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Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brumar89 who wrote (3420)	2/21/2004 12:51:47 AM
From: geode00	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 173976

abcnews.go.com news.bbc.co.uk thyroid.about.com 1 out of every 7 uninsured. I don't know what it takes to qualify for Medicaid or Medicare for that matter but obviously there are the uncovered who end up sicker than necessary, dead, disabled or in the ER for very expensive treatment.

To: Brumar89 who wrote (3420)	2/21/2004 1:27:27 AM
From: shadowman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 173976

Most elderly people are covered by Medicare. Medicare will only cover a certain percentage of ongoing healthcare costs. Usually the recipient has to pay a percentage of their medical costs....as well as prescription drug costs. Long-term health care...nursing homes for example, are not covered by Medicare. Most elderly people either have to pay for nursing home costs out of their own pocket, or, unless they are a member of a very small group that has private long term healthcare insurance (which doesn't normally cover all nursing home costs), they have to divest their assets to the point that they qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid is asset based and if you have any meaningful assets..cash, property etc...you don't qualify. Nursing home care usually runs a minimum $6000 per month or more. It doesn't take the average person long to basically exhaust whatever assets they may have. The prospect facing most elderly people in this country is this...destitute yourself in order to qualify for Medicaid, thus nursing home costs are covered. This system of elderly long-term care is not a fun thing to have to be faced with if you happen to be elderly or have elderly parents. Many people end up losing their homes. Many, if they are informed, have to transfer ownership of their property to someone (usually a family member) in order to divest themselves of an asset that would delay their qualifying for Medicaid. Also bank accounts are usually drained by the knowing in order to qualify....there are time limit constraints depending on what you are divesting and when. If you don't divest (and protect) your assets, Medicaid will basically divest them for you to cover the long-term (nursing home) medical costs until you're destitute enough to qualify for Medicaid coverage. Many lawyers make a decent living advising people on how to try and protect their assets from Medicaid before their situation demands long-term health care (nursing home). The situation in my opinion is something a country such as ours should be ashamed of.