My socialized medicine story

[LogDog75]

Being retired from the Air Force and living in the San Diego area, I get my medical care from the Navy. Military healthcare is provided by the government so therefore it is socialized medicine.

I went in for my annual physical on Tuesday at the Navy Clinic. My doctor is a retired Navy doctor and he's the best one I've had since I retired 20 years ago. We discussed my health, my lab results (everything fine), and he explained everything in simple language. He recommended I get a bone density scan as a preventative measure since I'm 74 and it would tell him if I needed something to prevent future breaks in my bones as I got older. He made me a referral and I'll followup on Monday to see if it's been processed with the local company that handle bone density scans. He also renewed two of my medications and changed my blood pressure medicine to another brand to get my BP number lower. I picked up all three, 90-day prescriptions at the Navy pharmacy at no charge.

So, am I happy with socialized medicine? 1000% happy

[LeftInTX]

1. You don't truly have socialized medicine. My parents had Tricare.

You paid into Tricare for 20 years.
Veterans who are non retirees only get the VA.

[haele]

2. The US Military is one of the most Socialist organizations in the US...

Socialism doesn't mean things are given out free. Charity is when things are given out for free.
I know of nowhere that there's not some sort of payment for healthcare, be it through Taxpayers, a small Fee, barter, or Charitable giving.

The only organizations more Socialist than the Military are Co-Ops and Congress.
At least in the Military, it's a Hierarchal Socialist Meritocracy.

From Each According to their Skills, To Each According to their Needs....

That's Socialism, my friends.

Haele

[LeftInTX]

4. You pay into your healthcare, just like other government employees.

Keep in mind unless you actually retire, you are not eligible for Tricare.

Tricare is better than Medicare, but Medicare is available to most retirees who have minimal credits etc.

Keep in mind there have been cuts to the program over the decades. My dad retired in 1969 "Set for life" he said. Well, in the 90's they got rid of CHAMPUS and replaced it with TriCare. My dad then said, "Well, I'm glad I'm still working"

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services. CHAMPUS is a US federally funded health program that provides beneficiaries with medical care, supplemental to that available in US military and Public Health Service facilities. All CHAMPUS beneficiaries switch to using Medicare at age 65. CHAMPUS is like Medicare in that the government contracts with private parties to administer the program. CHAMPUS was revamped as a managed care system and renamed TRICARE.

[Meowmee]

3. I am glad it went well 😀

I have to get a bd myself. I already know. I have severe osteoporosis for quite a while now, but I had a fracture a year and a half ago or so almost 2 years. And I’ve been on medication and I have to recheck it. They just changed my insurance Company again so now I have to make sure all my doctors are on it and what is covered etc. I’m trying to get all of my testing done, etc. before it starts on January 1 just in case there are a major changes.

There were so many doctors that I had to go to because I barely did anything during Covid when my father was ill. I didn’t go to the dentist at all and I went over the summer finally to get my teeth cleaned. Fortunately it was only tartar… but my brother ended up with two severe infections and he’s had two teeth removed and will need implants, which is going to cost a fortune.

I don’t think I’m going be able to get everything done that I was supposed to do before January. Hopefully I get everything done before the 20th when you know who takes power.

[surfered]

5. The definition of socialism is the government owns the means of production.

Most Americans don’t understand that for our military, the government owns and operates the hospitals, “hires” the doctors and nurses, and provides free medical care to its members. You can’t get more socialized than that. And if they think it’s such a horrible thing for our military, you would think they would be screaming to change it.

During my short time in the Army, I was hospitalized and later an Army dentist removed my wisdom teeth. I had no complaints

[LeftInTX]

6. My dad used to say, "You hippies complaining about lack of healthcare need to join the military!!"

How many people want to join the military for the health care???

Since then, the military has made actual retirement difficult.
Retirement is where the real healthcare benefits are.

[surfered]

8. Similarly, a lot of my buddies want to own an AR-15

I tell them the Army will give them one (M4 now) for free, but there are associated risks with the job.

[Elessar Zappa]

7. Yes.

I’m on SSDI and below the poverty line so I’m on Medicare as a primary and Medicaid covers the rest. I don’t pay anything for visits, hospitalizations or medications and specialty visits are never denied. I want all Americans to get the care that I get.

[Evolve Dammit]

9. We pay a lot in taxes.Health care should be part of the payback?