Medicare
a giant government ripoff
This entire week I have been doing research in advance of my Feb 2011 induction into medicare.
What I have discovered is not good. Not good at all ...
No human being at age 65 could possibly comprehend what they are getting into when they become eligible to get medicare. Yes, the U.S. medicare program is explained but NOWHERE does anyone explain the ramifications of choosing the different options you have to choose from. At its simplest, there is Part A and Part B. Part A covers hospitalization, Part B covers doctors visits. Part A is free, Part B costs like $110 a month. There are large "gaps" in what is covered (80% of hospital, co-pays for doctors visits, and NO drug coverage) so one needs to buy supplemental coverage policies. And therein lies the problem. These supplemental policies cost an additional $150-$200 a month.
In addition, and the worst part of medicare, is that there is NO drug coverage. None. So one is forced to buy a medicare prescription plan. This is another $50-$100 a month and does NOT pay for all my drug costs. The prescription drug plans offered for my zip code (Los Angeles) have a co-pay of nearly $250 a month for my 5 medications! $36 each for 3 meds and $74 each for 2 meds AND a deductible of several hundred dollars a year. And, no, I cannot substitute generic for my meds. As the average number of meds for people age 65 and older is 11 all the prescription drug plans are no bargain, no bargain at all. They are ripoffs! (I checked all 30 of them offered for my zip code.
So, under medicare not only will I NOT be getting FREE health care but being on medicare will COST me $600-$700 a month!!!
This is way too overpriced when weighing benefits vs cost. Medicare is no great deal when compared to what an average man at 64-65 pays for decent non-medicare private health coverage now. It's about the same ... about $600-$700 a month in premiums.
I was stunned to find all this out. After paying into medicare over a lifetime of working I find out that medicare is NOT free ... does NOT cover everything ... does NOT cover drugs and requires a LOT of additional coverage and substantial additional monthly cash outlays for additional policy premiums and coverage. The average reasonable healthy male ends up with about the same coverage as before, at about the same cost. So what is the big deal about finally hitting 65 and getting medicare??? Nothing. It's a big nothing. Actually, it's a big pain in the butt because it's very confusing and complicated and requires a LOT of research, research that you can't even do on your own, it is impossible! Basically, if I was a healthy male, at age 65, if possible I would simply continue with the health insurance I already had and would not bother to take medicare at all ... even though I freaking paid for it my entire life!!!
I was always under the illusion that medicare would cover ALL my medical costs, ALL my hospital and doctor costs and pay for most or all prescription drug costs. I thought that those were the benefits you got after a lifetime of paying in. NOT.
Medicare is a giant lifetime government ripoff. Aided and abetted by the private health insurance industry. It's total bullcrap. A giant ripoff. Because of all the loopholes and non-coverage gaps - and no drug coverage at all - one ends up not really getting anything for all the money you paid into medicare for all those years. And no one knows it until they bump into medicare at age 65!
Yes, I am really really upset about this. Yes, for me medicare is a big savings in my monthly medical coverage costs. But only because I am on a high risk, private, uber costly PPO health coverage policy, a policy that costs more each month than my freaking rent! But for most people, medicare is not a good deal at all and they get little or no monthly cost savings and no additional benefits by being on it as compared to the health incurance they already have. Because of the drug coverage, or NON drug coverage. Plus, it's impossible to figure out what to do and what to choose. And, on behalf of all American baby boomers who are approaching medicare eligibility at age 65, the whole thing truly pisses me off! It's a gigantic baby boom ripoff! Boy, oh boy, when tens of millions of baby boomers become eligible for medicare the government is gonna catch holy hell for it!!!
Medicare or medicrap? You decide.
Congratulations, Medicare, this week you earned the Stu Pitt award.
