The concept is cooperation

[idalivered]

BA, it appears to me that the health care industry causes the problem and medicare gets the blame. You're contention that medicare does not pay the "true cost" can work two ways. What really is the "true cost".

[r3020]

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@idalivered wrote:

BA, it appears to me that the health care industry causes the problem and medicare gets the blame. You're contention that medicare does not pay the "true cost" can work two ways. What really is the "true cost".

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You will never know with a 3rd party payer system.

[BA Deere]

Hey Ida, the demographics of the country have changed drastically since the handshakes on Medicare in 1965, it`s become more inclusive, people now live about 10 years longer and those extra 10 yrs that one lives are spent at the doctor.  When you`re 20, 30, 40 the only time you go to the doctor is if you`re dragged by your wife, but when you`re 70 you meet yourself coming and going to the doc.  With social security there used to be 16 workers for each retiree, now it`s less than 3 workers for each retiree http://www.politifact.com/georgia/statements/2011/apr/12/mark-warner/va-senator-says-fewer-workers-s...    the arithmetic just doesn`t work anymore, if we want to save both those programs for the truly needy, we can do it by saying "if you own 3 farms in 2 counties collecting $400 rent, driving a $300K Winnebago and a winter home in Corpus Christi ..maybe you don`t need help with your health insurance and retirement" I`m not counting on a dime from either program, if some how I`m wrong about the math and both programs are intact 20 yrs from now, I suppose I`ll spoil my Grandkids a little more with the check...I just don`t see how we don`t avoid a trainwreck without a sensible overhaul.

[kraft-t]

Must accept the medicare amount. They are not bound by those numbers. However, most doctors and hospitals accept those terms be cause it increases their business and they get paid with out a scrap with insurance companies.

I carry a supplemental so that I have extra coverage.

And what trivial reasons do seniors go to the doctor for. I don't think you know what you are talking about. Maybe you go to a proctologist for the fun of it but I can think of better ways to spend an afternoon.

[Nebrfarmr]

As one example, we had an elderly lady who would call 911 at bedtime, and say she was 'hurting' and they would send an ambulace to her house, just for aspirin.  When asked why she did it, she said because if she got it uptown, they chared her several dollars for a bottle, but the nice boys in the ambulance delivered it to her door, and gave it to her, for free. 
She would do this every couple months.

[Nebrfarmr]

I went on a road trip with a friend, and he described how he saw the upcoming dilemma with the programs like SS, Medicaid, and Medicare, if no reforms are made.  It went like this, as best I can remember.

You have 5 apples.

Little miss Social Security, will need two apples

Mrs Medicaid, will need two apples,

Mr. Medicare, will need two apples.