Clearly, we need to have Universal Healthcare like other civilized countries have had for decades. I live on my Social Security and was put on an Advantage . It has paid for everything, even out of state emergency care. I'm sure they must be gouging the government to pay for their generous benefits.
Marianne Williamson is running in the Democratic primary! Check out her agenda as it's intelligently designed and is a stark contrast to what's been going on, and she stands for a Medicare For All type universal healthcare system & climate change! Her agenda supports the actual people, not corrupt politicians and corporations. #MarianneWilliamson2024
No kidding. My husband retired from a soul-sucking job at 62 recently. Trying to find healthcare that is affordable is stressful. Right now they all cost more a month than my husband's job pension.
I’m on disability. After two years they require to switch to Medicare. It’s different than Medicare for retirees. I went with Medicare advantage because Medicare for disability recipients didn’t cover my chemotherapy. I will say it’s vastly inferior to the coverage I had through ACA Marketplace. I will say that they are very careful about making sure I’m not getting procedures I don’t need. I had 2 different doctors order brain scans and the hospital tried to bill for 2 MRIs. It was just one scan that looked at 2 different things. I wasn’t informed the service was denied until more than 10 days after I’d had it. This is typical-except I usually get a letter saying they approved it well after it has happened. The hospital tried to bill me for the 2nd contrast dye for $400. That was a funny conversation.
@@sherryBLUE735After early retirement, I got free Marketplace/Obamacare insurance: Colorado does a great job advertising the program and the website is extremely user friendly!
I think if we got the profit motive back out of these plans, we'd have all the money we need to expand Medicare to include the hearing, vision, and dental. These plans are overcharging taxpayers and cheating patients.
@@MonkeyJedi99 Medicare and Medicaid are two entirely different things. Seniors on Medicare often are not covered for dental, vision and hearing. Basic tests and cleanings, yes, but not much else. That's why they need to also buy a supplemental plan. But I know nothing about how this works in Massachusetts.
Thank you, Katie, for shedding light on this legal Medicare fraud! I had to disenroll from the only (Dis)advantage Plan offered in my county. I could not even see a primary care Physician until most of the year was already over. And I am in need of specialty care which I was never able to receive. I live across the street from the Regional hospital and I was not allowed to go there.
I don't know where you live, or what plan you have, but I haven't had any of those problems with mine. Of course, I live in a city with a world-class medical center, which is on my plan. In fact, both of the local hospitals are on my plan, as is the Mayo clinic 100 miles away.
@@OldLadyInFLmaybe this year, but going forward there is no guarantee that those hospitals and healthcare provider networks will remain in your Advantage plan.
Same. Plus, I've bought a bunch of her swag. It's so cute and funny. I have the socks that say "no time for BS" and the refrigerator magnets of her minivan and whiteboard. : )
Yes, but I went through this with my brother-in-law regarding making a decision about this, and the problem is Medicare itself on it's own website pushes patients towards these Advantage Plans, they even send Medicare Recipients a booklet with the various Advantage Plans included in it. The Supplemental Plans are just as big a labyrinth of clauses and fine print regarding what they cover and what they don't cover and copays and fees and whatever. The problem is this... MAKE MEDICARE COVER EVERYTHING! Stop forcing American citizens to go someplace else to pick up what Medicare doesn't cover. COVER EVERYTHING, even if you have to raise the monthly fee for Medicare to do it, because what the Government has created here is a treacherous mess.
Yeah, I get that with the various medigap G plans, Q plans N plans F planes etc. However, each letter plan covers the same so go with the lowest cost provider, and if Medicare covers the procedure the gap plan has to pick up the balance. I have a G plan, and all I have to pay outside my monthly premium is a $223 annual deductible. I think the F plan covers this deductible but the monthly premium is higher. My advice to you sight unseen is get the lowest cost medgap G plan you can find and go from there. But, and this is a big BUT, you do need to sign up for a drug plan. Medicare .gov can help with that if you are already on medication. On the Medicare .gov site just look for drug plans, enter in your medications and dose rates and it will list annual total costs for each drug plan in your area. This will include monthly premiums for the plan and all the deductibles; co pays etc for the drugs. Good luck.
Why aren't you even mentioning the REAL problem: greedy CEOs of private healthcare corporations???? Corporations and the greedy CEOs that run them are taking over all government agencies, including Medicare. Whoever heads CMS needs to be pro-Medicare not pro-corporate. Lobbyists often get those important jobs. We all have to call, write, let our DC reps/senators know that OUR Traditional Medicare is being drained by greedy CEOs & we want OUR Medicare back and expanded. Nothing will change unless we, The People, demand these greedy CEOs of private healthcare get out of Traditional Medicare. Have you done that?
This is good stuff. I turned 65 in 2023, so I did a lot of research and listening to people talk about Medicare. It took me a while because I was so confused by the way advantage plans are marketed, but I finally figured out on my own that an advantage plan is NOT medicare. It shouldn't be called "Medicare." There's so much greed in this system, and I know that it's enabled by lobbyists who work for the benefit of the insurance companies and their execs and stockholders. All profit (except for paying docs and nurses very well) in the medical care industry should be made illegal. I'm no socialist--i realize that capitalism is why the US has been so successful--but medical care is now a necessity; is no longer a privilege like it was before the US became a highly organized and advanced nation. We haven't been an agrarian society for a very long time.
Wendell Potter is absolutely brilliant on health insurance. I used to be an administrator for a medical office back when HMOs came in. He wrote a fabulous book and I even saw him and a talk he gave .
