My mom, God rest her soul, got a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. She was on a Medicare Advantage. The doctors she had said they couldn't pin point which exact cancer but wanted to start treatment anyway. I said no, find out what she has. They refused. I got one of the top cancer hospitals in the world to accept her. (ONLY because she did not start any treatment yet)Medicare Advantage denied it. Said they weren't sure about the hospital. I thought it was a big misunderstanding, called the insurance. After pleading, in tears for mom to get to cancer specialists the lady from the Advantage plan had mercy on me when I asked, "What would YOU do if this was YOUR mom?" She said, "Listen hun, it's nothing personal it's profits, this company denies almost everything first time. So people give up. Just appeal it." I asked how long does that take? She said usually about 3 months. I said my mom doesn't have 3 months. I then found out we were in a special enrollment period. Changed her to traditional Medicare, she got into that hospital and beat her cancer. The treatment the other doctors insisted on would not have worked on her type of cancer. She lived another 8 yrs until a more aggressive form of the cancer returned. Long story short: For profit health care is about caring for their profits not your health. Stear clear. Want a gym membership, get one, don't get insurance because they offer free gym membership.
ID; kudos to you for being a medical advocate for your mother! I’ve had to be my own advocate this year, and it ain’t easy! Between the medical community and insurance companies, our, Americans’ healthcare system is deeply flawed. Insurance companies will probably always dictate treatment. It most assuredly AINT right! Non medical personnel making medical decisions? Some life and death oriented? No! Thankfully I have regular old Medicare. They approved two surgeries for me this year. Didn’t deny anything regarding my hip replacement. Which was $65k. Had a kidney stone removal surgery earlier. They paid up to 80% of my costs. Medicaid pays for my Medicare monthly premium. I’m on SSDI. My prescriptions are paid for as well. It’s taken me over a decade to get the government to pay for my existence here. I paid into SS, so it’s my money. But to get Medicaid to pick up the tab for Medicare was a big windfall. Cuz Medicare is around $140 per month. Ouch when your monthly check is just over 1k. Thanks again for sharing your story I D.
@@hoosierbaddy3052 if Medicaid is ever curtailed in my state I'll lose my mind. Luckily I have doctors who appeal if Medicaid denies anything. I've been lucky and have had everything I needed approved. Unfortunately I have two completely unknown genetic conditions that will likely never have treatment until genetic conditions can be easily treated with genetic engineering.
And this is how the Government protects it's senior citizens, no protection, all the advertisements for Med Advantages 🙄 who understands them being hosted with notable personal from Hollywood and or Sports. Just sicking how Big Brother doesn't protect us 😪 only looking out for the Money Maker's. 😤
About 25 years ago I worked in the medical field. There was a woman who came in with some anxiety due to changes that were going on around her life including going to college and the possible divorce of her parents. After talking to her for a bit she had good support systems and she felt better and I'm sorry to go home. When my supervisor found out the insurance she had, a nurse was sent to the parking lot in search of the woman who was then brought back to the hospital. She was then diagnosed with something more serious. She was given antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication but because she had excellent insurance they prescribed some of the newest medicines which were much more expensive and had many more side effects despite not being as efficacious as some of the traditional medications. In short for these medications she received four additional medications that would help mitigate the side effects of these medications for her so-called depression and her so-called anxiety. This is what happens depending on the type of insurance you have. Physicians in the United States are more like businessmen than they are healers.
@The Vision Thank you for telling your experience! This woman was violated in one of the worst ways in life, and people need to know the dangers that are possible!
They don't even behave like businessman they pretend to be business and but they're really shysters and thieves. Medicare Advantage plans are a con game. Taking advantage of patience and our federal government money. I won't show my medicare benefits for nothing these commercials should be illegal or have a little disclaimer at the bottom. I am barraged with them daily.
Wow. That is so unethical it’s not even funny. I remember back in the mid 90’s how our RN House Supervisors had to start focusing more on DRGs rather than what a supervisor should be more concerned about. There started to be pressure to discharge everyone on a strict time frame for whatever the primary reason they were there for such as everyone with a hip replacement being pressured to leave on no later than the 4th day after their surgery because then the hospital would start losing money. I’m in an Advantage Plan mainly for the medication coverage but honestly, I don’t really understand what it’s all about and there isn’t anyone to help me figure it out. I don’t qualify for Medicaid because I supposedly make too much which is a joke. I’ve had Humana now for several years only because I don’t know what else to do to get the drug benefits and when you don’t have anyone to help you with this stuff, it’s easier to just keep the same company. I either get a phone call or item in the mail every single day from Humana when I already have an App to reorder my prescriptions but they seem to have plenty of time to be in my life on a daily basis.
Aetna has been calling my house every day for two years. And they bug my pharmacy constantly as well. I called them and told them to knock it off or I was going to report them for harassment.
there is no good in them in practice. once upon a time a nice idea, like unions, but greed got in the way and there seems no way back. sometimes I think they are trying to kill off the excess people who cant or wont be screwed by their criminal manage your health practises.
You are SO right! But know your rights & be armed with knowledge! I fought a charge because they insisted on using Medicare ($75 for me) but my primary is Humana ($25 for me). They insisted on Medicare until I raised heck every single day. They probably got sick of me fighting them. I kept saying to them "Oh, h*ll NO". They get more from govt - & govt are suckers (& bloodsuckers while I'm at it)
This is ONE MILLION PERCENT TRUE! I sold medicare for a few years and once I started learning about how the medciare advantage plans worked, I elected to opt out of selling medicare. I am so glad that finally someone is exposing these plans!
@@crand20033 Of course, you have been "healthy " to this point. But we do not buy insurance for the times we are healthy, we buy it for those just in case times when we are not healthy. The bottom line is that insurance is about two things, quality of care and protection of assets. So two questions, do you have assets to protect? Secondly if you were to suffer a major accident or illness would you want to have access to the best doctor and hospital, or just the doctor and hospital in your network?
The Green Party has worked to get us Medicare for all for decades, but people are afraid to vote Green. In 2012, the Dems handcuffed Jill Stein to a chair for hours to prevent her from participating in the debate--that's how scared the Dems are of the Greens. That's why they screwed Bernie.
