Obamacare: here’s an idea, let’s steal from the seniors

We are told that millions who currently have no health insurance will soon be covered under Obamacare.  But, where will the money come from to do this? 

By 2017, thousands of people in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio will be paying more than $5,000 per year in lost health-care benefits to make ObamaCare possible…[f]or some New York City dwellers, the figure will exceed $6000 a year.  Unfortunate residents of Ascension, La. will pay more than $9000 in lost benefits.

The rich, you ask?  No, these are the people who can little afford to lose those benefits.  They are predominantly the poor, and, they are the current participants in Medicare Advantage programs. 

Medicare itself doesn’t cover most prescription drugs, and, it’s abysmal reimbursement rates to health care providers leaves many seniors on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical expenses.  If you are “rich”, you purchase a “Medigap” insurance policy to cover these extra charges, and, purchase Medicare Part D drug coverage.  But, the premiums are costly.  And, many seniors simply can’t afford them.

For those seniors (25% of all Medicare recipients) , there is Medicare Advantage.  Under Medicare Advantage, seniors:

can enroll in comprehensive health plans that resemble the coverage many nonseniors have–often with no extra premium.

But, Medicare Advantage plans are being eliminated under Obamacare.  So, if you live, for example, in Ascension, La. you will have to spend $9000 per year (which you don’t have) in order to keep the same benefits you had before Obamacare, or, go without some medical care.

Those of you who were in favor of Obamacare, did you know that this would happen?  And, if you didn’t, why didn’t you?

Knowing what will happen under Obamacare, does anyone find the pre-election reemergence of this commercial , paid for with your tax dollars, to be particularly offensive?

I do find it ironic, though, that many Democrats are running on a platform of “don’t vote for Republicans as they will take away your Medicare benefits”.   Haven’t the Democrats already done that? 

At this point, as a result of Obamacare, there is little left to take.

Posted in

SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

10 Comments

  1. winnie888 on September 25, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    Spoke to my mom in TN the other morning and she happens to find that Andy commercial particularly offensive.

    As far as those who were in favor of Obamacare, they couldn't possibly have known that this was going to happen because none of us were going to find out exactly what was in the bill until after it had passed (per her Majesty Pelosi).  It's just one dazzling surprise (read: kick in bum) after another, isn't it?



  2. sammy22 on September 25, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    In order to get "comprehensive health plans that resemble the coverage many nonseniors have", I have paid a Medicare Advantage premium that that is larger than the Medicare Part B premium. That was and is BEFORE Obamacare was even discussed. The zero premium for Medicare Advantage gets you about zero coverage. The people who really get a good deal w/ the past and still current system are the employers (they get a tax deduction) and the employees (who get a subsidy for the actual premium paid to the insurance companies).



  3. Dimsdale on September 25, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    I seem to recall that support from the odorous AARP was derived from the fact that they are selling a product that would "fill the gap" left by Øbamacare's destruction of Medicare Advantage.  Play ball with the gang(sters), and you get a piece of the action.

     

    I must remember to return one of their postage paid solicitation pasted to a cinder block… 😉



  4. PatRiot on September 25, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    Congress is trying to "help" so many people.  It si time for direct action.   What they need to do is post their residential addresses and have google maps show where their homes are. 

    In this way, folks can find their elected officials homes and get direct help, housing and food. 

    Surely Congress can give up a few rooms at home while they are in session.



  5. Dimsdale on September 26, 2010 at 5:57 am

    I am sure John Kerry has plenty of room at one of his, I mean his wife's, many mansions.  I bet there is even room for 50 or so on the new yacht!



  6. NH-Jim on September 27, 2010 at 3:53 am

    "it’s abysmal reimbursement rates to health care providers leaves many seniors on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical expenses."

    Let's not forget how many doctors have discontinued seeing patients who rely on Medicare.  Why is this?  Well, our wonderful "little" government believes physicians should perform their work for free, I guess.  So, let's all join the system.  When your paycheck is handed to you on Friday, please hand it back with a "no thanks, I work for free!"

     

    Now, where are those rosy colored glasses of mine?



  7. Dom Rosa on September 28, 2010 at 2:18 am

    ObamaCare, Medicare Drug Plan, Medicare Advantage, and RomneyCare in Massachusetts were passed for the benefit of the insurance and pharmaceutical cartels. It is possible to operate a sound national health insurance system, for significantly less money than our current absurd boondoggle. For example, look at the German and Swiss plans. 



  8. Dimsdale on September 28, 2010 at 6:48 am

    Absolutely.  Unfortunately, instead of a national debate, actual participation by our elected officials, and the excessive influence of interested parties (not voters), the system falls apart with vote buying and protecting special interests.  Look at SCHIP and the way the gov't thinks relatively wealthy people (more so than me at any rate) require aid.

     

    The basis of the Swiss plan is that their universal-coverage system is consumer-driven system, requiring people, not employers or governments, to buy their own health insurance.  This "skin in the game" consumer control enables the Swiss to enjoy an excellent quality of care without the social inequality of single-payer countries at costs that are a third lower than ours.

     

    We can do that, but the ruling elite loses power in that case.  We just need to get the know-nothing know it all pols out of the equation.



  9. sammy22 on September 28, 2010 at 6:51 am

    Dom Rosa, you are right! But remember Germany has had a healthcare plan since the 1880's, and the US does not choose to learn from others.



  10. Dimsdale on September 28, 2010 at 7:05 am

    Now THAT is an understatement!  😉



featured-aarp-logo

The website's content and articles were migrated to a new framework in October 2023. You may see [shortcodes in brackets] that do not make any sense. Please ignore that stuff. We may fix it at some point, but we do not have the time now.

You'll also note comments migrated over may have misplaced question marks and missing spaces. All comments were migrated, but trackbacks may not show.

The site is not broken.