--No one is "forced" to participate in Medicare. When a person has received Social Security or Social Security Disability for 2 years, they then have the *option* to receive Medicare. If you don't want it, you can opt out.
--No one is prevented from supplementing their Medicare coverage with other insurance. You just have to indicate whether Medicare or the supplemental coverage is to be your primary payer.
At least this was the case when I began receiving Medicare a few years ago. For several years I had Medicare plus insurance through my wife's work. This article seems to be all shook up over nothing.
--No one is prevented from supplementing their Medicare coverage with other insurance. You just have to indicate whether Medicare or the supplemental coverage is to be your primary payer.
People must fund medicare, or break the law. The law forces them to "participate" in funding Medicare, even if they can forgo the benefits.
That said, disgr's #19 brings up an important point. Under proposed legislation, will seniors really break the law if they buy supplemental insurance? The article doesn't document that claim.
Crying wolf?