what you suggest might work until you consider that Medicare is already unable to pay its way with everyone paying in (remind you of SS ?) and that once pols see that income they will do what they always do which is divert the money into vote buying and take the huge problem they have today and dwarf it.
I'm glad your health is good enough that you don't notice a difference. Moreover I hope it stays that way. But its not that way for all.
I would prefer the government buy insurance from companies that do this for a living. I would really have preferred that Medicare never have come into being but that ship sailed long ago.
I've said it so often before. . .but obviously, no one answers, because there is no answer that pleases hard core GOP on this subject. . .so you just ignore what I say.
Still, I'll repeat it one more time.
Right now, the premium for private insurance to cover HEALTHY, relatively YOUNG population is about 12 times HIGHER than the cost of medicare to cover the most "at risk" elderly or disabled population.
This is the ONLY reason medicare is in trouble. You (when I say "you," I refer to every GOP supporter who insist in looking at any government program as "inefficient" without looking at the real reason why government program do not "make profits" like the private sector) have no problem with private, for profit insurance charging $500 to $1200 a month to cover a basically young (so low risk), and healthy (since they still have the "pre-existing condition clause") person. . but you complain about the cost of medicare, which charges only about $50.00 a month to people over 65 or eligible disabled persons (therefore. . .a high risk, hign need population) to assure that they will receive heatlhcare.
IF the medicare program was EXTENDED to EVERYONE as an OPTION, all age groups, all level of health, it would fulfill two very important goals that would totally reform the healthcare system and make it much cheaper for EVERYONE to acces:
EVERYONE would have the option to be covered, and yet would be able to keep their choice of being covered by a private insurance OR medicare.
And
The per capita cost of medicare would be drastically lowered because the "elderly and disabled" (very high needs/ high risks) would be compensated by the "younger and healthier" group (with much lower needs, and much lower risks). It would obviously also be lowered because the "pool" would be MUCH broader.
This may be enough to fix the medicare issue. . .if it were not, the medicare OPTION for younger people could be offered at a slightly higher cost (let's say, $150 per month) to people under the age of 65 who would SELECT (no obligation!) to sign up with "early medicare membership," and even that level of premium would be a HUGE saving for most people.
A concrete exemple of the excess of the private insurance system versus Medicare:
My husband had a stroke on New Years day 2011. He then had surgery to open a carotid artery 2 weeks later.
Medicare covered 90% of the cost (about $35,000 all together). Because we can afford it, he also has a Medicare suplemental insurance with a private insurance (Blue Cross/Blue shield) so the private insurance covered the 10% co-payment that Medicare didn't cover (or about $5,000).
Now, Medicare costs my husband about $50.00 per month. . . and they paid $35,000 in this instance alone.
Blue Cross/Blue shield (the supplemental insurance) costs my husband $179.00 per month. . .and they paid $5,000 in this instance.
This is the demonstration of the REAL reason why Medicare is "in trouble." It is not because they are "inefficient," but because they are covering elderly people and people who are REFUSED coverage by private insurance. . .unless the private insurance can charge a LOT of money to "supplement" medicare!"
Blue Cross/Blue shield WOULD NOT agree to cover my husband (or any person over the age of 65) for ANY amount of money IF he didn't have medicare.
Why don't you look at REALITY, instead of just listening to "propaganda?"
Or do you think we should just let people die once they are no longer eligible for private insurance?
