One more thing: On Medicare, Medigap, LT Care....In 1965 or so, when Lyndon Johnson sold his "Guns and Butter" plan to America...Medicare was intended then to cover the elderly when they retired. The A and B parts both were promoted that way. Part B was an option. Things certainly didn't work out that way, did they?
We KNEW that Guns and Butter wasn't a viable plan....but the politicians sold it like it was....
Not sure when Medigap insurances became available, and eventually necessary, but believe it was in the 80's....
Don't know how much those policies are today, but will have to be checking them out soon.
And Long Term Care.....This is going to be THE medical issue of the next 25 years, IMO. The costs are SO very high. And there will be much the same discussion there is today on hospitalization.....will it be available if someone has no insurance? Currently, the States will pay (taxpayers) if a person has under $15,000 income. If one pays privately to stay in the SAME nursing home, the cost is over $55,000 per year. My Mom has Alzenheimers, so I'm pretty aware of the costs, unfortunately.
Long Term care is available, in all sorts of increments on how much they will pay per day. A good, but middle of the road cost per day we looked at was $400/Mo for each of us, or $9,600/Yr! I can't even imagine how much it would cost for a really top of the line place.....
Maybe we should all work for the Government .... medical costs are considerably more reasonable for the employees. |