Mainstream media is promoting Chuck Schumer and his phone victory for negotiating drug prices for Medicare. AARP has been promoting this as well but the negotiations for lower drug prices don't start until 2026 and it's only for ten drugs. Probably for ten very expensive drugs that few people require.
No surprises here. I worked as a sales rep for a company that operated New York State's first Medicare Advantage program. When the plans were first introduced, the programs were far more regulated and could only be operated as a not-for-profit organization. The beginning of the end for Medicare Advantage programs was in 2006, with the passage of the "Medicare Modernization Act," which opened the field to for-profit insurers like Cigna, Humana, Aetna and United Healthcare. The Part D drug program was a massive giveaway to for-profit Insurance companies and the Pharmaceutical and Pharmacy industries. These companies have become fully integrated, owning not only the insurance plans but also pharmacy benefits management, pharmacies and even hospital ownership. It's pure collusion and it does nothing but harm to Medicare-eligible enrollees who are restricted by burdensome rules such as the referral system to see acspecialist, denial of expensive diagnostic imaging services, denial of care necessitated by one's own doctor's orders. In some cases, the benefit is worsevthan what one would have if one hadMedicare only. And dont even get me started on the obscene amounts of profit and/or extravagant salaries for those executives fortunate enough to really rake in compensation that is easly higher than doctors and even hospital administrators. We already have a multi-tier system of death panels in this barbaric country we live in.
My 82 year old mom take no medication but her doctor wants her to come 4 times a year to take a lot of tests, from cognitive to blood. She refuses the 4 times but goes twice. Still too much. He has even suggested she is depressed and needs to take medication. Fortunately she does not fall for it.
If the doctor is not prescribing medications, then only go once a year. This happened to me so I told my doctor that I would see him in one year, not 6 months.
I have friends who had this happen, and others that don’t. It is either the Dr wanting the billing or the hospital group the Dr belongs to. I know older patients have a connection to their Dr and don’t want to change, but finding a Dr who doesn’t require these frequent visits is possible.
My doctor stopped taking Medicare completely years ago and I'm guessing it's because of all of this garbage but he charges a reasonable amount of money meaning extremely reasonable I've been seeing him for over 20 years and he never does any of that ridiculous crap trying to over prescribe or over diagnose so I'm praying he never retires but I know it's going to happen one day and when that happens I don't even know what I'll do
When I turned 50, I couldn't believe the onslaught of companies calling my phone asking me to switch to this cellphone company, insurance, pick up additional insurance, asking to sign up for social security disability, life insurance, etc. When I went to the Dr for a pain, I had to get this xray, that MRI, this test, that test. Give me a freakin break. I made it to 50 just to be harassed for the rest of my life on Earth by charlatans in the medical field? I have to change my whole life bc I am now over 50 years old? Are you kidding me?!!!
Yep, I've learned to say no to all the questions during my annual physical, because they are just sniffing around for something to enter on your chart so they can give you a drug for it. Naturopathic doctors are so much better
Working in healthcare at the largest hospital in my state, seeing how often elderly patients get screwed out of needed care by managed Medicare (private insurers) is heartbreaking. Traditional Medicare is the way to go along with supplement insurance. The premiums are higher but knowing that you'll be taken care of when you need it is peace of mind. Don't skimp on your health and if you do, don't be surprised when you get screwed.
I agree! I didn’t know about the difference between Medicare and so called Medicare Advantage until last year. I am no longer in an Advantage plan. Very deceptive
How did you get out of your Advantage plan and accepted into Medicare? Did you get accepted into a Medicare supplement plan without underwriting, or did you just get regular Medicare Part A and Part B?
I've been on Medicare Advantage for 10 years because I can't afford premiums for Mc supplements. I hate that I am relegated to 2nd class medical care due to governmental lobbyists & insurance co.
Find a good agent to help you navigate. I had help as it was so confusing. Ask friends if they know someone. Don’t just choose the cheapest policy. Your medicare part A only covers hospitalization. Then you choose part B or C or D etc. those are either PPOs or HMOs. The HMOs were cheaper but I couldn’t get any care outside of my county. I chose a PPO where I can go anywhere in the US and I can go to any doctor I choose to. Never do a Medicare Advantage.
Thanks Democracy Now for interviewing so many who are crucial to our existence. And thank you Wendell potter for being an incredible hero. Share this interview ppl-- it won't be shown on mainstream
I recently retired early mainly because of the stress of dealing with insurance companies. I had to get authorizations for surgeries and test. The MC Advantage plans made these poor patients jump through so many hoops and made them delay treatment so often it was heartbreaking. The people we had to go through on the phone were reading a script and most barely spoke English. We could never talk to anyone at the insurance company that actually could have a knowledgable conversation and could make a decision. Alot of seniors are flat out being lied to about these plans and most have no clue what they have. It is an outrage. We both have Medicare now and are getting bombarded with mail, text and phone calls from these disadvantage plans.
This was out there long before ACA. You’re misinformed. It has nothing to do with mandatory insurance. One can receive part A which only covers your hospitalization and not choose any of the supplements.
Unless we have Universal Health insurance you really do need health insurance unless you want to leave yourself open to risk. Even a small surgery for breaking a bone cost me $50,000.
@@workonitm8 it’s open enrollment right now. Look for a better plan. There are hundreds of plans. My medicare is $145 I think and my supplement is $238. No copay and no deductible.
CMS has not been asleep at the wheel. CMS’ job like the rest of the government is like this guy said, to protect and enhance the profits of the oligarchy. Surprise surprise!!
FOOD is our medicine & the evil leaders pasturized, HOMOGENIZED, refined our flour salt & sugar, now these will only downgrade our health not help at all!
Off topic, but related. At the end of my nursing career I worked in hospice because I could no longer work in the hospital. The pace and stress for hospital nurses is incredible. Anyway, many hospices are also ripping off the government. Especially the for-profit ones. But even the non-profits sometimes keep patients on service that are not hospice appropriate (or hospice eligible). But the non-profits that I saw are much better than the for profit hospices. The best hospice I saw was Collabria Hospice in Napa. I won't go there with the worst. Lots of government money in hospice care. They should also be more thoroughly investigated than they are. Kaiser and Sutter also both have their own hospices. Kaiser is now being sued for Medicare Advantage program. And Sutter has been sued for overcharging. Both have very highly paid executives. We need stricter oversight on all of this. Hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospices, etc.
