I decided to do my contemporary issues project on Medicare because when I was researching topics to choose from it really was something that I did not know much about and looked interesting. I learned a lot about Medicare over the past couple of weeks. Medicare is government-sponsored healthcare for seniors and disabled. It was first started in 1965, and was designed to provide medical coverage for those on social security. Medicare is broken down into four different sections, Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D.
Medicare is a federal government program intended to give you health care coverage and benefits to those who are above the age of 65 and for those under 65 with a disability. But, “[t]his means the very wealthy and the impoverished qualify for the same benefits, and these benefits are consistent across the nation, no matter where you receive medical care.” (lovetoknow) I think that Medicare should change and be more helpful to those in need of financial aid, and having the wealthy pay whatever they can afford that’s obviously not outrageously expensive. Many think that Medicare is the same as Medicaid, but they are not. Medicare was made intending to help out senior citizens who normally have higher medical bills, and Medicaid is for almost anyone but mainly those with a low-income. The first part of Medicare is Part A. Part A is the original insurance offered by Medicare. Part A helps pay for your hospital bills. When someone signs up for Medicare they automatically get Part A. Many do not have to pay a monthly premium or a yearly deductible for this part of Medicare. Part A will pay the costs when in the hospital, such as meals, hospital rooms, meals, nursing services and hospice care. Part A is the only part of Medicare that is automatically covered and there are not any monthly costs. The second part of Medicare, Part B helps to provide coverage for doctor services outside of the hospital and other things that Part A does not cover. These additional services include, doctor visits, laboratory tests and X-Rays, physical therapy/rehabilitation services, and ambulance services. But unlike Part A, you must sign up for Part B and pay a monthly premium and/or a yearly deductible. The third part, Part C starts to get a little confusing. Part C can also be called Advantage Plans. Theses plans are private health plans that Medicare approved to offer healthcare to eligible people. “Medicare Advantage Plans provide all of your Part A and Part B coverage and must cover medically-necessary services.” Medicare Advantage plans can save you money because it lowers the price that you have to pay up front. But the cost may vary by the types of services that you use. The last part of Medicare is Part D. Part D is for prescription drug coverage. You must be enrolled in at least Medicare Part A before you can apply for Part D coverage. Once you have Medicare anyone can get Part D coverage. This part of Medicare helps to lower your prescription drug prices and to protect you from higher prices in the future. Private companies provide this coverage. You get to choose the drug plan that suits you and then pay a monthly premium.
But Medicare is not perfect, USA today speaks out on a major problem, “Medicare's problems are compounded by soaring health care costs, which are running at more than twice the general rate of inflation. And they're made less predictable by future medical technologies whose emergence, impact and cost are impossible to foresee.” The Government is working to not let Medicare dish out more help than it receives in taxes. With a large portion of the work force starting to retire, Paul Beckner says, “With the baby boomers retiring in less than a decade, the upcoming conference committee on Medicare reform represents the last opportunity to address the fundamental problems of the Medicare system.” Medicare will have a very hard time holding up to its word if they do not act now to revise the provisions of Medicare.
"Medicare Coverage- LoveToKnow Insurance." LoveToKnow.
"Medicare: The next riddle for the ages." USA Today. 16 Mar. 2005.
Beckner, Paul. "Medicare's Two Fundamental Problems." FreedomWorks.
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