly, as Thom pointed out, enrollment in Advantage risks not living long enough to graduate to Happilyeverafter.
The same lack of attention to one's own welfare - not thoroughly researching the pros and cons of important life decisions - likely explains the 27% of Americans who are die-hard MAGAs. Some people just let life happen to them rather than them happening to life. No surprise that we saw stories on the TV news during COVID in which a dying celebrity MAGA anti-vaxxer influencer encouraged the unvaccinated to get the shots.
It is the MAGA fools who voted for a jerk asserting that America was not already great. Now, the Trump motto rightly belongs to the Democrats who have to rebuild our government before they can finally implement Medicare for All - assuming that November leads to impeachments.
For years, I have been telling anyone who would listen do not choose the MA plan. And to hear today that 55% of americans are on that plan makes me sick. Are we really that easily deceived? Kind of a silly question when you look at who's running our country.
Each Of Us Can Do A Part To Make Sure Fat Cats Pay Their Fair Share
Yesterday HCR(bit.ly/4yFKvRZ)reported on the 2d concert held in Columbia Maryland centered on art taking down the current fascist government. This follows the words in recent days of Hungarian prime minister Peter Magyar about the grassroots’ effort that took down Victor Orban’s dictatorhship. , "After decades of lies. for the first time many millions of Hungarians could experience what real regime change and equality before the law really means. Hungary is no longer a country of no consequences."(bit.ly/4rS70AI) Indivisible/source The Guardian
The 2 day concert should be so inspiring for all Americans doubting the need for each of us to stand up for democracy and freedoms. If all of us 330m strong....yes even kids....stand up and do one small thing for our country and stand up to the fascist and oligarchic tyranny WE the People will overcome and the middle and lower classes will prosper. WE all have to come together and push these fascist Republicans out of the halls of government. They don't deserve to hold the office of dogcatcher. Donate, door knock, phone bank, write postcorads, protest, whatever but do one simple thing and that's enough!
Thom. Those plans ought to be named: The Take Advantage of You plans!
Time to order a new health-care plan. “ Guns delivered to your door”!
We are so totally phucked every time we turn our heads. Sad, sad, sad…….
What a dirty little corporate nation we’ve allowed to evolve. The flag hangs at half mast. My skin crawls Everytime I hear” corporate or republican .
Hi, Thom, I am taking issue with a few items in your rant re: Medicare (MCR) Advantage Plans;
#1: A MCR Advantage Plan is Medicare-Part C. CMS has all my records from my plan, a MCR PPO. I receive communications from CMS as well as my plan. Any updates are confirmed by my plan. An Advantage Plan must provide the same coverages as MCR Parts A and B, it is contractual. These plans add "perks" that drives the costs up, but many people take advantage of these. I don't. My plan has no premium, a minimal deductible, none to low co-pays. There is a co-insurance of 20% on certain tests and procedures. I also have dental, vision and hearing benefits that traditional Medicare (TradMCR) does not cover. It should.
#2: When one turns 65 and is a tax paying citizen, that are automatically enrolled in MCR Part A. CMS and/or SSA notifies the person, by snail mail. You must contact CMS to enroll in Part B, which is optional. You also need to buy a Part D (Pharmacy) plan, optional. Your friend "Sam" was enrolled in Part A or he couldn't have enrolled in an Advantage Plan. My guess is the agent who signed him up also enrolled him in Part B. "Sam" s/h rec'd a MCR ID card from CMS when he was auto-enrolled for Part A. It appears "Sam" is confused, as many are about MCR. As to his not getting care for his prostate problem, that's on him. He has access to his Plan's provider listing and I bet in NYC there are many good providers that can treat him.
#3: I was initially enrolled in Trad MCR, but opted for an Advantage Plan for financial reasons. A MCR supplement (Medigap) policy 14 years ago was costimg me over $200/mo. Today, it would be close to $400/mo. I can go back to Trad MCR during open enrollment. The kicker is if you've had a disease or condition that the insurer doesn't want to cover, as in cancer. I am a cancer survivor. If I want get a supplemental policy (medigap) I have to be cancer free for 5 years. (I am, thankfully). Again, that policy would be $400/mo.
#4: I have had -0- problems w/ my Advantage Plan, other than dealing w/ their horror story of electronic answering when I want to speak to a representative. Try calling CMS after DOGE got done w/ them.
I agree MCR4All will eliminate these Advantage Plans and provide better coverage for all citizens. I support it.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Vote Blue
Release the Epstein files
Impeach the entire regime
jw
Is it even possible to get Advantage plans without having Medicare Parts A and B already?
No. And why would you?
Thinking back, the original problem with American healthcare has always been: the rigid and somewhat arbitrary limits on doctor training and certification imposed by the AMA, the American Medical Association. More than most "union" restraints, this has successfully limited the supply of doctors and thereby raised their asking price by limiting competition. Medical training is grueling, demanding, and rightly so, but I gather there are further needless limitations. A side effect of this is the prevalence of doctors who received their certification in other countries where the training may be less exacting. I visited Cuba where a great many receive medical training, and many are recruited to go practice in other countries to benefit international relations and trade. (Whether this is wholly voluntary I don't know.) But medical care is more available (except for the vile evil, illegal 65-year US embargo on medicine and technology) and medical science in Cuba is well-regarded worldwide.
The word Medicare should be removed as should the tone of the ads change so that people should not be under the impression that "original" Medicare is short-changing us. Even the distinction of "original" leads one to think that this Medicare Advantage is a new improved Medicare. There needs to be a disclaimer stating that these programs remove you from Medicare, and become the manager of your insurance, and that means managing your care. The increased pay-out by the government to these companies, as opposed to our tax-payer funded Medicare should cause outrage by seniors directed at the politicians they may have elected who insist they are cutting waste & fraud, rather than benefits.