Thank you both for this important information! Ralph Nader has also talked about this on his podcast. Appreciate the clear breakdown of pros and cons from those who are looking out for the people.
Sometimes, when I'm having a bad day, I just go watch a Katie Porter video of her ripping a CEO a new one with her little whiteboard and it makes my heart all happy
I started MA when I turned 65 because of the dental care I needed but couldn’t previously afford. I was otherwise in excellent health, had not to a doctor in over twenty years. Because it was covered I found an excellent GP who works out of a clinic run by a very good hospital within walking distance of my home. Had my first physical and got an A. However I was diagnosed with breast cancer just six months later. My care has been phenomenal, yes I have had some co-pays but they were less than what straight Medicare would have cost. If I had gone with just Medicare and all the additional money you have to pay to get coverage for things I would be in debt now.
I am so happy that I live in Canada with Universal Health Insurance. We do have some issues with wait times and people having a hard time finding a primary care physician, but overall we get the care we need when we need it. My dad needed triple heart bypass surgery and two defibrillator/pace-makers implanted. At no time did he, or anyone in the family have to worry about what was covered, if coverage would run out, or whether or not the insurer would increase premiums or cut him off. There were no co-pays or other out of pocket expenses. And we did not have to worry what was in the fine print. His doctors talked to each other, to him and to the family. They DID NOT, at any point have to talk to an insurance company or even their own hospital administration to authorize his costly treatment.The doctors and the patient made the decisions. Thanks to our remarkable health care system, we had dad in our lives much longer than we first thought and none of us had to worry about how to pay for his care. BTW, Canadians love Katie Porter also,
The U.S. will never have universal health care, because the Rep-ugly-can party doesn't care if we live or die as long as they are getting rich off of the health industry's donations.
It is, but it's the US Government itself that is causing it... because they have created a "medical insurance program" called Medicare that doesn't cover everything... and because it doesn't cover everything it forces individuals to look ELSEWHERE for additional coverage. Now why create an insurance plan like that? Does your Auto Insurance policy only cover 80 percent and force you to go elsewhere for the rest of the coverage? NO! So why is the US Government creating an insurance plan like that? Ever get the feeling the insurance industry is telling your government what to do?
The greedy CEOs of "healthcare" corporations have been severely draining OUR Traditional Medicare funds each year. About $80-$140 BILLION every year is being diverted from Traditional Medicare funds to pay for Medicare DisAdvantage plans & all those pricey benefits they love to use to trap seniors into their plans. Of course, there are also the profit margins that are off the hook and funneled into those CEO bank accounts, too--because that IS what private insurance companies do--focus on profits over life. All Americans need to demand DC politicians correct this problem & stop this privatization!! Greedy CEOs ruin everything. Already about 50% of retirees are signed up with Medicare DisAdvantage plans now. I have also read that on this trajectory, CMS expects Traditional Medicare will be gone by 2030. Why aren't we all hearing this in the news???💥🤯💥🤬
I just checked to find that I do have an advantage plan. I had no idea! I'm usually not an idiot, so I'm wondering where this fact escaped me. Thank you Katie! Now what to do about it...
Thank you for being so clear and informative. Getting after the complex prescription medication industry and going after predatory insurance companies needs to happen in tandem. Please continue to push for truth and equity in healthcare (for the whole person - body, dental, vision, hearing)!
Katie Porter for President! Thank you Katie and Wendell I am enrolled in an Advantage Plan and have been hearing things and considering switching to reg. Medicare.....thank you so much for this clear explanation and information, I will definitely switch now. It's all so confusing but you made it clear that it's not an "advantage" for seniors but just for the healthcare company. They got me with their grocery allowance which is so helpful and a great benefit but of course it doesn't mean much when you consider the whole picture; they know how to reel people in with this benefit!
Thank you Rep. Porter for making this ULTRA IMPORTANT VIDEO. I am one of those seniors who was duped into signing up for Medicare Advantage. What a MISNOMER that is. I had asked prior to signing up for it, if each of my doctors was in Network. Of 5 docs, they said 4 were in network, the other was one I rarely use. I also asked if my Physical Therapist was in Network and they tole me "Yes". That was a lie. I had scheduled 12 physical therapy sessions begining the first wk. of Jan. On the day of my first appointment the PT called to say they noticed I had switched plans and that they were OUT of NETWORK. My choice was pay $200 per visit or not go at all. I live below poverty level and had to cancel those appointments. Furious, I called Medical Advantage to say they gave me FALSE info & their reply was "we're sorry". Well "sorry" doesn't cut it. Fortunately, I decided to DIS-ENROLL from Medicare Advantage, but was told I could not resume traditional Medicare for one month. This is such an important video. I wish I was in Calif. so I could vote for Katie Porter, who is always on the side of people like me. I want the right to choose my own doctors and will be happy to resume Traditional Medicare as I've gotten excellent and cost free care from them for years. The supposed "advantages" are hype, yes they give you money for food, rides to doctor & small amounts for glasses or dental, but it NO WAY COMPARES to having to use Their doctors, who are not at all the most qualified, especially for seniors. Again, Katie Porter you are truly a hero. Pass this video on to every friend, help others avoid being lied to by Medicare Advantage.
