Our real problem is we don't have elderly health care source recorded on death certificates. We just don't get data on age and cause of death by how health care is paid for.
Thank you, Ms Archer, for this great overview. I successfully switched from a Medicare Advantage plan early 2022 to traditional Medicare. I read, watched YouTube videos, found a great agent, and really dug down to learn about the problems with the Medicare Advantage system (and ALL privatization schemes related to healthcare). I felt relieved to have done it. Except for......
I am now facing the situation where there are VERY FEW doctors in my area who are accepting NEW Medicare patients. I am not happy with my current PCP, so I thought, "Great! Now I'm free to find the right doctor for me!" However, I have been met with closed door after closed door. I research doctors -- I don't want to just go with anyone who will see me, because most of them don't know how to treat my thyroid condition -- and every single doctor I have called to try to become one of their patients has said "Sorry, we can't see you."
So IN THEORY, yes, you can see ANY doctor (who accepts Medicare) ANYWHERE in the country on traditional Medicare. But in practice, that's not how it is turning out! More and more, fewer of them are actually accepting Medicare, or if they do, they can't take any NEW patients!!
There is a big clinic chain in my area (Vancouver, WA) that will take just about every Medicare ADVANTAGE plan known to the Universe, but they will NOT take traditional Medicare patients, unless you are seeing a specialist! They will not let Medicare patients have a PCP in their clinic! It's a crying shame, because years ago I went to them when I was on Medicaid in 2014. In 2015, they kicked all Medicaid patients out of their clinic (except for children). Every time I think I can get in to see them (I do like them, overall), some restriction rears its head.
And this is just one example, right in my city. It must be also happening elsewhere. We are a large American city, and the system is currently HORRIBLE for Medicare patients! (Unless, of course, your timing was lucky and you're already in.) For new patients, all I can say is GOOD LUCK!
So can you, or Wendell, or somebody knowledgeable about this problem write an article about it? I always see articles like this (and all the advice I received when I made the decision to switch, as well) PRAISING THE VIRTUES of Original Medicare and making it sound like your life will be so much better on it. And I DO BELIEVE that's true... in theory! But I can't find a doctor! Even if I do eventually find one, I doubt I could find one who would see me more than 10-15 minutes at each visit. ALL doctors seem to have bought into the "cattle call" version of healthcare, seeing as many as possible each day without really taking time with their patients! And the few rare doctors who don't do that? Well, typically they don't even take ANY insurance, let alone Medicare! They know how horrible it is to deal with health insurance, so they set up their practices for patients to pay entirely out of pocket. Either that, or they have bought into one of those "concierge" services that is another story entirely.
I just don't see enough information or articles out there about this extremely terrible problem, with possible solutions. Things are really pretty scary right now! I would really love to see a conversation develop in all of our healthcare activist circles addressing the very real problem of doctors turning away Medicare patients.
Diane Archer is correct and, sad to say, despite a strong case in arbitration, even the AFL-CIO, which has always supported Original Medicare, now forces its retirees into UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage Plan.
AARP also promotes UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans all over its website.
Why? As AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler's top staffer told me, "UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage saved us millions of dollars [over UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Supplement Plan].
No wonder health insurers are now running phony commercials ("Don't Cut My Medicare Advantage") against the CMS rules that would stop them from gouging Medicare this year by $27 billion in excessive and unwarranted payments to MA Plans!
I do not agree. Advantage plans (here in Puerto Rico) cover almost everything with no co-pay. I am not aware of any restrictions with regard to doctorsnor services, though some medications may have a surcharge after thousands are used. Money is returned to subscriber in debit cards and generous otc payments. I can even get free repairs to my house. I am aware that in US states benefits are inferior.
A very nice summary of Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Your points about "taking MA when you're healthy, and switching to TM when you need costly care" should be thoughtfully considered since humans typically underestimate their risk for major health issues - cancer, CVD, etc.
Could you explain why, if you get sick, you could end up paying more in Medicare Advantage than in traditional Medicare, when Medicare Advantage has a cap on out of pocket expenses
Our real problem is we don't have elderly health care source recorded on death certificates. We just don't get data on age and cause of death by how health care is paid for.
