Muleman - Sorry I didn't think about the folks on this board that don't live in the U.S. when I made my comment. Paul Ryan is a young (I think 42) U.S. politician from the state of Wisconsin. He currently holds the elected political office of Representative; he represents in Washington D.C. about 600,000 people in Wisconsin.
Ryan is a conservative and enjoys the support, financial and otherwise, of large corporate interests. In this way, his extreme political stance tends toward facism, not communism.
Medicare is a U.S. government program to take care of the medical needs of people aged 65 and older. It also cover people younger than 65 who are disabled. People on dialysis, for example, automatically qualify for Medicare.
Yes, the program and philosophy of Paul Ryan could quickly evolve toward widespread neglect of senior citizens' health needs, a situation that some would characterize as "government sponsored euthanasia."
The other thing that concerns me about getting rid of Medicare is that I've rec'd letters from Blue Cross advising me that "Medicare says you need 4x test strips/ day". If they get rid of them, will the insurance industry just toss depending on them for "standards" or will they be written on stone tablets for eternity and be unchallengable since the agency that wrote (carved?) them is gone?
Re Muleman's question, I don't like saying anyone is a fascist or a communist. I don't think the political spectrum is a "line" from right to left. Like Solzhenitsyn, who Paul Ryan apparently cited in the prologue to his tax plan, I believe the spectrum is a circle, with the NSDAP and NKVD being where it came together.
I don't think that it's valid to use terms like "fascism" and "communism" to describe anyone in contemporary US major party politics. We have issues with police and protesters but we don't have extensive riots in the streets about elections. Neither major political party is involved in the disturbances, unlike Germany in 1933, where the fighting in the streets between the KPD, SPD and Nazis was part of the political process.
Did Medicare cover the charges or did they compel the medical providers to accept the discounted amount that Medicare pays and agree to release your Mom/estate from claims for any uncovered charges? That's the part that I think is messed up about Medicare.
People talk about hospitals covering uninsured people by overcharging everyone else but I suspect that a huge portion of the charges that hospitals eat (or pass on to insured customers, pushing up the cost of insurance...) are those charges that Medicare doesn't cover? To me, this makes the whole prospect of calcuating the cost of health care much more impossible, since you aren't paying a fee for a service, you are paying a fee depending on by whom you are insured? I suspect that some sort of price control or price fixing may be part of the solution, in that it would then make it more possible to say "ok, we need this much health care and that much money to pay for it" but now, that's almost impossible. Although it's not really impossible since health care providers do this sort of math all the time.
I agree that these are important issues to all of us, not just PWD. I am not a Dem or Republican. I am a huge fan of the principles and people that founded our amazing country. I look at the person or issue through that filter. I try to determine their true motives and how their actions line up with what they say. One of the greatest features of our nation is the ability to have discussions between opposing ideas like this one here. What makes these discussions powerful is when they are conducted between well informed individuals. Unfortunately this is all too rare these days. Most of the comments I see here are based on or directly from evening news talking points. The reality is that Medicare and Social Security are in real trouble. Medicare will be bankrupt in a little over a decade. Similarly for SS.
Ryan's plan is just that, a plan. It must be debated and discussed in the public at large and in the legislature to become law. The fears and concerns posted here will most assuredly come to pass if we do nothing. What other plan do you support?
I think I am safe in assuming that most everyone on TuD has put some significant time and effort into understanding D. I also doubt that many of us follow the ADA or FDA guidelines as gospel. I would challenge everyone to put some effort and time into understanding these issues and the people behind them. Learn for yourself. Become well informed, because I agree that this is a very important election for all of us. Our country, this community and you yourself will be better off as a result.
