In early May, the Better Medicare Alliance, an active front group for the health insurance industry and perhaps the country’s greatest champion of Medicare Advantage plans, unveiled a new report. The alliance, with a well-stocked, industry-financed war chest to promote insurers’ premier product, claimed traditional Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas spend 49% more on health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs than people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. Mary Beth Donahue, president and CEO of the alliance, announced that “seniors living in rural areas face unique health care challenges. Access and affordability should not be among them.”
I’m a discharge planner for a hospital. I’ve been working all day trying to find a home health company to service a patient who lives in rural WA. His UHC Managed Medicare has no service contracts where he lives. If he had original Medicare, this wouldn’t be a problem. Instead, he sits here in the hospital waiting while we try to figure out what to do. It’s unconscionable.
Congress should disallow the use of Medicare in Medicare Advantage. It is nothing like Medicare and it is woefully deceptive to imply that it is an advantage.
Thank you Trudy for helping to uncover the truth about the healthcare economy. It is hard enough when you’re actually working in healthcare to understand it, but it’s impossible for the lay public to be informed. Intentional deceptive marketing takes “Advantage” of us all.
This is one of my favorite new stacks and I’m sharing it widely.
If any Congressperson or government represented group wants backup and testimony on how Medicare Advantage has ravaged our patients especially over the past 3 years, I'm here. I perform laboratory testing and complete the full billing cycle in our lab. I have seen things that are unconscionable and frankly SHOULD BE ILLEGAL.
This is the truth, 100%. And contrary to some people's beliefs it is equally bipartisan, this fleecing of the public coffers. We the people need to stop with the stupid division, hatred in families, shunning of each other and demand that these government servants represent US, not themselves. They are far rich enough when they can take private jet vacations on a whim. We don't need for them to gather the last drops of money still available.
cannot exist without corporate welfare. Part C plans are not Medicare. Center for Medicare Services pays at least $12,000 of taxpayer money to these for profit private insurance companies in the name of each person that is sold a part c plan.
Thank you for your work, Trudy. I used to work for the largest MA plan in the country and believed that MA services could improve access in rural areas. However, access won't be available after the lack of payment, crushing medical debt, and shuttering healthcare facilities.
Health systems are starting to realize that providing some routine care management and creative patient engagement keeps Medicare revenue flowing and improves the community's health.
They also ignore our system because they don't have to take part in it. The politicians have their own, much more generous, health insurance. Things would likely change If politicians were forced to have medicare advantage plans with their representative areas as their region. Let the representatives from rural areas use the same healthcare facilities with the same insurance as the rest of us and see how fast things change.
The right wingers are “godists.” God takes pleasure in death disease and killing, having killed everyone on earth in the great flood and created disease etc.
I’m a discharge planner for a hospital. I’ve been working all day trying to find a home health company to service a patient who lives in rural WA. His UHC Managed Medicare has no service contracts where he lives. If he had original Medicare, this wouldn’t be a problem. Instead, he sits here in the hospital waiting while we try to figure out what to do. It’s unconscionable.
Terrible
Congress should disallow the use of Medicare in Medicare Advantage. It is nothing like Medicare and it is woefully deceptive to imply that it is an advantage.
It is deceptive
I so agree Walter- take Medicare out of the name. It is intentionally deceptive advertising.
Thank you Trudy for helping to uncover the truth about the healthcare economy. It is hard enough when you’re actually working in healthcare to understand it, but it’s impossible for the lay public to be informed. Intentional deceptive marketing takes “Advantage” of us all.
This is one of my favorite new stacks and I’m sharing it widely.
💪👊🏼🤞
If any Congressperson or government represented group wants backup and testimony on how Medicare Advantage has ravaged our patients especially over the past 3 years, I'm here. I perform laboratory testing and complete the full billing cycle in our lab. I have seen things that are unconscionable and frankly SHOULD BE ILLEGAL.
Sadly the politicians would love another scheme to line the pockets of their campaign contributors
This is the truth, 100%. And contrary to some people's beliefs it is equally bipartisan, this fleecing of the public coffers. We the people need to stop with the stupid division, hatred in families, shunning of each other and demand that these government servants represent US, not themselves. They are far rich enough when they can take private jet vacations on a whim. We don't need for them to gather the last drops of money still available.
💯 agree. We can do better and keep people healthier for far less.
Part C aka disadvantage plans
cannot exist without corporate welfare. Part C plans are not Medicare. Center for Medicare Services pays at least $12,000 of taxpayer money to these for profit private insurance companies in the name of each person that is sold a part c plan.
Yes CVS is another corporate welfare queen
Thank you for your work, Trudy. I used to work for the largest MA plan in the country and believed that MA services could improve access in rural areas. However, access won't be available after the lack of payment, crushing medical debt, and shuttering healthcare facilities.
Health systems are starting to realize that providing some routine care management and creative patient engagement keeps Medicare revenue flowing and improves the community's health.
Thank you for tackling this subject. I don’t even know if it really is healthcare.
Our current so called healthcare system failed during the pandemic. This system does not help for long term care nor hospice car.
Our government has gratefully stepped up to provide funding for pandemics and hospice care.
I wonder if private for profit health insurance companies are doing anything to fund & help with Covid now or with another pandemic.
It’s not a partisan issue the fact is our politicians ignore our system because it lines the pockets of a few.
They also ignore our system because they don't have to take part in it. The politicians have their own, much more generous, health insurance. Things would likely change If politicians were forced to have medicare advantage plans with their representative areas as their region. Let the representatives from rural areas use the same healthcare facilities with the same insurance as the rest of us and see how fast things change.
They even get private room in hospital reserved for VIPs
The right wingers are “godists.” God takes pleasure in death disease and killing, having killed everyone on earth in the great flood and created disease etc.
God is the literal Medicare for all
If god wanted Medicare for all, he would not have created disease or accidents.
Not sure what you mean by this comment but yes everyone should have healthcare. I believe it’s a human right to be cared for.