where do you think we would be today if medicare and medicaid had not been introduced here in the US?

Answer 1

You probably would be able to visit a doctor and actually afford to pay him out of your own pocket.

These programs have just added a layer of complexity and cost to the medical system that all must pay.

Answer 2

for the post above me.. Medicaid does NOT pay for anything that is not medically necessary.. Even if the MD says it is, they can still decline payment.. It's been done to me many times.. If I had not had Medicaid, my son never would have gotten to see a dentist or doctor.. he would not have gotten his shots.. no speech therapy, counseling, etc. Then I would have been charged with child neglect . My medicine today cost $1500 a month if I paid for it.. Thankfully I have medicare and they pick up most of that..I have had to have major surgery and been in the hospital a LOT at a cost of $1400 a day.. People talk about how screwed up things are and how people take advanatage of the govt but unless they are really sick and don't have money to even have a simple surgery that saved ur life, they have no idea.

Answer 3

much better off. medicaid especially is so abused its ridiculous. it should only cover medical neccessities like antibiotics, asthma stuff, diabetes stuff, lifesaving drugs, etc.- and only cover cheap generics when there is a good generic alternative available (generics cost pennies vs hundreds of dollars sometimes for brandname drugs). i really get annoyed when somebody on medicaid strolls in talking on a $300 cell phone getting a bunch of expensive drugs that cost hundreds of dollars of taxpayer money that 1) they likely dont need and 2) the drugs should be considered luxuries ratherthan medical neccessities, and then refuse to pay their $1 copay. i dont know how doctors office visits go but i bet its the same way as it goes in pharmacies, my girlfriend wanted to get some jaw surgery for TMJ that her insurance wouldnt cover so the doctor told her to just apply for medicaid and they'd cover it which is ridiculous- thats a $20-30,000 elective procedure, and guess who pays for that- the taxpayers

Answer 4

people working until they die. poor people not getting the health and dental care they need.