nice post about this…..

Sorry crappy, But you couldn’t be more wrong. I am constantly subjected on this web site to having everything I believe and hold dear held up to ridicule and scorn. Don’t sit there and tell me I can’t take it. As for WSC’s post on this thread at 9:52PM on 6/21, that may be the absolute dumbest thing anybody ever said on a blog that seems to excel in stupidity. Sorry but when my “dumba#* alarm goes off like it did on that one, I have to respond

I bet you could really confuse him though if you just said “I’m a Bender from Russell”. The file would be too large for ANY brain to process!

heheheheh. BTW… My Mom was a “Bender from Russell”.

Since your wife is an M.D. and this is a thread on health-care, it seems perfectly appropriate.

Regular–

That wasn’t nice. Don’t make us have to put you in “time out” again . . .

Interesting and kind of coincidental.

In that same 1974 campaign, I worked as a volunteer for Bob Dole in Johnson County. As I recall, I raised conributions, put up signs and so forth. During that time, I met Bob Dole’s daughter, Robin Dole, who attended political functions with her father. I am curious now if Robin was born in Kansas or Washington D.C.

I visited with Senator Robert Dole a number of times both in Kansas and in Washington. Most recently, I spoke to him briefly at a “Dole roast” and a “book signing”, both in Wichita. I always found him to be a witty engaging conversationalist who really loves Kansas. I think he sometimes receives unfair criticism from his experience running with Gerald Ford for V.P and President respectively in 1980. Robert Dole is now roughly age 84 and still remembers names and incidents like no one else I know.

Of course, there are lots of forks in the road for everyone, especially for politicians. Looking back in retrospect, too bad some how the succession was different to have avoided our present disaster for the U.S. and the world, George W. Bush … and I’m a moderate Republican.

“A near fatal accident was avoided today, thanks to the quick actions of a crack team of paramedics. Senator Pat Roberts (R – Whitewash) was saved from near certain death after President George WMD Bush (R – Idiot) stopped suddenly and Roberts head was violently thrust up Bush’s ass, as the Senator was following a bit too closely.

Paramedics used the ‘Jaws of Life’ to extract Roberts’ head from Bush’s (back door) and both men were pronounced ready for more action at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Roberts later compared the ordeal as being equivalent to the experience of Jonas in the Belly of the Whale, saying ‘it was damned dark in there and there was the smell of rotting fish.’

Bush was unavailable for further comment, but Barney, the First Dog, did express his anger by peeing on the leg of the Senator.”

Check back on NBC or MSNBC for futher developments.

Slattery is not all bad.

Slattery is a socialist prolifer turned lobbyist.

Slattery would be far better than Bill Roy.

Thankfully, we will not have to deal with either a Senator Roy OR a Senator Slattery.

Roberts will do just fine!

Think how different, for the better, America would be had he prevailed.

He’s a good man. And so is his daughter Randi, one of the Kansas people on the DNC. I just wish she wouldnt take her orders from governor “leadership”.

Oh, and Part A IS mandatory at age 65.

Part B is voluntary.

As I said, the program is heavily subsidized. It is impossible for any private program to compete with Medicare A and Medicare B, without similar subsidies.

Medicare C, or “Medicare Advantage” basically gets the “census” subsidy, for the Medicare A and Medicare B average cost, in that geographic area.

1) As far as I know, seniors must receive Medicare benefits. Would be interesting to see a comparison of costs of Medicare coverage TO costs of all private insurance coverage.

2) I personally have not used many Medicare funded health care services, probably for lack of time that I want to use for visiting doctors offices. Of course, some seniors and regular patients as well, do overuse the systems whether paid for by medicare or private insurance or government social service agencies … for which the great majority must pay for.

3) I don’t see any mention above that most seniors on Medicare probably also purchase a “supplemental insurance” policy to supplement their Part A and Part B Medicare protection. I happen to use Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Plan F select, for another cost of about $100/month.

4) Three or four years ago, when Part D prescription drug coverage, came along, I was telemarketed by some phantom salesman who said he represented my supplemental health insurance company. I later realized most of what he said was a lie. But in any case, he signed me up without my approval. It took months and my threats of a law suit to finally get this coverage cancelled. Needless to say I have never signed up for Part D and don’t intend to.

Since that time, I have watched this Part D “program” grow. I’m convinced that in most cases its not needed. I believe it is designed to eliminate price shopping and thus competition by individual customers. Pharmaceuticals have become much cheaper for everyone at the large retailers, Dillons and Wal-Mart and others. Also I’m convinced most prescription drugs prescribed by doctors are not needed … mostly prescribed to line doctors’ pockets. Also many prescription drugs can be found in less concentration and more safety on the regular pharmaceutical shelves.