Just love you and your whiteboard, Katie! The company I once worked for hired another company to come up with algorithms to help cut costs. This was the restaurant industry, and I was appalled. What a glorious waste of money! I am good with math so I created my own formulas to do things like labor, ordering, etc. It was so accurate, I could tell you what time to the minute I would run out of product, even in special circumstances. The company came to my restaurant (lowest costs in the country) to get those formulas. So I know how to do this. I decided to find out what would happen if an honest entity took over healthcare for this country. Doctors would be paid more than they are under our current system, and everyone would be covered. In the end, I figured out it would cost us 1/3 of what it does now, even considering the current inflated costs of healthcare. It's time. Let's do it!
Thank you Katie Perry. This is a very valuable conversation that needs to happen on a broader scale. From across the country I'm fuming. What I knew you confirmed. What I didn't know requires further questions.
I'm very thankful that I have VA health care. One of our biggest failures as a country is the inability to overcome the heath care lobbies and adopt a single payer, every American covered health care system. The current system hurts our country in so many ways including the high per capita cost which hurts our international competitiveness, poor health outcomes with lower life expectancy, higher infant and maternal mortality, etc, lack of employment mobility for fear of heath care loss, fear of bankruptcy, etc, etc. the list of failures goes on.
Thank you for discussing this topic. I know so many seniors who had no idea what they got themselves into when they signed up for Medicare Advantage. They were fooled by the advertisements.
I have called it Medicare Disadvantage since I enrolled at age 65. I am now almost 75. The reason I chose Mediare Disadvantage was precisely because of vision and limited dental coverage. Fix those two issues, and Medicare would work for most of us seniors. Wendel is correct in saying there are so many hoops to jump through to receive any specialized treatment. Usually, it is just denied. I could wtite a saterical book on the subject. Its all a big joke. The joke is on we older citizens who could never afford medical insurance, and mistakenly believed that turning 65 would solve the problem. We really need a universal health care system in this for profit nation. It's never cared about the ordinary working class citizen. The myth continues and people become disillusioned, then vote against their own best interest in choosing a con artist like D.J. Trump, or believe the Rethuglicons in office care one whit about their welfare. Vote Blue. Katie is a champion. ❤
Thank you! Congresswoman Katie Porter for giving us this practical insight on Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage. Keep up the good work you are doing on behalf of all Americans!
Thank you for sharing this information with us and for fighting for us to get better care. It is much appreciated. Many blessings to you and your family.
That is a very important point, that if you go with an ADVANTAGE plan and want to change back to traditional Medicare and want a supplemental insurance policy, you then HAVE to go through MEDICAL UNDERWRITING (for the supplement)! They can deny your supplemental coverage for just about anything. My husband was overweight and they wouldn’t let him get a supplemental policy, at that point.
katie porter is a graduate of my prep school, phillips andover, whose motto is " non sibi ", meaning not for self. you can see the influence of " non sibi " very clearly in katie porter and the way she conducts herself professionally. she is super smart, principled, and kind to all. no wonder she stands out in DC politics.
Katie, my reason for using Advantage is that Medicare leaves us to pay 20% of the bill. I am healthy now so it doesn’t matter, but who knows what may happen tomorrow? 20% of a massive bill would wipe us out. It’s a huge gamble that I’m not willing to make. Cap the out of pocket if you want to make basic medicare reasonable. Is my info or conclusion wrong? Would love your response.
I love & support #KatieforSenate2024 Marianne Williamson is running in the Democratic primary! Check out her agenda as it's intelligently designed and is a stark contrast to what's been going on, and she stands for a Medicare For All type universal healthcare system & climate change! Her agenda supports the actual people, not corrupt politicians and corporations. #MarianneWilliamson2024
I think the same thing, wouldn't she be an incredible President. Wish I were in CA so I could vote for this amazing, honest, direct and dedicated woman.
Yes, they do. Private insurance agents are paid commission for every person they sign up. It's a free-for-all. I was actually signed up by a private insurance agent and practically everything she told me was false. She acted like my best friend, promising that she would be _my_ personal insurance agent throughout. I called her a few times when I encountered problems and she blew me off each time referring me back to Humana. She got her $ and she was done.
This is such important information, why do you not have the man miked? Terrible sound. Thank you, Katie, for putting a light on this topic. We need to get rid of DISadvantage plans.
Thank you Katie Porter, we need more like you! What was so tempting about the advantage programs is the flex card that helps pay for dental & vision & having serious eye problems I needed that. The only thing was they sent me to the worst doctors ever!!
Yes, they deal in the worst doctors for sure. Those inferior medical personnel can cost you years of unnecessary suffering or death far earlie than need be. Profits for supposed "Medicare"Advantage are literally killing us. Beware! I was duped but disenrolled after the first week & went back to Traditional Medicare
I pay over $350 a month for my Medicare advantage plan that I chose because I have some major health issues. I’ve had so many emergency surgeries and my plan covered pretty much everything. This situation is daunting and I hope Ms Porter gets her bill passed so there is true transparency.
First...I have a HUGE amount of respect for Representative Porter. That's why I am so surprised that she made this video. As a retired dentist, I have nearly 40 years of dealing with dental insurance and the tricks insurance companies try to pull. HOWEVER, many dentists and medical doctors do not participate in Medicare because the reimbursements are very low, the write-offs are really high, and the government treatment documentation and red tape are astronomical. Not to mention the continual threats of legal prosecution for inadvertant documentation errors. It's just not worth it to be a participating provider. Many providers are not accepting new medicare parients. Those of us with MA don't have this problem. Physicians who participate in private insurance accept MA because it works like traditional insurance from the provider's view. I have had an excellent experience with MA. Insurance agents are really big on Supplemental plans because they get a portion of the monthly premium. You pay for supplemental whether you use it or not. You only pay for MA if you use it and have a co-pay. I honestly can't believe you got sucked into this bogus argument, Representative Porter. Your research in the past has always seemed so thorough and complete. This video is a major FAIL! And no...I'm not some maga clown. I vote BLUE.