I think the reason that Social Security and Medicare are in trouble is because "no taxes" is an ****EXTREMELY**** popular political point. During the periods of our country's greatest achievements (Civil War, 20th Century...) we paid tons of taxes because that's what we had to do to get 'er done. Now, due to media involvement in the political process, taxes have become a litmus test. If you support paying our bills, you won't be elected so we don't pay our bills. It's sort of like the country is on welfare and doesn't have any money because "we the people" won't chip in. During the last elecction, I recall some question as to where Obama might draw the "rich line" at which point taxation would become appropriate to chip in. I am very comfortable at around 200K/ year and would have no problem paying 10-20% more taxes if it meant we could take care of our people while we kick the $%&# out of China, India, Europe and any other economic competitors we face. I don't get the appeal of "no new taxes". It's like a "who cares?" thing once you have enough scratch? The Republican suggestion that it impairs job creation is absurd. It impairs yacht size and that's about it. We rented a (posh...) place in Lake Geneva, WI that had some boat magazines and, from the listings therein, there's plenty of $$$ to be chipped in with. We just need to suck it up and send the Red Guards out into the villages to get it!!
Like I said AR, do some research of facts. I'm all for a fair tax code, which we do not have. But there is not enough taxable income to make a serious dent in these problems. For instance, apply the current "fair share" concept of this administration and you may almost have enough to cover the recent cut to student loan interest. I am way, way, way below that cut off income, but why should we ask that portion of the population that already pays over 70 percent of the income taxes to pay more when our government refuses to address our financial problems? At some point we must clean up our balance sheet and make some serious choices. Do you realize that our federal government has not had a budget in 3 1/2 years? Excuse me, but how can you ask for more money when you are living off credit cards and not paying any attention to what you are doing?
The reason they don't have a budget is because 1/2 or even more of the politicians can't vote "for" taxes because their party's adherents don't believe that taxes have any purpose other than to keep people on the dole. If they vote "for" an appropriation containing anything suspect, helping poor people, medical benefits for people who need them, etc. they'll get gutted by a Tea Partier the next time they're up.
Judith no attack here other than to point out that to you I am a cancer on this country. The bottom line is that every group that has a medical issue albeit cancer, MS, MD, bi-polar or diabetes, wants their stuff covered better and by the government if necessary. It is difficult for those without insurance and who are on a fixed income. But we must realize as citizens that we cannot keep spending or asking those that are "rich" to pay more in taxes. Those that I know that are "rich" wouldn't mind as long as the government did what all of us have to do...spend within their means.
All of the medical conditions that currently befall us as humans cannot possible be covered either by insurance or the government. Some are always going to be left out. Most of us will not be the least bit upset if it is not our group. We certainly will not tell the people in Washington that if the folks with MS (or dialysis like me) aren't covered to, then I don't want mine covered.
The one thing I do know is that we, as a country and as individual voters, cannot keep going to Uncle Sam to solve all our problems. Sometimes we just need to do it ourselves. People with certain medical conditions are always going to be left out and die. Death, I am sorry to say, will always be with us. For some it ends far to soon. Again, that is life.
Speaking personally, I am on dialysis and that is an automatic approved for medicare. People tell me that I shouldn't feel bad about taking it. I worked and paid for it. Yet I do feel bad. Don't even know if I'll use it. I will have to think long and hard on that one. But it is there if I need it.
I will calm your mind on one point. Abortion, for it or against it, is here to stay. No supreme court be it liberal or conservative is even going to take the case. And if what happened here in Mississippi, where the law is going to be thrown out, and other states that have tired is any indication abortion will be around a while.
Now as far as paying for women's birth control I refer you to the discussion above. That young lady is only $8 at walmart for the most common brands. My heavens condums cost more.
I agree Judith, they were a very interesting lot. They did their best to protect us from ourselves though. If you stop for a moment and consider what they accomplished and what it became it is truly astounding. Rascals and all.
But the medical conditions *are* covered somehow, even if by hospitals getting tax deductions or writing off treatments as "research" or whatever they do? That's outside of my experience (claims adjuster for an insurance company, car accidents, dog bites, slip and falls, that sort of thing. I've seen quite a bit that, of course, I can't discuss...). People are treated and will continue to be treated. What's needed is managment and leadership, not sticking our head in the sand. There are a ton of expenses associated with medical care that provide little medical benefit to patients. I think that is the biggest opportunity area with health care. Not pulling government out of it. They probably have quite a bit of useful data to contribute to determine the actual cost. Once the actual cost is known, the payments can be split up more appropriately. It also drives me nuts that costs are not more controlled. I see no reason that an MRI should be $1200 at one facility and $500 at another. The lightbulb was paid for a long time ago so they should look into line item price controls. If "House" or "Dr. Yang" do a breathtaking, new and complex procedure, hey go ahead and charge a bunch for it. If it's in the book, charge the price in the book instead of subjecting it to all sorts of expensive price adjustments, multiple layers of coverage, etc.
