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Anyone who wants Medicare for all hasn't been on Medicare...

posted 5 years ago by Destinata (2642)
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...or KNOWN anyone on Medicare.

First, the only way it does much good is if you have a Medicare supplement plan. That fills in the gaps. And there are plenty of gaps. You can believe Millionaire Bernie has supplemental insurance. He can afford it.

It is helpful for catastrophes, but then you have to dance to their tune. Is there a great drug that's covered on private healthcare plans? Don't assume it's covered on Medicare, even if it's the only thing that will save your life.

Ah yes. Your life. Well, see, Medicare is socialist healthcare -- single payer, meaning the government, meaning YOU. Yes, you still pay for it because there's nothing free in this world but the grace of God. If the government runs it, that means you get that great healthcare the veterans get. And we all know how great that is. That's why you still need a supplement. If Medicare is the main insurer, it will still take a while to get around to that wonderful procedure that might save your life. If you had private healthcare, it wouldn't. And with Medicare, the government will decide if your life is worth saving.

I watched this in action. My mother -- and I; I couldn't help her -- were so poor that my mother was on Medicare and Medicaid. I had to throw a thermonuclear fit to get anything done for my mother. And there just came a point where they didn't want to do anymore, so they took her off food and water and put her on morphine. Thankfully she didn't have a prolonged time of it. She died in three days. You try going without water for three days and see how you feel. Imagine if you're frail -- you die.

My husband's rich aunt had all the money she could want, and Cadillac healthcare. Long after the point where they gave up on my mother, they were still trying this and giving her that, prolonging her life and watching her rally, then ebb. They fought for her to the end. Don't expect that for you and your loved ones under Medicare for all. Expect the sort of care little Charlie Gard got.

[–] Destinata (2642) 5 years ago

My father was on Medicare. The day he died they were planning on kicking him out of the hospital. Medicare will only pay for so much, and if you don't have that supplement, then you're done for.

My mother was at wit's end wondering how she was going to care for my father who had a team of nurses and doctors working on him at the hospital. After my father died, we heard a story about an old farmer in the area who'd had to sit with his wife out in their car all night after they kicked her out due to the Medicare limitation on non-critical hospital stays. As soon as admitting began in the morning, he got a wheelchair and wheeled his poor wife in for another couple of weeks, or whatever they paid for back then.

Since my father coded, they were ready to take him into ICU the day Medicare -- and his doctor, since his doctor has to dance to Medicare's tune, too -- said he was healthy enough to be discharged.

Medicare is a mess. Anyone who wants to put you on it is not your friend.