I would like an explanation please........?

Question

Is the government responsible for providing healthcare to anyone? Which legislation first instituted gvt funded healthcare and when did this occur?

And why is it that my elderly mother and stepdad who both worked 50 years plus, retired at 70, have to pay 800.00 month co-pay for meds alone (mother still works part-time because of medical cost) even with Medicare, but it is considered a medical strength to be on Medicaid. (I work in healthcare so I know this to documented strength for patients).

Just get rid of Medicare and give the elderly Medicaid so they are provided for at least as generously as welfare recipients (I am being polite). I am not referring to those who are truly disabled.

A lot of the expense is for home diabetic monitoring, fingersticks, insulin, etc. My mother has agonized with paperwork; something about a window or door. I try to send them money to help; and she does not want to give up her independence and move with me or my brother. She did not want to retire but was forced into it due to knee replacement, etc... what a conundrum

Answer 1

Medicare was the first major health care program passed by the Federal government in 1965. At the time it did not include any provisions for prescription drugs or long-term care. But, in 1965, most health care to the elderly was delivered in the acute-care, hospital-based setting. And that involved surgical intervention and other invasive procedures to correct what was wrong. Since then, medicine has moved more to the ambulatory model (including surgery) and the use of prescription drugs to halt the progress of certain disorders and reverse the effect of others. But, there were no changes to the Medicare law to keep pace and adjust to these changes. Even ten years ago, when Medicare started paying the annual enrollment fee to HMOs to keep folks vertical and on the go, versus horizontal and hospitalized. A decade ago, 90+% of Medicare payments went to acute, hospital-based care in the last 90 days of the patient's life. That's not health care. That's terminal care. It's only been in the last year that Medicare will pay for a comprehensive physical upon entering the system. An exam that most providers would agree is the first step in assessing the patient's state of health.
But, few members of the Congress come forth from the health care field. They are, by and large, members of the bar. Few of their committee staff are health care professionals either. The system is run by sausage-makers, when there is a desperate need for medical expertise. And, before you make comparisons, most national health care schemes in other countries have the same maladaption.

Answer 2

i am not going to try to justified any of the health care issues i guess we all of have our gripes -- take the retire military -- when we become lifers and went on one of the things they said we would have is medical for life -- come on folks when a retire person reaches 65 he goes on medicare and since we are retired we can have medicare and tricare we can not go to the vet clinic to get needed hearing aids but anyone they wore a uniform vet or not can -- on the side of the fence you talk to the folks to have worked fo the major drug companies and really find out the cost of developing a drug and all of the money is pour down the drain on drugs that do not work it is mind blowing -- yes there is some bad things out there,-- but can the tax payers keep picking up the burden for all the costs!!!! different subject but in the same vein how many of you seniors have done it or heard of some one transferring funds so it they go into a nursing home they do not let the govt get their assets but let the govt pick up the bill!!!


i will add they may have certain faults but paper work and working the system is not one of them -- i was at the doctor the other day and he was going over my chart and saying how please he was and than he cursed under his breath and i asked what was wrong and he said he was sorry but his nurse had scheduled me for a psa test and it had not been a year three days prior and he was sorry but medicare would send me a bill for the test -- yes he was right i got a bill!!!l

Answer 3

Why aren't they using Medicares prescription coverage. Depending on their income, some pharmaceutical companies have a plan where you fill out an application, have the doctor write the prescription, submit paperwork to your doctor, then send it to the drug company. They in turn, will mail you about 3 months supply of the medication. It may be delivered to your home or at your doctors office. This is free! one of the websites is http://www.pparx.com

Answer 4

No, obviously, the government is not responsible for providing healthcare to anyone and everyone...that would be socialized medicine.

We can't have that!!!

That might mean that the delivery of healthcare might become more efficient and cost-effective.

(Did you know that our healthcare system is one of the most expensive and inefficient of the all the industrialized nations?)

Answer 5

I am in California and I thought anyone over the age of 65 gets Medi Cal (Calif. word for Medicaid)... It's also for children whose parents don't have insurance and for the disabled...

Answer 6

I also work in the Medical Field. I'm sorry to say, it's all Politics.

Answer 7

That is so sad. Hope that never happens to me or someone I love.