Double-Digit Medical Expense Trend to Continue

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THE GREATEST GENERATION WILL AGAIN---(WW11 --KOREA) FIGHT TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY.
THOUSANDS OF SENIOR CITIZENS -EACH YEAR- WILL MEET AT NIAGRA FALLS AND FALL ON OUR SWORDS -BEFORE WE JUMP OVER THE RAIL AND GO DOWN THE RIVER OF ETERNAL SACRIFICE. OUR COUNTRY CALLS AGAIN--- NOT TO STORM THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY -BUT TO STARVE TO DEATH WITH DECREASED BENEFITS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY. ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU -ASK HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE YOU TO STARVE TO DEATH-THEN JOIN US AT NIAGRA FALLS.

BOOKER T. BEVERLY of VA 5:27PM February 22, 2010

If, heaven forbid, you need long term therapy and go to a nursing home before going home, if you have traditional Medicare, the nursing home abides by their regulations, does your rehab, and sends you home.
If you have private Medicare Advantage plans, THEY are in the driver's seat, and being profit driven, try to send you home as soon as you can walk, and too bad if you can't yet do stairs, wipe your butt, do simple cooking and so forth.
My mom has a private Medicare plan, broke her hip, and needed PT at a nursing home. Instead of being able to focus on her therapy, I find myself in the absurd position of having to appeal to a state board every few weeks, as her Medicare Advantage provider keeps trying to get her thrown out by saying she is no longer making progress, though her standing tolerance, walking, self-toileting and balance continue to improve. It's ridiculous, because my mom continues to make progress, but these for-profit goons want her off the books. Wish us luck, and for yourself- good luck, good health to you, and stay away from these inhuman "Advantage" plans.

Chris of PA 3:16PM November 09, 2009

My Medicare Advantage insurance cost currently is $149 per month. The monthly cost increases to $262 in 2010, a 76% increase. I can't imagine what is causing such a huge increase since some Medadvatage plans have $0 monthly premium costs.
I hope someone can help explain the causes of my $112 per month rate increase.

DR of Wa of WA 9:41AM November 05, 2009

All of these years I have worked at least two job sometimes three to educate a child when there was not special education services. All of the taxes I paid on this employment is now null and void, all of the promises they made were lies. Is this nonsense every going to end, well yes when I die.

P Greene of NH 6:59PM October 22, 2009

Our for-profit health care system is an obvious disaster. Amazing how the Conservative buffoons have been capable of duping the American people into supporting it!!

Ewing of FL 6:39AM September 09, 2009

They have a valid cause to question a government plan. Obama will not be president forever (I hope) but the lifelong bureucrats will ultimately decide the fate of our healtcare if this reform proposal passes.
How about a tax credit for individual policy purchaser similar to what employers now enjoy based upon the national average. How about looking into the HSA and promoting that policy? How about each state forming a pool for the uninsurable citizens.
I prefer to make my own decisions and purchase my own health insurance. If you want the government option, get a government job.
Leave the rest of us to take care of ourselves.

John Paplaczyk of OH 3:51PM September 03, 2009

Did anybody tell the teabaggers and town hallers about these continuing cost trends BROUGHT TO THEM AGAIN BY THE CORPORATIZED "FREE ENTERPRISE IN MEDICINE" SYSTEM THEY SO IDOLIZE? Or were they told, but were so distracted with "death panels" and hate for Obama that the actual numerical information went in one ear and out the other?
Is there anybody out there, for instance, who might understand something so basic as that prescription drug costs to American citizens would not be going up 9.1% per year IF CORPORATIONS WERE NOT ADVERTISING THEM 24/365 ON TELEVISION?
Not that anyone with quiet sense can alter our emotion-driven political trajectory very much, it seems, when sense-trumping hot buttons are pushed continuously by corporate advocates, but I have to conclude that Mr. Moeller here is consistently sending us the best information appearing on this USNWR blog site. Thanks, again.

Muser of NM 11:50AM September 02, 2009