The American Dental Association is one of the major lobby groups that pay billions to politicians in Congress to maintain the current MONOPOLY the industry has had for decades. The reason dentists don't accept Medicare provider is precisely because of the repulsive greed you describe in your comment. Dental lobbying is the reason a 'cap' costs $800.00+. You sound like a corporate democrat and I wouldn't set foot at your business.
I am a retired State of CT worker (after 32 years working for the State). I am covered by a ‘Medicare Advantage’ plan (Ætna), paid for by the State (they also re-imburse me for my Medicare B premium). Including dental, prescriptions (with a small co-pay), vision (glasses), et al. Fortunately, I’m pretty healthy, so I haven’t ‘trsted’ the coverage. It covers all I need SO FAR (I’m 67…and plan to live many more years). As I understand it, this plan is better for me than Medicare would be. It may cost more, but the cost is borne by the State, not me. I would LOVE there to be a complete ‘Medicare for all’ plan, similar to what most CIVILIZED countries have (most of Europe, etc.).
Health insurance premiums is what's preventing my wife and I to retire as we have been planning. This keeps us in good paying jobs that could be done by younger people with kids if we didn't still have to have them. We never imagined or could have planned for an insurance system that was going to cost us $1800 per month in premiums at only 60 years of age. This is effecting the economy for us and our adult kids. It's keeping them from being able to advance too.
This is great information I'm glad you clarified the difference between traditional and advantage. I never was attracted to Advantage but I will connect with United Healthcare and become more clear as to my benefits. thank you
Clearly, we need to have Universal Healthcare like other civilized countries have had for decades. I live on my Social Security and was put on an Advantage . It has paid for everything, even out of state emergency care. I'm sure they must be gouging the government to pay for their generous benefits.
Marianne Williamson is running in the Democratic primary! Check out her agenda as it's intelligently designed and is a stark contrast to what's been going on, and she stands for a Medicare For All type universal healthcare system & climate change! Her agenda supports the actual people, not corrupt politicians and corporations. #MarianneWilliamson2024
No kidding. My husband retired from a soul-sucking job at 62 recently. Trying to find healthcare that is affordable is stressful. Right now they all cost more a month than my husband's job pension.
I’m on disability. After two years they require to switch to Medicare. It’s different than Medicare for retirees. I went with Medicare advantage because Medicare for disability recipients didn’t cover my chemotherapy. I will say it’s vastly inferior to the coverage I had through ACA Marketplace. I will say that they are very careful about making sure I’m not getting procedures I don’t need. I had 2 different doctors order brain scans and the hospital tried to bill for 2 MRIs. It was just one scan that looked at 2 different things. I wasn’t informed the service was denied until more than 10 days after I’d had it. This is typical-except I usually get a letter saying they approved it well after it has happened. The hospital tried to bill me for the 2nd contrast dye for $400. That was a funny conversation.
@@sherryBLUE735same here
@@sherryBLUE735After early retirement, I got free Marketplace/Obamacare insurance: Colorado does a great job advertising the program and the website is extremely user friendly!
Older people NEED full hearing, vision, and dental insurance!
Yes, we do!
I am fortunate enough to live in Massachusetts where Medicaid fulfills those needs.
ABSOLUTELY!!
I think if we got the profit motive back out of these plans, we'd have all the money we need to expand Medicare to include the hearing, vision, and dental. These plans are overcharging taxpayers and cheating patients.
@@MonkeyJedi99 Medicare and Medicaid are two entirely different things. Seniors on Medicare often are not covered for dental, vision and hearing. Basic tests and cleanings, yes, but not much else. That's why they need to also buy a supplemental plan. But I know nothing about how this works in Massachusetts.
Thank you, Katie, for shedding light on this legal Medicare fraud!
I had to disenroll from the only (Dis)advantage Plan offered in my county. I could not even see a primary care Physician until most of the year was already over. And I am in need of specialty care which I was never able to receive. I live across the street from the Regional hospital and I was not allowed to go there.
I don't know where you live, or what plan you have, but I haven't had any of those problems with mine. Of course, I live in a city with a world-class medical center, which is on my plan. In fact, both of the local hospitals are on my plan, as is the Mayo clinic 100 miles away.
@@OldLadyInFLmaybe this year, but going forward there is no guarantee that those hospitals and healthcare provider networks will remain in your Advantage plan.
@@OldLadyInFL A county has to have a certain amount of Medicare eligible population before MA plans can be offered there.
Katie Porter is one of the very few politicians I give money to
As do I . At the moment she is the only one.
Same. Plus, I've bought a bunch of her swag. It's so cute and funny. I have the socks that say "no time for BS" and the refrigerator magnets of her minivan and whiteboard. : )
I'm not even in her district and I donate to her.
I am sending her 1% of my take-home pay every check.
OH ! I must get her Swag !!thanks ❤@@JoJo-ju7xw
Thank you so much, Congresswoman Porter and Mr. Potter. Much appreciated.
