05-03-2011, 10:21 PM
I am almost 541/2, and I think this really sucks. I wholehearted agree that Medicare needs adjustments and improvement, but to make it go private is insane. The main reason, IMHO, that Medicare needs to stay as a single payer government run entity is because of the paperwork and claims issues. What I have seen with my aging parents and in-laws is a lack of understanding of insurance in general, and as they have gotten older, this has only gotten worse. If you make people in their 80's and 90's have to deal with the ins and outs and differences from one carrier to another it won't be pretty. At least now, all seniors have to do is pick a supplement plan and prescription plan and the rest is relatively straightforward, as opposed to dealing with a private insurance carrier.
If seniors don't have children or other younger family to help, I feel truly sorry for us all. Even though I have had to deal with my parents insurance issues for years, I do not want to think I am going to have to deal with this when I am elderly and less able. I also don't want to think I will have to burden my daughter with sorting through this for me.
To me it is really more about taking the worry burden off seniors than the money. I am willing to pay more, fine, just don't make me deal with the paperwork and vagaries of the insurance industry when I am old. I am also a lot less than thrilled that, if this is passed, I will be in the first group of guinea pigs. I have told my husband for many years that the only good part of getting older is that I might finally not have to worry about what insurance to buy, what is covered, how much will it go up every year, etc. Now they may be taking that one piece of mind away from me.
I really hope they don't pass this, but if they do, I hope it is well into next year, when I will be 55. Epic fail.
If seniors don't have children or other younger family to help, I feel truly sorry for us all. Even though I have had to deal with my parents insurance issues for years, I do not want to think I am going to have to deal with this when I am elderly and less able. I also don't want to think I will have to burden my daughter with sorting through this for me.
To me it is really more about taking the worry burden off seniors than the money. I am willing to pay more, fine, just don't make me deal with the paperwork and vagaries of the insurance industry when I am old. I am also a lot less than thrilled that, if this is passed, I will be in the first group of guinea pigs. I have told my husband for many years that the only good part of getting older is that I might finally not have to worry about what insurance to buy, what is covered, how much will it go up every year, etc. Now they may be taking that one piece of mind away from me.
I really hope they don't pass this, but if they do, I hope it is well into next year, when I will be 55. Epic fail.