Posted on 07/09/2013 11:15:43 AM PDT by Bob Ireland
For some years I have listened to Rush Limbaugh, and heard him picture Medicare recipients as some sort of ungrateful leaches sucking off of the public dole. He characterizes them as resisting having to pay a dime for their medical coverage.
Being a fan of Rush, I have tolerated this misguidance on his part and sent him e-mails [I am 24-7 member] trying to save him from being caught in a 'lie'. He has never responded to these e-mails - for whatever reason.
Then yesterday - Monday - he mentioned a story about the Congress considering a bill to make Medicare recipients pay 'a few pennies' for their medical coverage - and the bill going down to defeat. I simply cannot remain silent in the face of this total fabrication.
I have been on Medicare for 15 years. My Medicare Part B presently costs me a little pocket change short of $100 a month - a little less that $1,200 a year. That money is deducted out of my Social Security check before I ever receive it. That benefit offers to pay 80% of my allowable medical bills, and I am responsible for the other 20%.
In my case - since I look at government programs with a jaundiced eye - I have signed my Medicare obligations over to a private HMO [called an Advantage Plan]. However, Obama's health care plan has drained the Medicare treasury by hundreds of billions of dollars; therefore the future of the program is in question. In some states I understand the Advantage Plans have already been canceled. Many doctors and hospitals are trying to figure how to get free of Medicare since the Medicare payments are either delayed, diminished or missing altogether. I still cannot be sure my HMO will be part of Medicare next year.
BUT, back to the main theme of this article: How many FReepers pay $1,200 a year for their medical insurance? Probably some do; likely most do not. I am not complaining about paying for my health care - I voluntarily and happily pay the premium.
Furthermore, if it becomes a matter of saving the dollar from total collapse I would accept the cancellation of Medicare altogether. Just stop charging me $100 a month and send the program into the Bermuda Triangle. I have led a fruitful life. HOWEVER, under Obama's healthcare program, that cannot happen. My Medicare could be cancelled and I could be set with the old Indian squaw by the side of the road to waste away - but I would still have to pay my health care premium in order to provide health care for younger folk.
Would someone who can get through to Rush Limbaugh get these points across to him - if he is really interested - so that people can understand the truth about Medicare - not a bunch of myths and misrepresentations.
I hate the fact that assholes like him are dipping into my wallet funding their healthcare, then they BITCH about it.
F' him. Hope medicare/Medicaid etc.. etc.. etc.. denies his claims until he dies. Serve him right for TAKING from me then bitching about the very services he receives at the expense of the few TAXPAYERS like me who are funding his sorry ass existence!
His fame a riches have gone to his head...is mainly a blow hard now, not the same Rush of years back.
Actually, I'm not saying that we should do away with old-age benefits. They do need serious reform, though, like means testing and eliminating arbitrary age kick-ins. Given our desperate financial situation, we're going to have to start expecting people to continue working while they are physically able to. We can't afford to give healthy and fit 65 year olds welfare just because they've passed some magic age.
FWIW-
In short: I'm just a simple "tell it like it is" kinda guy. ;-)
If these gov basturds told me they were going to keep ALL of the Medcare TAX I paid in over the years & I could opt out of gov health care & they would NEVER contact me AGAIN, I'd get HAPPY DRUNK for a WEEK!!!
With all due respect; pound sand. I'm not in over my head. Sometimes when it seems like everyone else is wrong, it's best to look in the mirror. You complained that Rush was calling you a leech (which he didn't) because you were getting something for free (which you are). You basically pay for 3 months of insurance and the taxpayers (me and others on the thread) pick up the difference. In the retail world this would be called "buy one and get three free" Note the word FREE there.
Maybe it's because you are an idiot. Maybe you just can't do math. Maybe you think that since you pay something, you are self supporting. Maybe you just don't know how to effectively communicate using the written word.
SImple fact is that if YOU paid for the entire bill rather than having taxpayers chip in the rest of us on the thread would probably not have chimed in,
Think about that. you post something and tons of people reject your premise. Somehow in your little brain, the whole crowd here at FR can't read. Time for some self reflection.
If you are taking public assistance in any way, shape or form (medicare, medicaid, Social Security, food stamps, etc, etc, etc.) then your are “a public leach sponging off of everybody else’s hard work and sweat”. If you are not taking public assistance, then you are not. Pretty simple actually.
The fact that you paid for other public leaches while you were working is not revelent, nor will it prevent your “benefits” from being cut off abruptly when the “free obama money” runs out.
Your inability to read and understand what you read shows your ignorance. When you learn to read you will see that I have a private insurance carrier - not Medicare. Therefore your argument is completely baseless and stupid.
This is the propaganda... I wonder if more than 50% of Medicare costs are fraudulent. With private insurance there would be little fraud because the company could not survive it.
***Having those on MediCare pay, for example, a fee to visit a Doctor would discourage visits***
Well, there is a 20% co-pay on Medicare... perhaps not enough. I understand many Dr's do not charge the 20%... curious.
Where on earth do you find this in my post? Since I have private insurance, it is up to them what they wish to charge.
I have certainly learned a lot about what others pay on this thread... Your argument is all the more reason to eliminate the Affordable Care Act - and probably Medicare if it cannot be completely privatized.
I cannot see how this can go on much longer... $17 trillion in debt now! This immigration reform bill will cost another $trillion... this Congress wants this country to go under and the dollar to collapse. We MUST find a way to stop all this treason.
If you had even the smallest interest in facts you would see how irrelevant your comments are. I have private insurance - not Medicare. Let the insurance company decide what it wishes to charge - or get out of the business. Instead, the govt will likely force private insurance out of Medicare so they can continue the fraud to all their cronies.
Your ignorance and hatred is so deep I predict you will never find any pleasure in life. ...your choice.
Given my experience - as stated repeatedly on this thread - I would think privatizing Medicare would pose a solution to costs. Instead, the govt is moving to block all private involvement in the program... speaks volumes to me.
What the hateful ignorant dweebs on this thread will not understand is that - if Medicare is not workable: get rid of it! I will support that. I do not need anyone subsidizing me for anything. The state of Florida keeps trying to get me to apply for Medicaid for more coverage. I tear up the letters and throw them out.
See how stupid most of the haters on this thread are?
Don't have a auto wreck... they might leave you by the side of the road [unless you are a Democrap voter!] :-)
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