5) In regard to doctors, I have rarely found doctors over the years that provide services without a lot of baggage/time/money for their patients. Doctors are no smarter than any other professional group. Many times, they have personal lives that are in shambles. Doctors are trained in government tax supported school buildings, by tax paid professors and staff. Doctors are probably the biggest tax hogs going. ITS TIME TO COMPLETELY REDO THE DOCTORING SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTRY.

6) Private insurance companies do add one more safety gate to our medical services system.

Medicare Part A is “free” to the beneficiary.

Part A pays for hospitalization and SKILLED nursing care.

Part B pays for out patient care.

The government HEAVILY subsidizes Medicare.

How much is Medicare worth? It is estimated that the total cost of the Medicare program is, roughly, $760.00 per MONTH for each person on Part A, Part B and D, combined.

For this, the beneficiary pays at least $96.00 per month for Part B and roughly $25 per month for a Part D drug plan, per person. A heavily subsidized bargain, for the beneficiary.

However, how many of you, out there, what to pay even $120.00 per month? You will pay at LEAST that amount, since it is politically impossible to give the under-65 crowd a better deal than what the over-65 crowd currently has!

Now, what does Medicare cover?

Medicare does NOT cover nursing home care, at all, ever, period.

During the first 60 days of hospitalization, the beneficiary must pay pay a $1,024 deductable PER ADMISSION. I have had several clients who incurred over $3000.00 in deductables in ONE year.

From days 61-90 the beneficiary must cover $256.00 per day in co-pays.

From days 91-150 the beneficiary must cover $512.00 per day in co-pays.

After 150 days in the hospital? Medicare pays NOTHING and the beneficiary/patient must pick up the entire bill!

Medicare only pays for skilled nursing care, and then Medicare only pays for 20 days. After 20 days of skilled nursing care, the patient/beneficiary must pay a $128 per day co-pay.

Medicare Part B currently has a $135.00 annual deductable. However, the co-pay, after the deductable, is 20%. For Chemo patients, radiation patients, and kidney patients, this can be thousands of dollars every year, in out of pocket expenses.

“Cost shifting” is how Medicare and Medicaid stay afloat. As Hank said, earlier, we all pay higher prices, when under age 65, so that the government can “short change” the same charges, for those over age 65.

“Medicare Assignment” is the government mandated fee for every service available. The government frequently “assigns” a fee which is lower than the cost of the services.

We all pick up the difference, when we pay our bills.
—-
Universal coverage is a pipe dream.

It will not happen.

We can not afford Medicare and Medicaid, as currently authorized.

Politically, it will be impossible to provide “universal coverage” that reduces the benefits of Medicare.

Politically, it will be impossible to provide “universal coverage” which is better than current Medicare.

Politically, it will be impossible to provide “universal coverage” which reduces the current value of Teamsters, Machinists Union, NEA and other PRIVATE health insurance.

Financially, it will be impossible for Medicare and Medicaid to “subsidize” themselves, through “cost shifting” when there is, no longer, any group of private insurers on which to “shift” the costs.

Good morning J R,

You know, I’ve been thinking. You enjoy your personal little attacks while you hide behind your nic.

In the past I’ve honored your desire to be anonymous, but I’m seriously reconsidering. I think that maybe in the future when you seem to be unable to respond to one of my posts without dragging my wife into the mix I’ll address my response using your full name and address.

It’s only fair, you know a lot about my personal life and use it to attack my ideas and my positions. We’ll see how you like it in return.
———————————-
No need Hank, we all know who J R (aka Bluejay) the J. Ryan Remil is.

They boy just hasn’t been of the right mind since his daddy J. Remil the bigger passed on.

Talk to anyone on Medicare who has opted into a
Part D prescription plan. They will have a “Plan Document” that spells out these competitive issues, somewhere in the plan.

Monkey, on this issue, you clearly do not know what you are talking about.

You know, I’ve been thinking. You enjoy your personal little attacks while you hide behind your nic.

In the past I’ve honored your desire to be anonymous, but I’m seriously reconsidering. I think that maybe in the future when you seem to be unable to respond to one of my posts without dragging my wife into the mix I’ll address my response using your full name and address.

It’s only fair, you know a lot about my personal life and use it to attack my ideas and my positions. We’ll see how you like it in return.