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AverageOldGuy

(2,443 posts)
17. It's not as though you were not warned . . .
Mon Jun 3, 2024, 11:26 PM
Jun 2024

. . . Yes, I know, the Medicare advantage ads flood the cable TV channels that old people watch. I know. My wife of 58 years, who is now 82 and slipping mentally, watches old cowboy movies and shows over and over -- we are in a rural VA county and depend on DirecTV, which has a few channels dedicated to old "westerns." She's even memorized the dialogue in some of them. Still, it makes her happy.

These channels are awash in Medicare advantage; funeral and final expense "life insurance;" car breakdown insurance; Camp LeJeune water lawyers; and other scams. The advertisers know where their audience is and know how to grab them.

At least once a day I must explain to her why we stick with standard Medicare and TriCareForLife. She is insulin dependent diabetic who takes a handful of meds twice daily along with five injections of two types of insulin daily. She has had both knees replaced, two session of foot and hand surgery, shoulder surgery -- cost us ZERO. Her meds cost us on average $85 per month.

The truth about the scam that is Medicare Advantage is all over the 'net and needs only a simple Google search to find.

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

cue the apologists to show up Skittles Jun 2024 #1
I'm not an apologist. In fact, I'm not even eligible for a decade plus. jimfields33 Jun 2024 #5
I adore President Bill Clinton! William769 Jun 2024 #28
The delusion that the 'private sector' is better Voltaire2 Jun 2024 #31
Ik, thanks for posting. Privatization is a con, scam. appalachiablue Jun 2024 #6
the goal of privatization is to maximize proffits for private corporations Skittles Jun 2024 #7
Absolutely, it's ALL about money and profit. ETA Reagan started appalachiablue Jun 2024 #9
it kills me to see Dems pimping for privatization Skittles Jun 2024 #13
Exactly. Voltaire2 Jun 2024 #30
They need to take Medicare out of the name wryter2000 Jun 2024 #2
Exactly, gab13by13 Jun 2024 #3
Medigap can be quite pricey Skittles Jun 2024 #4
Disagree that people who choose MA are so stupid they can't make rational decisions, poor maybe. Silent Type Jun 2024 #10
not stupid Skittles Jun 2024 #12
Well, the overall picture is not just you are dumb if you buy MA to the 51% of beneficiaries who voluntarily choose it. Silent Type Jun 2024 #15
orignal Medicare needs some updating Skittles Jun 2024 #19
I didn't understand for the longest time wryter2000 Jun 2024 #33
Well, you can blame Bill Clinton who signed the original legislation Part C, then became Medicare Choice+, then MA. Silent Type Jun 2024 #36
okay, I'll blame him wryter2000 Jun 2024 #38
Exactly duckworth969 Jun 2024 #16
Guess I'm an "apologist." From another article on the first lady, traditional Medicare likely would have denied Silent Type Jun 2024 #8
you need to keep researching Skittles Jun 2024 #11
Maybe, what you/others should do is call their Congresspeople and tell them to stop forcing people into MA Silent Type Jun 2024 #14
I've done plenty Skittles Jun 2024 #18
So, take the benefits they want away from 30+ Million even though traditional Medicare isn't meeting needs. Silent Type Jun 2024 #20
READ ALL OF IT Skittles Jun 2024 #21
If the only way to get these benefits to people is to pay a little extra, I'm fine with that Silent Type Jun 2024 #23
The reason that they have those "benefits that they want" markodochartaigh Jun 2024 #22
Absolutely incorrect. MA has to pay at least the same benefits as Medicare. And Medicare Silent Type Jun 2024 #24
Rather than bore you with anecdotal stories of patients and markodochartaigh Jun 2024 #29
Familiar with organization. They, like OP article, miss the fact that the woman's treatment would not have been covered Silent Type Jun 2024 #35
Not going to happen.? delisen Jun 2024 #32
It's not as though you were not warned . . . AverageOldGuy Jun 2024 #17
The employees at Medicare don't call nonstop every day of the week at dinner time trying to sell you a plan. littlemissmartypants Jun 2024 #25
I cannot say this enough and I will keep saying it till I'm blue in the face William769 Jun 2024 #26
I switched to one myself because they offered dental and eyeglass coverage which I could not have afforded otherwise. cstanleytech Jun 2024 #27
that's how they entice people to MA Skittles Dec 2 #41
Just a question: how was she even on Medicare anything at 52? sinkingfeeling Jun 2024 #34
Social Security Disability, if approved, can be had at any age. William769 Jun 2024 #39
Guess we need to repeal ACA since the plans are private, as are medigap and drug plans. AND Silent Type Jun 2024 #37
Oy vey. William769 Jun 2024 #40
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Social Security & Medicare»MEDICARE: Delays, Denials...»Reply #17