Yes, but I went through this with my brother-in-law regarding making a decision about this, and the problem is Medicare itself on it's own website pushes patients towards these Advantage Plans, they even send Medicare Recipients a booklet with the various Advantage Plans included in it. The Supplemental Plans are just as big a labyrinth of clauses and fine print regarding what they cover and what they don't cover and copays and fees and whatever. The problem is this... MAKE MEDICARE COVER EVERYTHING! Stop forcing American citizens to go someplace else to pick up what Medicare doesn't cover. COVER EVERYTHING, even if you have to raise the monthly fee for Medicare to do it, because what the Government has created here is a treacherous mess.
Yeah, I get that with the various medigap G plans, Q plans N plans F planes etc.
However, each letter plan covers the same so go with the lowest cost provider, and if Medicare covers the procedure the gap plan has to pick up the balance. I have a G plan, and all I have to pay outside my monthly premium is a $223 annual deductible. I think the F plan covers this deductible but the monthly premium is higher. My advice to you sight unseen is get the lowest cost medgap G plan you can find and go from there. But, and this is a big BUT, you do need to sign up for a drug plan. Medicare .gov can help with that if you are already on medication. On the Medicare .gov site just look for drug plans, enter in your medications and dose rates and it will list annual total costs for each drug plan in your area. This will include monthly premiums for the plan and all the deductibles; co pays etc for the drugs. Good luck.
Agreed. Traditional Medicare can bank people because of what they don’t cover.
Why aren't you even mentioning the REAL problem: greedy CEOs of private healthcare corporations????
Corporations and the greedy CEOs that run them are taking over all government agencies, including Medicare.
Whoever heads CMS needs to be pro-Medicare not pro-corporate. Lobbyists often get those important jobs.
We all have to call, write, let our DC reps/senators know that OUR Traditional Medicare is being drained by greedy CEOs & we want OUR Medicare back and expanded.
Nothing will change unless we, The People, demand these greedy CEOs of private healthcare get out of Traditional Medicare.
Have you done that?
Spot on!
But how would Insurance executives rake in Millions for doing nothing? Think of the poor little Rich health insurance executives
This is good stuff. I turned 65 in 2023, so I did a lot of research and listening to people talk about Medicare. It took me a while because I was so confused by the way advantage plans are marketed, but I finally figured out on my own that an advantage plan is NOT medicare. It shouldn't be called "Medicare." There's so much greed in this system, and I know that it's enabled by lobbyists who work for the benefit of the insurance companies and their execs and stockholders. All profit (except for paying docs and nurses very well) in the medical care industry should be made illegal. I'm no socialist--i realize that capitalism is why the US has been so successful--but medical care is now a necessity; is no longer a privilege like it was before the US became a highly organized and advanced nation. We haven't been an agrarian society for a very long time.
Right at that age and wanted to know more; and here was Katie Porter informing us!! Another reason to vote her into the Senate.
Wendell Potter is absolutely brilliant on health insurance. I used to be an administrator for a medical office back when HMOs came in. He wrote a fabulous book and I even saw him and a talk he gave .
Congresswoman Katie Porter protecting Americans by brilliantly educating about Medicare
Thank you Katie you are so wonderful!
Thank you for having this conversation. As a nurse, I’ve seen the the patient costs of choosing Medicare (DIS)Advantage plans. Over and over again.
Thank you for confirming what I have thought was true without my having to do the research!
Thank you both for this important information! Ralph Nader has also talked about this on his podcast. Appreciate the clear breakdown of pros and cons from those who are looking out for the people.
California needs to make sure Rep. Porter becomes Sen. Porter.
She isn't a fraud who panders to corporations.
That is not going to happen. Corporate Democrats will make certain of it.
Actually, I'm ready to vote for President Porter.
Sometimes, when I'm having a bad day, I just go watch a Katie Porter video of her ripping a CEO a new one with her little whiteboard and it makes my heart all happy
@@tdelphia1 Oh! Same! Without a doubt...
President Porter or President Mom!
I'm a brit. Lived in Germany, now in Austria. I love Katie Porter. Can we please clone her? Please? EVERYONE needs her.
agreed!
Yes we sure do need more Katie Porters in our world. Her direct honesty and dedication is so important
💯
Yes!!!!
Thanks for all the hard work you do on behalf of Californians and all Americans, Rep. Porter. You have my enthusiastic vote in your Senate bid.
I started MA when I turned 65 because of the dental care I needed but couldn’t previously afford. I was otherwise in excellent health, had not to a doctor in over twenty years. Because it was covered I found an excellent GP who works out of a clinic run by a very good hospital within walking distance of my home. Had my first physical and got an A. However I was diagnosed with breast cancer just six months later. My care has been phenomenal, yes I have had some co-pays but they were less than what straight Medicare would have cost. If I had gone with just Medicare and all the additional money you have to pay to get coverage for things I would be in debt now.
Thank you Katie Porter for ALL you do! Thank you for sharing.
I truly love the way Katie Porter gets to heart of the matter, explains complicated issues quickly, and works to better the lives of all people!
Absolutely, she is the best. Honest, straightforward and dedicated.
Except Gazan children. Porter is one of the most adamant supporters of the IDF. All those charts and graphs... she forgot to make one about that.
I am so happy that I live in Canada with Universal Health Insurance.
We do have some issues with wait times and people having a hard time finding a primary care physician, but overall we get the care we need when we need it.
My dad needed triple heart bypass surgery and two defibrillator/pace-makers implanted.
