tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post3110105074168856037..comments2024-03-29T05:30:01.292-04:00Comments on the daily howler: MEDICARE MUDDLE: We, the Walpiri!<b>bob somerby</b>http://www.blogger.com/profile/02963464534685954436noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-52144865306963593572012-08-28T03:03:47.819-04:002012-08-28T03:03:47.819-04:00gravymeister, well done.gravymeister, well done.CMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13481861530761114492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-66660761000266903792012-08-27T15:27:23.425-04:002012-08-27T15:27:23.425-04:00It's hard to compress thousands of pages into ...It's hard to compress thousands of pages into one without leaving something out.<br /><br />There is another option, Medigap, which has more coverage and higher premiums.<br /><br />But we can trust the insurance companies to compete and offer the lowest possible price, and we can trust our elected officials to make sure that happens, can't we?gravymeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16075831177588700301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-79941935075409230232012-08-27T14:31:43.755-04:002012-08-27T14:31:43.755-04:00In the new Ryan Plan,insurance companies would bid...In the new Ryan Plan,insurance companies would bid for the business of people who opted for private carriers. The second lowest bid would win and the program would pick up the tab for it. Individuals could still go for the higher bid (ostensibly for more services),and pay the difference themselves. <br /><br />Your last paragraph is particularly interesting to me because I'd like to hear Ryan address how insurance companies will behave differently under his plan than they did with Medicare Advantage (where the govt actually had to start paying them more in order to get them to play.)CeceliaMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16017255006204800193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-63053616833930654312012-08-27T13:35:22.258-04:002012-08-27T13:35:22.258-04:00We want to know whether or not the Medicare Trust ...We want to know whether or not the Medicare Trust Fund was cut.<br /><br />What is the Medicare Trust Fund?<br /><br />I did a little research.<br /><br /><br />http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/ReportsTrustFunds/Downloads/TR2012.pdf<br /><br />The Medicare Trust Fund consists of two parts.<br />Hospital Insurance, and Supplementary Medical Insurance<br />HI (Medicare Part A) is funded by Medicare payroll taxes, interest income, voluntary participation, and taxes withheld from Social Security benefits.<br />Hi pays almost all of the covered costs , and covers almost all hospital costs, even when the patient was not admitted (outpatient surgery, etc.) <br /><br />SMI (Medicare Part B) is a Medicare plan, is supported by general tax revenues, or PPO beneficiaries pay a premium, which accounts for about 25% of costs. It pays the doctors, and outpatient care much like the typical HMO plans. It has a yearly deductable.<br /><br /><br />Medicare Part C, (Medicare Advantage) is paid by the beneficiary and is managed by private health insurance companies very much like the standard HMO or PPO plans. Medicare reimburses the companies a fixed amount monthly per member. The insurers waive the deductable.<br /><br />Many employers will pay part of the premiums for Part B or Part C for their retirees, and they decide which plan they will subsidize.<br /><br />There is also a Part D, which covers prescription medicines. Again, private insurers following Medicare rules administer this. Economies of scale brought down prices to beneficiaries. Some say they could be even lower. This has the notorious non-negotiation part put in by G.W. Bush.<br /><br />Okay, HI is a “slush fund.” Employees pay in, beneficiaries are paid out.<br />HI is sitting on a pile of money, but there is a yearly shortfall so the pile shrinks a bit each year. This is the subject of dire predictions.<br /><br />SMI takes about 75% of its costs from general tax revenues, and pays fees to doctors and drug companies. This ratio fluctuates.<br />I presume this is where most of the battle is engaged.<br />Republicans want to cut revenues (tax money), and pay doctors and drug companies more, with the difference made up by the infamous out-of-pocket payments, reduced benefits, raising eligibility ages, means testing (essentially the Ryan plan).<br /> <br />Democrats want to keep revenues equal to costs (more tax money), pay doctors and drug companies less, and keep benefits, eligibility, and out-of-pocket expenses the same (adjusted for inflation).<br />The difference is in the details. And so is the Devil.<br /><br />It is interesting to note that, according to AARP, hospitals and drug companies agreed to lower re-imbursement, but insurance companies did not.<br />The reasoning is that they will get the money whether it comes from Medicare or ACA, and the currently uninsured (and newly insured) are paying little or nothing now.<br />gravymeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16075831177588700301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-88548224238937027242012-08-27T12:34:23.575-04:002012-08-27T12:34:23.575-04:00"the rise of Lawrence O’Donnellism"
It ..."the rise of Lawrence O’Donnellism"<br /><br />It can't exist. It doesn't matter. It's irrelevant.<br /><br />Leave poor Lawrence O'Donnell alone.The Anonymous Idiotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-26916755593009178242012-08-27T12:27:11.099-04:002012-08-27T12:27:11.099-04:00Are they referring to reductions in future Medicar...<i>Are they referring to reductions in future Medicare spending? Or are they referring to reductions in Medicare services? </i><br /><br />And there it is, neighbors. Just 18 little words, all in plain, pedestrian English, show how easy it is to make sense of all the huff and puff over Medicare.<br /><br />Cuts in spending? Cuts in benefits? THEY'RE NOT THE SAME THING!Quaker in a Basementnoreply@blogger.com