Dr. James H. Gundlach
Thank you, Ms Archer, for this great overview. I successfully switched from a Medicare Advantage plan early 2022 to traditional Medicare. I read, watched YouTube videos, found a great agent, and really dug down to learn about the problems with the Medicare Advantage system (and ALL privatization schemes related to healthcare). I felt relieved to have done it. Except for......
I am now facing the situation where there are VERY FEW doctors in my area who are accepting NEW Medicare patients. I am not happy with my current PCP, so I thought, "Great! Now I'm free to find the right doctor for me!" However, I have been met with closed door after closed door. I research doctors -- I don't want to just go with anyone who will see me, because most of them don't know how to treat my thyroid condition -- and every single doctor I have called to try to become one of their patients has said "Sorry, we can't see you."
So IN THEORY, yes, you can see ANY doctor (who accepts Medicare) ANYWHERE in the country on traditional Medicare. But in practice, that's not how it is turning out! More and more, fewer of them are actually accepting Medicare, or if they do, they can't take any NEW patients!!
There is a big clinic chain in my area (Vancouver, WA) that will take just about every Medicare ADVANTAGE plan known to the Universe, but they will NOT take traditional Medicare patients, unless you are seeing a specialist! They will not let Medicare patients have a PCP in their clinic! It's a crying shame, because years ago I went to them when I was on Medicaid in 2014. In 2015, they kicked all Medicaid patients out of their clinic (except for children). Every time I think I can get in to see them (I do like them, overall), some restriction rears its head.
And this is just one example, right in my city. It must be also happening elsewhere. We are a large American city, and the system is currently HORRIBLE for Medicare patients! (Unless, of course, your timing was lucky and you're already in.) For new patients, all I can say is GOOD LUCK!
So can you, or Wendell, or somebody knowledgeable about this problem write an article about it? I always see articles like this (and all the advice I received when I made the decision to switch, as well) PRAISING THE VIRTUES of Original Medicare and making it sound like your life will be so much better on it. And I DO BELIEVE that's true... in theory! But I can't find a doctor! Even if I do eventually find one, I doubt I could find one who would see me more than 10-15 minutes at each visit. ALL doctors seem to have bought into the "cattle call" version of healthcare, seeing as many as possible each day without really taking time with their patients! And the few rare doctors who don't do that? Well, typically they don't even take ANY insurance, let alone Medicare! They know how horrible it is to deal with health insurance, so they set up their practices for patients to pay entirely out of pocket. Either that, or they have bought into one of those "concierge" services that is another story entirely.
I just don't see enough information or articles out there about this extremely terrible problem, with possible solutions. Things are really pretty scary right now! I would really love to see a conversation develop in all of our healthcare activist circles addressing the very real problem of doctors turning away Medicare patients.
Diane Archer is correct and, sad to say, despite a strong case in arbitration, even the AFL-CIO, which has always supported Original Medicare, now forces its retirees into UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage Plan.
AARP also promotes UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans all over its website.
Why? As AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler's top staffer told me, "UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage saved us millions of dollars [over UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Supplement Plan].
No wonder health insurers are now running phony commercials ("Don't Cut My Medicare Advantage") against the CMS rules that would stop them from gouging Medicare this year by $27 billion in excessive and unwarranted payments to MA Plans!
I do not agree. Advantage plans (here in Puerto Rico) cover almost everything with no co-pay. I am not aware of any restrictions with regard to doctorsnor services, though some medications may have a surcharge after thousands are used. Money is returned to subscriber in debit cards and generous otc payments. I can even get free repairs to my house. I am aware that in US states benefits are inferior.
A very nice summary of Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Your points about "taking MA when you're healthy, and switching to TM when you need costly care" should be thoughtfully considered since humans typically underestimate their risk for major health issues - cancer, CVD, etc.
to put it simply and bluntly, Medicare Advantage is a SCAM!😡
-David Brody, MD
Could you explain why, if you get sick, you could end up paying more in Medicare Advantage than in traditional Medicare, when Medicare Advantage has a cap on out of pocket expenses
Well done. Thank you.