At no time did he, or anyone in the family have to worry about what was covered, if coverage would run out, or whether or not the insurer would increase premiums or cut him off. There were no co-pays or other out of pocket expenses. And we did not have to worry what was in the fine print.
His doctors talked to each other, to him and to the family. They DID NOT, at any point have to talk to an insurance company or even their own hospital administration to authorize his costly treatment.The doctors and the patient made the decisions.
Thanks to our remarkable health care system, we had dad in our lives much longer than we first thought and none of us had to worry about how to pay for his care.
BTW, Canadians love Katie Porter also,
The U.S. will never have universal health care, because the Rep-ugly-can party doesn't care if we live or die as long as they are getting rich off of the health industry's donations.
Thank you. Nearing the months before age 65 and needed to understand this.
Thank you Congresswoman Katie Porter!!!! You are the very best.
Thank you so much, Congresswoman, for doing the work you do for all of us. Please keep up the great work! We appreciate you!!
Katie Porter is a true advocate, no nonsense, honest and dedicated to improving lives of Americans, thanks Katie!
Great job Katie and Wendell.
Thanks for explaining this important topic. I never realized that we have the choice for traditional medicare. Break up the best giant corporations.
Most informative thing on Medicare I've seen. Thank you.
Whoever she represents and voted her into office? THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Horrible that these health insurances are all about gross amounts of profit off of our backs.
It is, but it's the US Government itself that is causing it... because they have created a "medical insurance program" called Medicare that doesn't cover everything... and because it doesn't cover everything it forces individuals to look ELSEWHERE for additional coverage. Now why create an insurance plan like that? Does your Auto Insurance policy only cover 80 percent and force you to go elsewhere for the rest of the coverage? NO! So why is the US Government creating an insurance plan like that? Ever get the feeling the insurance industry is telling your government what to do?
It figures that they are motivated by profit
The greedy CEOs of "healthcare" corporations have been severely draining OUR Traditional Medicare funds each year.
About $80-$140 BILLION every year is being diverted from Traditional Medicare funds to pay for Medicare DisAdvantage plans & all those pricey benefits they love to use to trap seniors into their plans. Of course, there are also the profit margins that are off the hook and funneled into those CEO bank accounts, too--because that IS what private insurance companies do--focus on profits over life.
All Americans need to demand DC politicians correct this problem & stop this privatization!! Greedy CEOs ruin everything. Already about 50% of retirees are signed up with Medicare DisAdvantage plans now.
I have also read that on this trajectory, CMS expects Traditional Medicare will be gone by 2030.
Why aren't we all hearing this in the news???💥🤯💥🤬
I just checked to find that I do have an advantage plan. I had no idea! I'm usually not an idiot, so I'm wondering where this fact escaped me. Thank you Katie! Now what to do about it...
Bless you, Katie. More people need to hear about these things. I just turned 65 and caught on, but only after online research.
I love you, Katie Porter . . . and your little whiteboard
Thank you for being so clear and informative. Getting after the complex prescription medication industry and going after predatory insurance companies needs to happen in tandem. Please continue to push for truth and equity in healthcare (for the whole person - body, dental, vision, hearing)!
Thank you Katie. I wish all elected in our government were like you. 😊
She's got the best healthcare as a perk to her government job and look at her.... morbid obesity is a serious medical problem.
@@saylaveenadmearedead Wow! That’s what your focus is on? Really?
Thank you, I learned so much.
Thank you for this!
Health care for profit is a prescription for high death rates and suffering of hundreds of thousands for the financial benefit of a few.
Katie Porter for President! Thank you Katie and Wendell I am enrolled in an Advantage Plan and have been hearing things and considering switching to reg. Medicare.....thank you so much for this clear explanation and information, I will definitely switch now. It's all so confusing but you made it clear that it's not an "advantage" for seniors but just for the healthcare company. They got me with their grocery allowance which is so helpful and a great benefit but of course it doesn't mean much when you consider the whole picture; they know how to reel people in with this benefit!
You always learn something watching Rep Porter. She is a very good teacher, breaking things down for people to understand easily
Thank you! This is the most straightforward video I've seen so far on this subject!
Thank you for the clarity between the plans.
Thank you Rep. Porter for making this ULTRA IMPORTANT VIDEO. I am one of those seniors who was duped into signing up for Medicare Advantage. What a MISNOMER that is.
I had asked prior to signing up for it, if each of my doctors was in Network. Of 5 docs, they said 4 were in network, the other was one I rarely use. I also asked if my Physical Therapist was in Network and they tole me "Yes". That was a lie. I had scheduled 12 physical therapy sessions begining the first wk. of Jan. On the day of my first appointment the PT called to say they noticed I had switched plans and that they were OUT of NETWORK. My choice was pay $200 per visit or not go at all. I live below poverty level and had to cancel those appointments.
Furious, I called Medical Advantage to say they gave me FALSE info & their reply was "we're sorry". Well "sorry" doesn't cut it. Fortunately, I decided to DIS-ENROLL from Medicare
Advantage, but was told I could not resume traditional Medicare for one month. This is such an important video. I wish I was in Calif. so I could vote for Katie Porter, who is always
on the side of people like me. I want the right to choose my own doctors and will be happy to resume Traditional Medicare as I've gotten excellent and cost free care from them for
years. The supposed "advantages" are hype, yes they give you money for food, rides to doctor & small amounts for glasses or dental, but it NO WAY COMPARES to having to use Their
doctors, who are not at all the most qualified, especially for seniors. Again, Katie Porter you are truly a hero. Pass this video on to every friend, help others avoid being lied to by
Medicare Advantage.