Make it illegal for medical companies to trade as public stocks. I believe that would take out much of the profit pressures and hove the public better health care.
@@phriedokra6158 I’ve seen the absolute flip side of that- MDs don’t refer until the last 2 weeks as they can no longer bill when they transfer. Let the hospice MD answer to use of opioids and let the death be on their records. In 27 years of hospice work I saw this over and over, oncology patients desperate for pain relief. Most of the people who were applying for “Death With Dignity“ were doing so because of pain. When their pain was better managed MOST were no longer interested
My mom was sent home to die on home hospice and it was TRAUMATIC AND HORRIBLE!!!! I will NEVER agree to that again. All the care was dumped on us while Compassus billed the government. Taking care of a DYING HUMAN BEING IS AWFUL, especially one you love. There's a special place in hell for the for profit hospice owners and Ochsner administrators who think this is acceptable!!!
@@CK-vp6hh well, if anyone wants to get sent home to die on hospice as soon as possible and have medical care provided by your unskilled family and friends, go to Ochsner. They love to reduce their RAMI by urging dying patients to do home hospice.
I was in the medical billing department. Insurance company's deny 10 claims, process 10 claims. The pattern continues. We were told by a huge well know insurance company to deny 10 claims pay 10 claims. This was one of their department rules. They deny, deny. They know that the denials are the last claims billers work on. They count on you going past the filing limit. Or forget about them.
Very very true. My sister had cancer when enrolled in Kaiser HMO. Co-pays exceeded by far the premiums for a supplemental plan. A scandal, as is AARP sell out
Thanks for airing this! I am a primary care physician and I began to realize patients do not understand the difference between Medicare and "Medicare" Advantage. It shouldn't be allowed to be called that! They are shocked to find their options limited as to their choice of doctors (of course ironically Republicans would have you believe anything the Gov't does = less choice), large co-insurances, need for prior authorizations, and more. I do my best to explain why Medicare is better, then I go home and see the slick ads for "Medicare" Advantage on TV and my stomach turns. Though I do get pressure to raise my patient's risk scores, I am rigorous about coding my patient's problems accurately.
Really sick of this country. Only wealthy get a break. Thank you for covering this. I had an advantage policy and I could not afford the long-term out-of-pocket costs.
If by long term out of pocket cost you meant long term care itself then neither Medicare advantage or traditional Medicare with a supplement plan would cover that
I am so depressed by this I don't what to say. I just lost a sister in January 2022, she suffered a stroke and she was airlifted from the USVI to FLORIDA, After several weeks in the hospital she was moved to a Rehab center and within several day the Ins notify her son that her time had expired. We brought her back home. Theses Advantages programs are big time RIP off.
When insurance decides whether you live or die something extremely wrong is going on. My wife is an RN and the amount of corruption in the insurance and medical community is out of control and they’re killing people 🤬
I agree with Wendell Potter. The private insurance companies SHOULD NOT be using “Medicare” in the name of a plan. The insurance companies that committed fraud need to be held accountable. And we need to identify the members of congress who are taking the lobbying money. I’m so disappointed in AARP! Go Katie!!
No surprise to anybody that’s been paying attention. Traditional Medicare is the most efficient insurance program in the country- lowest overhead and administrative costs and highest “medical loss ratio” (a term that refers to the unfortunate reality of insurers needing to actually pay for medical services received by the insured). There is no “competition” provided by private insurers cherry-picking the healthy (and less costly) patients from the Medicare pool. They’re good at marketing, not at paying effective medical services efficiently. Gripe if you want about government third party payers, but the private sector is a complete sham, and they’re much harder for providers to deal with than the feds.
Anyone may return to Original Medicare if they do not like their Medicare Advantage Plan. No one is forcing you to remain with them. Don't like it, get off of it!
@@purplenights1 It’s a scam that costs taxpayers billions and gives insureds the equivalent of a free toaster. People sign up for “free” marginal benefits that don’t improve health and leave the rest of us holding the bag.
you obviously have no idea how this works. there is no qualifying for a medical advantage plan, they accept everyone. they don't even ask medical questions.
@@melsemmling4275 I’m a physician in practice since 1985 with administrative experience and a master’s degree in public health. I’m pretty sure I know how it works.
Universal health care is not the answer. It would cost you, the taxpayer, more than paying for insurance. What needs to happen is government needs to get out of the health care business. Y'all are calling for more government intervention, when they're the ones that screwed it up to begin with. That's called the unbroken leg fallacy.
@@hughjassle5876 I hate to contradict you but universal healthcare would be cheaper, covering everybody. I worked for more than a decade in Europe, three countries, and had excellent coverage. Universal healthcare replaces premiums with a payroll deduction. I believe in Germany the employee pays 7.5% and the employer pays 7.5%. This includes pharmaceuticals and you can go to any doctor you choose, including specialists. No deductibles and very, if any, minimal co pays. Our system is a human disgrace!
I am on an Advantage plan through Anthem and my husband will be. We could not possibly afford the supplemental for both my husband and I (which was calculated for the two of us to come to nearly 12K per year, ) and while I am no longer employed he makes better money than most. We are both in our mid 60's, are in reasonably good health, and neither of us take a single prescription. We mostly avoid conventional medicine, preferring to buy the best food possible, get enough exercise and take quality supplements. I understand the need for reform and wouldn't argue the point, but I am not sure how on earth most seniors (some 27% of whom have less than 10K in savings) can possibly afford the medicare supplemental. Its great to expose the fraud which appears to be rampant in medicine now and I appreciate this segment by Democracy Now, but the costs of the supplemental option just can't be swept under the rug by saying, "It cost us a lot, but......."" If Congress is going to step up for the American people ( a concept I find to be laughable at best) they will have to address this.