Thanks Judith. that comment probably should have been left out of my post. Sorry...heat of the moment (note to self stop talking before you think...lol)
Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Madison were men of of The Enlightenment, too brief a period of intellectualism & reason. Not something likely to happen again in the US, unfortunately.
Here's the one that get's me acid. Having started the dialysis gig I got to notice (hospitals here in MS are doing this now) how much of a discount I get (about 50%) because I have a certain brand of health insurance.
So you are right sir there is no reason for all that.
I agree with Randy, Medicare is in trouble and going to be bankrupt. I don’t know the right answer, but I do know that we need to do something. I have been on Medicare a couple years now because of being on disability and they have been making changes already – some for the better and some not. I am an independent and I voted for Obama in the last election, but right now, they both scare the crap out of me.
A friend posted something in FB yesterday about how much extra Romney’s plan was going to cost us. I said it is really a matter of if we pay now or we pay later. The changes in Ryan’s plan don’t start for 10 years. Obama has already reduced payments to doctors and doctors are dropping out of Medicare – I have already experienced that personally and it is only going to get worse.
There has been a lot of waste in the past and now we have to pay the piper. I can’t remember who it was that said about they feel like the grandma being pushed over the cliff – I have actually felt that way for the last 2 years under Obama with some of the stuff going on. I should add, that feeling wasn’t because of his changes (until the doctor stuff) but changes that were put in place before him and became effective 2 years ago.
There was a good article o Fact Check discussing some of the misrepresentations on both sides:
Actually, if you fight for one, you can get a CGMS under Medicare - I did it and I know a few other people that have done it. It is not technically a covered item and you do need to fight for it. It is not easy, but it is possible.
Hi Judith. I suspect I'm a Cancer on the country. You know, on TuD we talk about our experiences rather than our medical advice. So my experience rather than my political advice follows: I'm almost 82 y.o. I remember the Great Depression, I really do. My father was required to walk a picket line. I remember my mother's face on those days: deathly white, no talking, not until my father came home again in one piece. He and the union won/persevered with the result that my family had food (barely) on the table. Had he not come home, had the union not won, we would have starved. My whole family, we would have literally starved. Am I a Democrat? Ya, you betcha. My father gave me his autoimmune disease gene(s); I passed them on to my children, grandchildren, g-grandchildren. Are my descendents all Cancers on this country? Really, I don't think so. I know that if Paul Ryan's plan were to become the law of the land, some of my family would be in a lot of trouble. Well, good luck to us all. May none of us starve, may those of us with our built-in autoimmune diseases and other chronic diseases survive. May I please protest the use of the word "Cancer" in this context?
I hate to even weigh in on this one because I am conflicted. There are many good people that depend on and deserve the support of our government. Just look in the ranks of our membership and you will find more than a few. To ignore their needs would be irresponsible. But to drive the current system into the ground where there is nothing left for future generations is just as irresponsible.
If I understand it correctly Mr. Ryan's plan to overhaul medicare is designed to save it not to kill it. I also understand that he wishes to convert medicare into a voucher system which is used to purchase insurance on the open market. I don't have a problem with that since we would be in reality purchasing health care on the free and open market. This introduces competition into the health care system and competition is what will save it.
Government's only role in providing health care should be to regulate the insurance industry and to provide the funding for the insurance coverage. I also believe that universal insurance coverage should be extended to all American's not just the elderly or the sick or the poverty stricken. The compassionate part of this equation is the level at which this is all funded. The are plenty of liberal members of our government and compassionate conservatives to insure that all are provided as much support as this country can afford.
Socialized medicine is not the answer nor is abandonment of those in need. There has to be a happy balance.