Just love you and your whiteboard, Katie! The company I once worked for hired another company to come up with algorithms to help cut costs. This was the restaurant industry, and I was appalled. What a glorious waste of money! I am good with math so I created my own formulas to do things like labor, ordering, etc. It was so accurate, I could tell you what time to the minute I would run out of product, even in special circumstances. The company came to my restaurant (lowest costs in the country) to get those formulas. So I know how to do this. I decided to find out what would happen if an honest entity took over healthcare for this country. Doctors would be paid more than they are under our current system, and everyone would be covered. In the end, I figured out it would cost us 1/3 of what it does now, even considering the current inflated costs of healthcare. It's time. Let's do it!
Thank you!!!
Katy - you need to get this out in your upcoming Senate debate !!! Good luck!
Thank you both. I’ll be signing up for Medicare in the near future and I very thankful for this information.
❤❤❤ Thank you Katie!!!
Thank you Katie Perry. This is a very valuable conversation that needs to happen on a broader scale. From across the country I'm fuming. What I knew you confirmed. What I didn't know requires further questions.
You did mean Katie PORTER, didn't you?
Boy, totally agree with you! It may be easier to stay with just straight Medicare, recently had Covid and what I now owe is astronomical.
Thank-you for caring Katie!!
THANK YOU for always explaining things in normal words for regular people so we can actually understand what it is all about.
I'm very thankful that I have VA health care. One of our biggest failures as a country is the inability to overcome the heath care lobbies and adopt a single payer, every American covered health care system. The current system hurts our country in so many ways including the high per capita cost which hurts our international competitiveness, poor health outcomes with lower life expectancy, higher infant and maternal mortality, etc, lack of employment mobility for fear of heath care loss, fear of bankruptcy, etc, etc. the list of failures goes on.
Thank you for doing such a GREAT Job Katie❣️‼️
Ms. Porter, you're the best and I love how you exam everything to the American people and put it in simple terms for us to understand.thank you❤
Thank you for discussing this topic. I know so many seniors who had no idea what they got themselves into when they signed up for Medicare Advantage. They were fooled by the advertisements.
I have called it Medicare Disadvantage since I enrolled at age 65. I am now almost 75. The reason I chose Mediare Disadvantage was precisely because of vision and limited dental coverage. Fix those two issues, and Medicare would work for most of us seniors. Wendel is correct in saying there are so many hoops to jump through to receive any specialized treatment. Usually, it is just denied. I could wtite a saterical book on the subject. Its all a big joke. The joke is on we older citizens who could never afford medical insurance, and mistakenly believed that turning 65 would solve the problem. We really need a universal health care system in this for profit nation. It's never cared about the ordinary working class citizen. The myth continues and people become disillusioned, then vote against their own best interest in choosing a con artist like D.J. Trump, or believe the Rethuglicons in office care one whit about their welfare. Vote Blue. Katie is a champion. ❤
Thank you! Congresswoman Katie Porter for giving us this practical insight on Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage. Keep up the good work you are doing on behalf of all Americans!
Thank you for sharing this information with us and for fighting for us to get better care. It is much appreciated. Many blessings to you and your family.
I am Canadian and I am a BIG FAN and wish we had someone like you here working for us!!! 💚💚💛💛💙💙🧡🧡❤❤
Thank you Katie this is so important and thank you Wendell for coming to see Katie
I have had Medicare Advantage with Premera for the last year. They have been great. Every thing I’ve ever needed.
Katie is the real deal. Just listen to her. She is amazing.
California is fortunate to have Rep Porter. Not something I frequently say about someone in politics.
That is a very important point, that if you go with an ADVANTAGE plan and want to change back to traditional Medicare and want a supplemental insurance policy, you then HAVE to go through MEDICAL UNDERWRITING (for the supplement)! They can deny your supplemental coverage for just about anything. My husband was overweight and they wouldn’t let him get a supplemental policy, at that point.
She’s such a great teacher & a fine person of integrity 🙏.
katie porter is a graduate of my prep school, phillips andover, whose motto is " non sibi ", meaning not for self. you can see the influence of " non sibi " very clearly in katie porter and the way she conducts herself professionally. she is super smart, principled, and kind to all. no wonder she stands out in DC politics.
Katie, my reason for using Advantage is that Medicare leaves us to pay 20% of the bill. I am healthy now so it doesn’t matter, but who knows what may happen tomorrow? 20% of a massive bill would wipe us out. It’s a huge gamble that I’m not willing to make. Cap the out of pocket if you want to make basic medicare reasonable. Is my info or conclusion wrong? Would love your response.
20% is of the allowed discounted Medicare rate for the procedure.
This is correct.
Thank you so much for sharing this information!
I hope to be able to vote for you for POTUS someday. It's been many years since I've felt that my vote wasn't a moral compromise.
I love & support #KatieforSenate2024
Marianne Williamson is running in the Democratic primary! Check out her agenda as it's intelligently designed and is a stark contrast to what's been going on, and she stands for a Medicare For All type universal healthcare system & climate change! Her agenda supports the actual people, not corrupt politicians and corporations. #MarianneWilliamson2024
Amen! Having to choose between the lesser of two evils is getting old.
I think the same thing, wouldn't she be an incredible President. Wish I were in CA so I could vote for this amazing, honest, direct and dedicated woman.