@Dale G There is one of four things going on here - 1) you were lied to about the supplement pricing in order to get you into an advantage plan, or 2) you misunderstood the supplement pricing and/or did not price shop, or 3) you are on death's doorstep rather being as healthy as you say you are, or 4) you are lying on behalf of the insurance companies to scare people away from supplement plans. I am older than you, am considered obese, and am on prescriptions. I have traditional medicare and a supplement plan G. I pay $136 per month for the supplement, which is just over $1,600 per year. $12,000 per year for you and your husband is an outrageous exaggeration. I suggest you do your research and then edit your comment to be accurate, or admit you lied by removing your comment.
True some people's social security is so little they can't afford a supp. I had to retire at age 45 because I couldn't hold a job. I had 30 of them so couldn't pay much into SS or Medicare. I gave up.
@@abnerperry5297 WOW, Abner, 3 out of four of your ideas count me as a liar. Holy cow, are you always this hostile? I worked with multiple people on this.... People who had no reason to lie. I am in the age group wherein I cannot get the benefits plan people even a few years my senior can get. The supplemental plan available to me was 6K and the same for my husband. Too much for us. Maybe next time you want to critique someone you could try to be kinder.
@@abnerperry5297 Hello Again Abner, I just checked my figures again for the year 2023. The cheapest I could get was $5,438 per year for myself. This includes Medigap part N supplemental $160/month; Part B $170/month, Dental and eyes $55/month; Drug coverage $7 month. For the $392/month total there is a deductible of $233 on part B and $505 on drugs. Since I see a chiropractor regularly for degenerative discs that has to get paid. If I use the drug benefit it would be no surprise to hit that deductible target given what they cost today. $5438 for me plus a like figure for my husband who will begin Medicare coverage in February,l is still outrageous and NO EXAGGERATION. You clearly were on Medicare before 2020. Next time you want to second guess someone by calling them a liar, you might check the facts.
Juan nails it. Testing for EVERYTHING, whether it's merited or not, is keeping seniors running around from corporate facility to corporate facility. Those tests are extremely expensive. Rarely is a diagnosis or treatment derived from the many tests an average senior is channeled through each year. It's all a money-grab. If you are approaching Medicare eligibility age, DO NOT BUY AN ADVANTAGE PLAN! You'll be stuck in it for at least a year. And it will COST you a ton of money. You will not become any healthier in the process.
once you buy into a private company plan with drug coverage, if you ever go back to straight medicare and then one day decide to buy a private plan again, you pay a huge monthly penalty FOREVER for having gone uninsured with a private drug plan when you were on straight medicare.
@@nonyabizness.original I will not enroll in a private plan. Period. I get the AARP sales pitches in the mail almost daily. I toss them out without even opening. At least I don't get robo-calls from these grifters. Not yet, anyway. Thanks!
@@jabbermocky4520 Yeah, I've told AARP that if they continue to contact me, I'll pursue a cease and desist order. I refuse to be pursued by these marketing scammers. (Yes, they stopped contacting me, finally.. )
Right !! There is so much greed greedy Bastards $$$$$$$$! Thanks 🙏 He said “It’s Disadvantages “ Lured Lurking Television 📺 commercials just over and over!🤥🤥🤥 Lying in Cahoots! Damn I spent 1 hour in emergency 🚨 room ! Bam 💥 20,000.00 dollars 💵
My advantage care plan wanted me to pay $104 for an ultra that the doctor ordered, just to turn around say I need a CAT scan which cost $160. I'm basically in good health, so I refused to pay it. It's not worth the 50 percent that I got back in my social security check. And I haven't heard from no one since. I'm not sure what to do next. Maybe doctor pimple popper could help. 😁😁😁
Over diagnosing patients!? Does that also mean that those same patients were being over treated or given the wrong treatments blatantly? I can’t imagine the risks this could/would put on patients. As someone with a life long autoimmune disorder it infuriates the hell out of me that we have a corrupt profit driven “insurance system” because tbh we don’t have a functional medical system in this country. Like all things in America nothing is off the table for profit, nothing is sacred, and everything is turned into a grift.
"According to the FDA,US doctors kill 1.1M Americans/year from the book the LETHAL dose by Dr. Jennifer Daniels. So far they have killed over 50 million Americans. Life expectancy in USA is the same as in 3rd world countries such as Cuba, Lebanon, Barbados, Panama etc. Age 78. Cancer is/are parasites such as worms, syphilis and candida. Syphilis is lyme disease is lupus is rheumatoid arthritis renamed. Same symptoms same disease renamed.
Even with a Medigap Policy, clinics overbilling is common practice for some Seattle health centers. Do they not upgrade their billing systems annually?
Are all united h3alth plans bad on m3dicare??? They seem like they want to push me off the plan. Is this because of a lawsuit or they dont like that i chose the ppo? They want me to give up my otc for another (guess they changed companies they had sweetheart deals with again.)
Great reporting. Please keep up the expose’. The amount of mailers sent out to people by these insurers when seniors turn 65 is enough to realize the money at stake. Senior care is so inadequate in this country. Seniors are over medicated and underserved in important areas such as long term care and physical therapy.
Exactly how low companies can go in their insatiable appetite for more and more dollars never ceases to amaze me. Screwing their own sick parents to squeeze out a few more dollars might set a new bar but I’m sure some of them will even sink lower.
The question is Not only is anyone going to prison, but will the have to give back the 25 billion and all profits that were made on that 25 billion? This man also said his mother lived longer because he pulled her out of Medicaid Advantage, if this is the case we should see CO'S tried for Murder.
Two and a half years ago I had to go into the hospital because it turned out I had some kind of fluid on my left side that was drained. I was kept in a private room and I had eight separate doctors and no one could figure out why the fluid was there. They lost my samples of blood and saliva three times in one week. They wanted me to continue the stay and of course run more and more tests. I left after a week because I figured if they kept losing my samples that they wanted to test what was the point of me staying there with eight separate doctors and no diagnosis.
Doctors are quick to PRESCRIBE medication but how often do they take you OFF a medication ? Soon, you're on many meds, some that you don't need any more.
Work in a big hospital as a therapist. Pretty much everyone with Medicare advantage does not qualify for necessary rehab services post discharge to ensure they are not readmitted. Our social workers have taken to calling it “Medicare disadvantage.” Just gross stuff
My father was hospitalized for CHF many times and each time his stay was extended to jump through hoops for proper documentation for Medicare Advantage Plans to approve rehab to get him stronger. Never approved. VERY DISHEARTENING!
