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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: gg cox who wrote (8850)	8/30/2009 11:19:43 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

They have single-payer health care. And they love it. The fact is, we have some pretty dotty old people. They love their supplemental insurance, too. What they don't love is any change in their routines.

To: gg cox who wrote (8850)	8/30/2009 12:30:20 PM
From: wlcnyc	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

"Seniors live in America's version of Canada. They have single-payer health care. And they love it." I do not believe that to be a true statement. Do Canadians have the equivalent of Medicare Advantage plans? With Medicare Advantage one has a choice of many plans from many private insurance companies. You choose the plan that best fits your needs - just as you would in the "other world" of private insurance. You can opt to "pay" the minimum of what Medicare costs or pay more for additional benefits. I do not perceive this as a single payer system. I find that many doctors who accept Medicare Advantage plans for payment do not accept simple Medicare. That is just one of the many advantages. I am aware that Obama has said that payments to Medicare Advantage plans would be cut and that could mean the end of them or at least the advantage of them. That remains to be seen. However, at this point, it is misleading to say that "Seniors live in America's version of Canada. They have single-payer health care." That simply is not true of those who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Whether we are dotty and opposed to change, or whether Medicare is going broke is irrelevant to my point. The truth is, currently, all seniors are not living with a single payer system. We have choice. Bill