Government Efficiency
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Government run healthcare... Wife received an EOB from Medicare yesterday. It's 30 pages long.
30 pages.
- The wife used to file Medicare Superbills, so she's familiar with a lot of the jargon. Most people would be left with a head-scratching mess.
- One procedure was reimbursed at 100%. Another at 20%. Others in between. An optometrist was reimbursed more money for a visit than an ENT. It's crazy.
If things are this complicated on this end, imagine the healthcare people filing the charges.
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@jon-nyc said in Government Efficiency:
Private insurance uses the same coding system, as I’m sure you know.
Have you seen an EOB from UHC? Last one I got was two pages, including graphs.
No, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance (and healthcare) use ICD codes, but do not generate similar EOBs nor do they reimburse at similar rates.
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@jon-nyc said in Government Efficiency:
Private insurance uses the same coding system, as I’m sure you know.
Have you seen an EOB from UHC? Last one I got was two pages, including graphs.
No, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance (and healthcare) use ICD codes, but do not generate similar EOBs nor do they reimburse at similar rates.
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@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
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@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
“Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”
Warning: I post things that interest me. Read and comment at your own discretion.
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@Axtremus No one forces the enrollment in Medicare. If you have employer provided health insurance then it doesn't matter. If you are on a individual plan, good luck affording the astronomical premiums, co-pays and deductibles.
@mark said in Government Efficiency:
No one forces the enrollment in Medicare.
Pretty close
Can I decline Medicare altogether?
Medicare isn’t exactly mandatory, but it can be complicated to decline. Late enrollment comes with penalties, and some parts of the program are optional to add, like Medicare parts C and D. Medicare parts A and B are the foundation of Medicare, though, and to decline these comes with consequences.
The Social Security Administration oversees the Medicare program and recommends signing up for Medicare when you are initially eligible, even if you don’t plan to retire or use your benefits right away. The exception is when you are still participating in an employer-based health plan, in which case you can sign up for Medicare late, usually without penalty.
While you can decline Medicare altogether, Part A at the very least is premium-free for most people, and won’t cost you anything if you elect not to use it. Declining your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits completely is possible, but you are required to withdraw from all of your monthly benefits to do so. This means you can no longer receive Social Security or RRB benefits and must repay anything you have already received when you withdraw from the program.
https://www.healthline.com/health/medicare/is-medicare-mandatory#declining
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@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
The point is that private insurance is much, much more expensive than government. People who complain about how awful the government system is doing need to think about what state they'd be in without it.
I was only joking
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@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
The point is that private insurance is much, much more expensive than government. People who complain about how awful the government system is doing need to think about what state they'd be in without it.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
The point is that private insurance is much, much more expensive than government. People who complain about how awful the government system is doing need to think about what state they'd be in without it.
BTW, I also have private insurance.
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@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
I see that you have chosen to not answer my questions.
Depends on how technical you want to get, we already breathe water. In any case, I am happy with my current breathing situation and I am not complaining about it.
But you seem to be unhappy and complaining about the government run healthcare that your family is using, hence the questions on whether you can choose healthcare that is not government run. Can you?
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@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
The point is that private insurance is much, much more expensive than government. People who complain about how awful the government system is doing need to think about what state they'd be in without it.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
The point is that private insurance is much, much more expensive than government.
Before you reach Medicare age, there is Obamacare
Obamacare isn't exactly insurance or healthcare, it is charity. Obamacare pays for your private insurance. I used it for several years. They gave me some money and I used it to buy private insurance.
The basic plans are free, the government pays the entire premium. There are more expensive plans where the consumer has to pay part of the bill.
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@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
I see that you have chosen to not answer my questions.
Depends on how technical you want to get, we already breathe water. In any case, I am happy with my current breathing situation and I am not complaining about it.
But you seem to be unhappy and complaining about the government run healthcare that your family is using, hence the questions on whether you can choose healthcare that is not government run. Can you?
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Axtremus said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly, you can choose healthcare that is not government run, right? No one is forcing you or your family to use government run healthcare, right?
You can choose to breathe water, right? No one is forcing you or your family to breathe air, right?
I see that you have chosen to not answer my questions.
Depends on how technical you want to get, we already breathe water. In any case, I am happy with my current breathing situation and I am not complaining about it.
But you seem to be unhappy and complaining about the government run healthcare that your family is using, hence the questions on whether you can choose healthcare that is not government run. Can you?
No, when you boldly exceed the light speed of stupid, you're not worthy of an answer.
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To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
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To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
If you're in the U.S., check out the government plans. The premiums might be exorbitant ($1100/ month or so), but if the wife has access to insurance, it may be worth it. Depends on how bad you wish to retire.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
If you're in the U.S., check out the government plans. The premiums might be exorbitant ($1100/ month or so), but if the wife has access to insurance, it may be worth it. Depends on how bad you wish to retire.
@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
If you're in the U.S., check out the government plans. The premiums might be exorbitant ($1100/ month or so), but if the wife has access to insurance, it may be worth it. Depends on how bad you wish to retire.
Thanks - I'll have to wait and see how I feel - I hit the rule of 85 at age 65 with my company pension, so there's an added incentive...
I was only joking
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Obamacare pays based on income.
If you are retired and living off of savings, your income may be very low.
With a low income Obamacare will pay for your insurance. You might have millions in the bank, but that doesn't matter. It's the income that matters.
I have been out of it for a few years, but that is how it used to work.
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@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
If you're in the U.S., check out the government plans. The premiums might be exorbitant ($1100/ month or so), but if the wife has access to insurance, it may be worth it. Depends on how bad you wish to retire.
Thanks - I'll have to wait and see how I feel - I hit the rule of 85 at age 65 with my company pension, so there's an added incentive...
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
@Jolly said in Government Efficiency:
@Doctor-Phibes said in Government Efficiency:
To be honest, the main reason I'm planning on working until I'm 65 rather than 62 is health insurance. I have a friend who retired at 62 and spends 6 months in Florida, the other 6 on The Cape, and most of his spare money seems to go on either health insurance or drinks with umbrellas in them.
If you're in the U.S., check out the government plans. The premiums might be exorbitant ($1100/ month or so), but if the wife has access to insurance, it may be worth it. Depends on how bad you wish to retire.
Thanks - I'll have to wait and see how I feel - I hit the rule of 85 at age 65 with my company pension, so there's an added incentive...
A lot of it depends on how you feel and whether you want to keep working. Word to the wise: If you are in good health and don't have something to keep you as busy as you are at your job, you may not enjoy retirement as much as you think you will.