I knew back in 2009 this was a scam. At that time these plans gave the impression the plan would reduce prescription costs but were not forthcoming that people are signing up for an HMO. I used to work at a podiatrist office and we lost quite a number of patients because their insurance changed and had to go within their HMO network. It wasn't until I would tell them why we can see them they realized what they have and didn't like it and didn't want to change doctors. It's sad how deceptive practices are used to target seniors.
You can also choose a PPO plan that offers a much bigger and wider network and the costs are basically the same as the HMO. I have a PPO plan and love it.
Correction.....they hire doctors and nurses away from the jobs that would most benefit society and use their "knowledge" to deny any services they can to their members. There's a severe shortage of trained nurses and physicians that will take many years to train and replace those who have already left.
@@paulmezhir8354 Many nurses want jobs out of the hospital because the working conditions in hospitals.are SO POOR. They overwork nurses to the point of abuse. And for most of my career it wasn't because there weren't enough nurses to hire, it was to increase profit. Abusive for the nurses, and unsafe for patients. It is an incredibly stressful profession. So glad I am retired.
I've worked I medical administrative position for 20 years. These insurance companies are just scam and our patients have suffered financially and medically. I see it every day.
Traditional medicine: Naturopathic & Ayurvedic remedies have been the greatest blessing to our family. I study constantly to care for mine & myself. Pets included!
How about the fact, that we are forced to buy private insurance to supplement what Medicare doesn't cover anymore !!!! Our government handed Medicare over to private insurance!!!!!! It covers just about Nothing!!!! So I still pay into Medicare and Etna Insurance every month and I can't afford proper health services
In the nineties I had developed a simple fungus infection between two of my toes in of of my feet (I caused it myself). I had private med insurance so I went to my doctor and had a prescription for a cream that did not work, twice (!) I tried, then I went to a special skin clinic where also the prescribed cream did not work. So for about three months I was struggling to do my work as a roofer, luckily I had a crew working for me but was still struggling to simply to go up on a ladder to the roof in my slippers until I went to visit my family in Hungary and told my brother of my predicament who responded with saying 'me too just had the same thing' and proceeded to give me his cream for the fungus he was supplied with. In twenty four hours the cream worked real good on my toes and in three days infection was completely gone. I suffer from terrible memory but still remember the name of this cream, Pimafucin, which is also available in America but under a different name that I don't remember now. This same kind of infection I also had once in the early eighties right after starting to work as a roofer and remember finding a cream in the pharmacy that worked real good in curing it but when this second time I looked in all major pharmacies I could not find the same again ( because the ones available did not work). I did remember it's name for a long time but now I forgot. So, my point is that with your own medical insurance doctors won't want to heal you promptly but are trying to make you come back to them as much as possible in order to bilk insurers as much as they can.
Years ago, a friend from US had a fungus infection on her thumbnail & didn't know what to do now in France for the cream she was prescribed for it in the US. I said just put iodine on it. She did, & she has never had any problem since, after years of some silly cream.
I knew it! That’s why I’ve never enrolled in any of these programs. They keep mailing me applications constantly to enroll. I will always refuse cuz I know what they are up to!!!!
What are people supposed to do in the meantime when they turn 65 and cannot afford a Medicare Supplement plan? In California, Los Angeles county, the average price for a person turning 65 is $150 a month for just a Medicare Supplement plan, that doesn't cover vision and dental. In addition, the person turning 65 must also buy a standalone Part D (prescription) plan, the average price for this coverage, and to avoid the Part D penalty, is $30 a month. Until we change our U.S. Healthcare system, what are seniors supposed to do? Medicare Part B will be $164.90 a month in 2023; the average price for a Medicare Supplement plan is $150 a month; and, the average price for a Part D plan is $30 a month. That's a monthly of average of $344.90, and that's without comprehensive dental nor vision coverage! What are people 65 and older to do until we make big changes?
Not sure about California but they do have what’s called a Medicare Savings program that will help pay for the part b and then you can go on a plan that helps pays the copays. It’s based on income and assets. Hope that helps.
I agree with you we were on straight Medicare with a supplement paying so much that we could barely live month to month and we live in Florida . We still got doctor bills we were paying through the nose. We went to Medicare Advantage AARP so far at least we aren’t broke each month . If the time comes that they refuse to treat me because of profits well one day they will answer for how they treat me or anyone else .
When you have to go to school for “insurance billing and coding” you can smell that the fix is in. When nobody has the same “code”, nobody pays the same price. Put two and two together. .
Once again...Universal health care. Plain and simple, Consistent codes and pay rates. No one not cared for and well cared for. No ads, no prescription ads, no prior authorization by people who do not know you or or health info for regular tests, no networks. No head spinning choices to decipher. No enrollment time. PERIOD. No lobbies. For profit is a sin.
I witnessed hospital fraud when on Medicare. I went to the emergency room for bowel blockage. I was totally ignored as to knowing about my own body, kept in hospital for two stupid days in a room with a man behind a curtain who never stopped coughing; endured two catscans for kidney damage that avoided photographing my bowel, even after I explained the one pair of organs I had checked within the year were my kidneys and I had mistakenly swallowed several jellcaps of echinacea and needed an enema. They billed the government almost forty thousand dollars and billed me 600 dollars, and served me six or seven meals I didn't ask for and couldn't eat, but surely was billed for, and I left with no diagnosis, but was accused to be just showing up for drugs, and they fed me plenty of those, including fentanyl. In the end, a smart nurse stole two bottles of prune juice from the kitchen, I evacuated and checked myself out in a rage. I'm an elementary school teacher, retired and was 73 at the time. I think elders get treated like this a lot. I taught science and know a lot about biology so I was disgusted; but when I reported it as fraud to the Feds in charge, they supported the hospital, and I gave up. It was pure bullshit from the moment I walked in. Plus the doctor who examined me made a pass, at which I simply glared, and he was the one who said I was a drug addict. Catholic hospital in Santa Cruz, Ca. "Dominican." Avoid it if at all possible.
I am sorry for your troubles. I am just interested to know how swallowing gel caps of echinacea can block your bowels. I take caps of echinacea all the time and never had that experience. Are you sure it was the gel caps?