@@mattymaccaro Anywhere that's warm would be nice at the moment! 😆
Thank you both.
Katie you’re the best and so are you Wendell!
I have never had Medicare Advantage, but I get phone calls all the time to review my program. They lie.
Yes, they do. Private insurance agents are paid commission for every person they sign up. It's a free-for-all. I was actually signed up by a private insurance agent and practically everything she told me was false. She acted like my best friend, promising that she would be _my_ personal insurance agent throughout. I called her a few times when I encountered problems and she blew me off each time referring me back to Humana. She got her $ and she was done.
Yes! they sure do LIE and I'm so glad I disenrolled after the first week of their phoney plan.
The insurance companies are absolute evil leeches. Keep up the great work, Rep. Porter!
This is such important information, why do you not have the man miked? Terrible sound. Thank you, Katie, for putting a light on this topic. We need to get rid of DISadvantage plans.
Thank you Katie!
this is a good video and a great explination
Thank you Katie Porter, we need more like you!
What was so tempting about the advantage programs is the flex card that helps pay for dental & vision & having serious eye problems I needed that. The only thing was they sent me to the worst doctors ever!!
Yes, they deal in the worst doctors for sure. Those inferior medical personnel can cost you years of unnecessary suffering or death far earlie than need be.
Profits for supposed "Medicare"Advantage are literally killing us. Beware! I was duped but disenrolled after the first week & went back to Traditional Medicare
Thank u 4 fighting so hard 4 us Katie. U r actually staying on task, addressing the actual problems that America cares about
Vision, Dental and Hearing are part of the body, so it should be part of the whole healthcare coverage.
Thank you Katie for all you do you are amazing hope you can get this Medicare fixed for all of us ❤
Thank you, Katie. Please, please push to expand traditional Medicare. MEDICARE4ALL.
I pay over $350 a month for my Medicare advantage plan that I chose because I have some major health issues. I’ve had so many emergency surgeries and my plan covered pretty much everything. This situation is daunting and I hope Ms Porter gets her bill passed so there is true transparency.
You quilt!! Agreed! Folks need this information. Blessings
I love both your policies and your quilt, Representative Porter!
Thank you Katie for truly representing the people who voted you to actually represent them!!! Rare but keep shining the light on Truth…
Thsnk you Katie and Wendell all the advertising out there sounds to good to be true.
Katie I would just like for you to know how very much I admire you here from Texas! Thanks for all your hard work!
katie porter is my hero. she never stops working for us. she’s got both a brain and a heart. vote katie into the senate!
First...I have a HUGE amount of respect for Representative Porter. That's why I am so surprised that she made this video. As a retired dentist, I have nearly 40 years of dealing with dental insurance and the tricks insurance companies try to pull. HOWEVER, many dentists and medical doctors do not participate in Medicare because the reimbursements are very low, the write-offs are really high, and the government treatment documentation and red tape are astronomical. Not to mention the continual threats of legal prosecution for inadvertant documentation errors. It's just not worth it to be a participating provider. Many providers are not accepting new medicare parients. Those of us with MA don't have this problem. Physicians who participate in private insurance accept MA because it works like traditional insurance from the provider's view. I have had an excellent experience with MA. Insurance agents are really big on Supplemental plans because they get a portion of the monthly premium. You pay for supplemental whether you use it or not. You only pay for MA if you use it and have a co-pay. I honestly can't believe you got sucked into this bogus argument, Representative Porter. Your research in the past has always seemed so thorough and complete. This video is a major FAIL! And no...I'm not some maga clown. I vote BLUE.
The American Dental Association is one of the major lobby groups that pay billions to politicians in Congress to maintain the current MONOPOLY the industry has had for decades. The reason dentists don't accept Medicare provider is precisely because of the repulsive greed you describe in your comment. Dental lobbying is the reason a 'cap' costs $800.00+. You sound like a corporate democrat and I wouldn't set foot at your business.
I am a retired State of CT worker (after 32 years working for the State). I am covered by a ‘Medicare Advantage’ plan (Ætna), paid for by the State (they also re-imburse me for my Medicare B premium). Including dental, prescriptions (with a small co-pay), vision (glasses), et al. Fortunately, I’m pretty healthy, so I haven’t ‘trsted’ the coverage. It covers all I need SO FAR (I’m 67…and plan to live many more years). As I understand it, this plan is better for me than Medicare would be. It may cost more, but the cost is borne by the State, not me. I would LOVE there to be a complete ‘Medicare for all’ plan, similar to what most CIVILIZED countries have (most of Europe, etc.).
Thank you President Porter. You have our votes!
Thank you for clarifying Ms. Porter😅
Thank you for clearing up the mess. I was about to enroll in Medicare Advantage. Not now.
This is very helpful. Thank you!! Keep fighting for us.
Love you Katie, you're wonderful ❤
Can you also talk about the Medigap cost which can be pretty expensive and does not include Medicare part B
Health insurance premiums is what's preventing my wife and I to retire as we have been planning. This keeps us in good paying jobs that could be done by younger people with kids if we didn't still have to have them. We never imagined or could have planned for an insurance system that was going to cost us $1800 per month in premiums at only 60 years of age. This is effecting the economy for us and our adult kids. It's keeping them from being able to advance too.
Gosh I love Katie. We need more congress people like her!
This is great information I'm glad you clarified the difference between traditional and advantage. I never was attracted to Advantage but I will connect with United Healthcare and become more clear as to my benefits. thank you
You are awesome, Katie.