So a Biology teacher doesn't know that a good dose laxitive will generally open up your bowel. If that doesn't work, a Fleet enema will, which you can buy for a few dollars at the pharmacy.
You hit it on the nose. Thanks! This set my antenna quivering the moment I began receiving their barrage of pushy ads in the mail. Only last week my PCP office staff was under the FALSE impression that I was enrolled in Medicare Advantage. When the hospital’s own insurance people are confused, you gotta wonder. Nothing AT ALL wrong with my current Medicare, so why on EARTH would I willingly permit another middle man-an ancillary insurer-to pick my (and the government’s) pockets?!
he forgot to explain the difference between Advantage (a rip off) & Supplemental plans one buys in a addition to Medicare, Medicare "does NOT" pay for everything so the consumer is basically "forced" to buy 1 of the plans, advantage has no monthly fee but cost the consumer a ton in Dr bills, and Supplemental picks up all that Medicare does not pay, Supplemental has a monthly fee, (not cheap upwards of $300 a month) and if Medicare does not cover it, these plans will not kick in additional coverage, PLUS the consumer has to purchase a prescription plan. They are almost horrible as they don't cover many meds which is more out of pocket to the consumer. What a real loss to the consumer again. He is CORRECT! The advantage and supplemental is only additional converage IF the consumer wants to purchase it. OR Do NOT and bar the door hoping Medicare covers what happens to the consumber health wise. Either way the consumer is strapped significantly with further bills. Something has got to GIVE USA GOVT!! Every citizen pays ROYALLY into the Medicare system all their lives by working. No illegals
You are right on the money with what you just said. I felt like I had to pick one or the other and naturally, I chose the advantage plan because I couldn’t afford the supplemental option. They get you with the cost of the medications and you have to pick one or the other. If you don’t have a caseworker to explain all the fine print like people have with Medicaid, you’re left on your own to figure this shit out and then you’re getting calls, texts, and emails with them all telling you something different.
You are right on the money with what you just said. I felt like I had to pick one or the other and naturally, I chose the advantage plan because I couldn’t afford the supplemental option. They get you with the cost of the medications and you have to pick one or the other. If you don’t have a caseworker to explain all the fine print like people have with Medicaid, you’re left on your own to figure this shit out and then you’re getting calls, texts, and emails with them all telling you something different.
Not all advantage plans have high copays. I'm done areas of the country they do. I'm many areas the Max for the year is less than $500 for the entire year! That's less than a couple months of a supp and drug plan. I do agree there should be more choice, but like the commentator did, he spoke from one extreme and that is NOT painting the entire picture correctly
Think long and hard about switching to a Medicare Advantage plan, because you pay a big penalty if you want to switch back to regular Medicare. Also, even with regular Medicare you still have to get your drug coverage through a private company. This needs to change.
i had a drug plan for quite a few years, never used it and the price skyrocketed so i canceled it and went back to straight medicare. a few years later i signed up for another drug plan, and suddenly i had to pay a huge penalty every month FOREVER for having gone 'uninsured' on straight medicare. which no one ever told me about till it was too late. so drug plans, once opted into, are effectively mandatory, even though they are not. side note- the only time i used the private company drug plan to get a prescription, the pharmacist told me "hey, with your insurance this drug will cost you $48, but if we run it without your insurance it'll cost you $14, so what do you want to do?".
I got on Medicare Advantage because I just didn't know any better. So far as I know, I CAN'T go back to straight Medicare, which I would love to do. Pre-existing conditions apparently still exist.
@@cynthialester8348 "If you go 63 days or more in a row without Medicare drug coverage or other creditable prescription drug coverage, you may have to pay a penalty if you sign up for Medicare drug coverage later." medicare site.
@@cynthialester8348 "The cost of the late enrollment penalty depends on how long you didn’t have creditable prescription drug coverage. Currently, the late enrollment penalty is calculated by multiplying 1% of the “national base beneficiary premium” ($33.37 in 2022, $32.74 in 2023) by the number of full, uncovered months that you were eligible but didn’t enroll in Medicare drug coverage and went without other creditable prescription drug coverage. The final amount is rounded to the nearest $.10 and added to your monthly premium. Since the “national base beneficiary premium” may increase each year, the penalty amount may also increase each year. After you enroll in Medicare drug coverage, the plan will tell you if you owe a penalty and what your premium will be."
Oh so this scam started back in the Bush years to privatize heathcare. Glad to see this confirmed on this show. I was barraged with calls, mailers, and brochures when I turned 65. The sheer volume and intensity made me suspicious of what they were pushing.
It's alway Republicans who screw over the poor, the working class and the elderly. Why anyone, who isn't rich, would keep voting for those POS is mind blowing.
Just imagine those dollars spent FOR THE GOOD OF ALL. Government simply exists to RUIN EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES and it all stems from any and every type and style of PURE GREED.
your statement is just wrong. Business exists to service greed. Government is there to protect you from exploitation. Time for an informantion diet, my friend.
Hey Mike did you miss the part that the private companies are committing fraud ? What about honesty from those companies ? Do you not understand that the programs would likely work fine if not for the fraud being committed against Medicare ?
Government run by REPUBLICONS exists to ruin everything... unless your one of their rich donors. Then you get concierge service, tax breaks and head of the line at The Extreme Court to buy judges and court decisions.
In this case, private companies lobbied hard for the chance to get their greedy hands on taxpayer dollars and after they got what they wanted they’ve been caught stealing even more. The truth may be that Medicare is something that our government is pretty good at.
Great to see Wendell Potter again! Also great, hearing the truth about Medicare Advantage. I know firsthand it's truly Medicare Disadvantage due to my mom. AARP didn't point this out as far as I could tell...
I used straight Medicare for 6 years before I switched over to Humana. To me it's just easier to navigate, and I don't let doctors abuse Me by over diagnosing me! The idea is to stay out of the hospital, not think of excuses to go in! Educate the patients that they're being abused!!
You have to be in a PPO or HMO and see only your main doctor. And get pre approval for any procedure. That is what turns me off on Advantage plans. Also, some have co-pays for drs visits or ER visits. Unless you also have Medicaid, which picks up those costs for you.
Do you mean, you found Humana easier to use? Didn’t this guest say Humana was among the companies that had been sued? I heard Humana covers some of the health care which I actually use, naturopathic doctors and acupuncture, so I was going to look at them.
I work for an advantage plan. Managed care for many people are easier to navigate. You can't lump ALL people into a bucket and day that's what they need like the commentator did. That's why seniors have choice. Heck, I choose to be on an HMO on my employer plan for the same reason. Your health plan is ONLY as good as the network or medical group you choose. Your health plan makes 0 decisions on your procedures and what your doctors recommend. Your medical group does. He doesn't even state that. If it's a highly rated plan they will only choose to contract with highly rated networks.
My doctors group was charging me $75 (thru Medicare) for a televisit instead of $25 copay thru Humana (my Primary). So I raised heck! I told them they are trying to get more money from Medicare vs my primary. If they go thru Medicare/govt they get more money & I told them "Oh, Heck no! You will NOT charge me - aka rooking me". They had the nerve to say "Your refund may take up to a year". Again, I said "Oh, heck no! That will NOT happen. I harassed them with FACTS & they finally refunded all the $. They were wrong & they knew it & they didn't know I know my rights! And rookers! We must BE ARMED WITH KNOWLEDGE!
@@georgewagner7787 obviously you don't do any research. A single payer system will save trillions of dollars over the current private system. Check out the ultra conservative Koch Brothers independent report from a couple years ago.
It is so nice to hear the reality. I'll admit that I've been tempted by some of the ads, but I'm always asking if it's Medicare Advantage. The answer is always "yes". I didn't know much, but I am aware that the Advantage plans end up costing far more than they save.
![Tee Grizzley - Blow for Blow (feat. J. Cole) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wNLN5xsx5dc/mqdefault.jpg)
My mom, God rest her soul, got a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. She was on a Medicare Advantage. The doctors she had said they couldn't pin point which exact cancer but wanted to start treatment anyway. I said no, find out what she has. They refused. I got one of the top cancer hospitals in the world to accept her. (ONLY because she did not start any treatment yet)Medicare Advantage denied it. Said they weren't sure about the hospital. I thought it was a big misunderstanding, called the insurance. After pleading, in tears for mom to get to cancer specialists the lady from the Advantage plan had mercy on me when I asked, "What would YOU do if this was YOUR mom?" She said, "Listen hun, it's nothing personal it's profits, this company denies almost everything first time. So people give up. Just appeal it." I asked how long does that take? She said usually about 3 months. I said my mom doesn't have 3 months. I then found out we were in a special enrollment period. Changed her to traditional Medicare, she got into that hospital and beat her cancer. The treatment the other doctors insisted on would not have worked on her type of cancer. She lived another 8 yrs until a more aggressive form of the cancer returned. Long story short: For profit health care is about caring for their profits not your health. Stear clear. Want a gym membership, get one, don't get insurance because they offer free gym membership.
ID; kudos to you for being a medical advocate for your mother! I’ve had to be my own advocate this year, and it ain’t easy! Between the medical community and insurance companies, our, Americans’ healthcare system is deeply flawed. Insurance companies will probably always dictate treatment. It most assuredly AINT right! Non medical personnel making medical decisions? Some life and death oriented? No! Thankfully I have regular old Medicare. They approved two surgeries for me this year. Didn’t deny anything regarding my hip replacement. Which was $65k. Had a kidney stone removal surgery earlier. They paid up to 80% of my costs. Medicaid pays for my Medicare monthly premium. I’m on SSDI. My prescriptions are paid for as well. It’s taken me over a decade to get the government to pay for my existence here. I paid into SS, so it’s my money. But to get Medicaid to pick up the tab for Medicare was a big windfall. Cuz Medicare is around $140 per month. Ouch when your monthly check is just over 1k.
Thanks again for sharing your story I D.
forgive me but.....holy shit........
I am so sorry. It's clear you love your Mom, I know she thanks you for standing up for her.
@@hoosierbaddy3052 if Medicaid is ever curtailed in my state I'll lose my mind. Luckily I have doctors who appeal if Medicaid denies anything. I've been lucky and have had everything I needed approved. Unfortunately I have two completely unknown genetic conditions that will likely never have treatment until genetic conditions can be easily treated with genetic engineering.
And this is how the Government protects it's senior citizens, no protection, all the advertisements for Med Advantages 🙄 who understands them being hosted with notable personal from Hollywood and or Sports. Just sicking how Big Brother doesn't protect us 😪 only looking out for the Money Maker's. 😤
Thanks for sharing 😊😊☺️ What is the name of traditional Medicare??????
About 25 years ago I worked in the medical field. There was a woman who came in with some anxiety due to changes that were going on around her life including going to college and the possible divorce of her parents. After talking to her for a bit she had good support systems and she felt better and I'm sorry to go home. When my supervisor found out the insurance she had, a nurse was sent to the parking lot in search of the woman who was then brought back to the hospital. She was then diagnosed with something more serious. She was given antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication but because she had excellent insurance they prescribed some of the newest medicines which were much more expensive and had many more side effects despite not being as efficacious as some of the traditional medications. In short for these medications she received four additional medications that would help mitigate the side effects of these medications for her so-called depression and her so-called anxiety. This is what happens depending on the type of insurance you have. Physicians in the United States are more like businessmen than they are healers.
@The Vision Thank you for telling your experience! This woman was violated in one of the worst ways in life, and people need to know the dangers that are possible!
They don't even behave like businessman they pretend to be business and but they're really shysters and thieves. Medicare Advantage plans are a con game. Taking advantage of patience and our federal government money. I won't show my medicare benefits for nothing these commercials should be illegal or have a little disclaimer at the bottom. I am barraged with them daily.
Wow. That is so unethical it’s not even funny. I remember back in the mid 90’s how our RN House Supervisors had to start focusing more on DRGs rather than what a supervisor should be more concerned about. There started to be pressure to discharge everyone on a strict time frame for whatever the primary reason they were there for such as everyone with a hip replacement being pressured to leave on no later than the 4th day after their surgery because then the hospital would start losing money. I’m in an Advantage Plan mainly for the medication coverage but honestly, I don’t really understand what it’s all about and there isn’t anyone to help me figure it out. I don’t qualify for Medicaid because I supposedly make too much which is a joke. I’ve had Humana now for several years only because I don’t know what else to do to get the drug benefits and when you don’t have anyone to help you with this stuff, it’s easier to just keep the same company. I either get a phone call or item in the mail every single day from Humana when I already have an App to reorder my prescriptions but they seem to have plenty of time to be in my life on a daily basis.
Lisa read my post. I am going with straight Medicare. And I am dissenrolling from my Part D because I can save money just using GoodRx.
Aetna has been calling my house every day for two years. And they bug my pharmacy constantly as well. I called them and told them to knock it off or I was going to report them for harassment.
Insurance companies are only good for two things, collecting premiums and denying claims.
1000%. Excellent point
there is no good in them in practice. once upon a time a nice idea, like unions, but greed got in the way and there seems no way back. sometimes I think they are trying to kill off the excess people who cant or wont be screwed by their criminal manage your health practises.
@@jacpratt8608 most of unions are great ,there is not about insurance that isn't evil
You are SO right! But know your rights & be armed with knowledge! I fought a charge because they insisted on using Medicare ($75 for me) but my primary is Humana ($25 for me). They insisted on Medicare until I raised heck every single day. They probably got sick of me fighting them. I kept saying to them "Oh, h*ll NO". They get more from govt - & govt are suckers (& bloodsuckers while I'm at it)
As an insurance agent - I approve this message.
This is ONE MILLION PERCENT TRUE! I sold medicare for a few years and once I started learning about how the medciare advantage plans worked, I elected to opt out of selling medicare. I am so glad that finally someone is exposing these plans!
I like my MA plan. But I am fairly healthy so far. Free gym, dental, drug plan, doctor visits, no deducible, low or no copays.
@@crand20033 Of course, you have been "healthy " to this point. But we do not buy insurance for the times we are healthy, we buy it for those just in case times when we are not healthy. The bottom line is that insurance is about two things, quality of care and protection of assets. So two questions, do you have assets to protect? Secondly if you were to suffer a major accident or illness would you want to have access to the best doctor and hospital, or just the doctor and hospital in your network?
That report should make us all angry enough to call our senators & house reps and tell them to end the madness
I’m so glad this news is now going mainstream. This is criminal! Ralph Nader and guests have been trying to highlight this issue for awhile.
Yet more and more people find this news so "mainstream" that more people by the day are switching to Medicare Advantage Plans.
@Laura Didn't know Ralph was still around.
The Green Party has worked to get us Medicare for all for decades, but people are afraid to vote Green. In 2012, the Dems handcuffed Jill Stein to a chair for hours to prevent her from participating in the debate--that's how scared the Dems are of the Greens. That's why they screwed Bernie.
@Laura Okay, thanks.
Decades to be precise
I wish this was on mainstream news this is so important
Which is why people believe RUclips channels.
*SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE!!!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *SHARE* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *THIS* *VIDEO!* *SHARE* *SHARE* SHARE* SHARE* SHARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* GET THE WORD OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Share it with people you know or to people you don't know through social media platforms.
Mainstream media is promoting Chuck Schumer and his phone victory for negotiating drug prices for Medicare. AARP has been promoting this as well but the negotiations for lower drug prices don't start until 2026 and it's only for ten drugs. Probably for ten very expensive drugs that few people require.
no they have ukraine to distract You
The worst part of our health care system has been the insurance companies. They consume the largest part of our health care dollars
Consume? You more likely mean stole.
Do you mean “for profit” healthcare should not exist in our society?? 💰💵💸🤑
and dictate the treatment
@@montanagal6958 exactly!
Yup and they want to take away Medicare and social from older people but it's the f-----ing ins companies taking the money.
As a home health nurse, advantage programs are an out right scam. Glad to see some focus on these snake oil salesmen!!
No surprises here. I worked as a sales rep for a company that operated New York State's first Medicare Advantage program. When the plans were first introduced, the programs were far more regulated and could only be operated as a not-for-profit organization. The beginning of the end for Medicare Advantage programs was in 2006, with the passage of the "Medicare Modernization Act," which opened the field to for-profit insurers like Cigna, Humana, Aetna and United Healthcare. The Part D drug program was a massive giveaway to for-profit Insurance companies and the Pharmaceutical and Pharmacy industries. These companies have become fully integrated, owning not only the insurance plans but also pharmacy benefits management, pharmacies and even hospital ownership. It's pure collusion and it does nothing but harm to Medicare-eligible enrollees who are restricted by burdensome rules such as the referral system to see acspecialist, denial of expensive diagnostic imaging services, denial of care necessitated by one's own doctor's orders. In some cases, the benefit is worsevthan what one would have if one hadMedicare only.
And dont even get me started on the obscene amounts of profit and/or extravagant salaries for those executives fortunate enough to really rake in compensation that is easly higher than doctors and even hospital administrators.
We already have a multi-tier system of death panels in this barbaric country we live in.
This is so TRUE
@Paul Mehzir Thank you very much for speaking the truth.
Friendly old Brit. This is what happens when government oversight is reduced and deregulation takes place. Without audit it will end up like the IRS.
Managed care has also been another nail in the coffin of reasonable medical care directed by one’s actual providers.
Thanks for your coment/input here ... I hope many view it! I agree, it is a barbaric death panel system!!🟪
My 82 year old mom take no medication but her doctor wants her to come 4 times a year to take a lot of tests, from cognitive to blood. She refuses the 4 times but goes twice. Still too much. He has even suggested she is depressed and needs to take medication. Fortunately she does not fall for it.
If the doctor is not prescribing medications, then only go once a year. This happened to me so I told my doctor that I would see him in one year, not 6 months.
Except She's 82
I have friends who had this happen, and others that don’t. It is either the Dr wanting the billing or the hospital group the Dr belongs to. I know older patients have a connection to their Dr and don’t want to change, but finding a Dr who doesn’t require these frequent visits is possible.
@Commander McBragg there is no money in healthy people
My doctor stopped taking Medicare completely years ago and I'm guessing it's because of all of this garbage but he charges a reasonable amount of money meaning extremely reasonable I've been seeing him for over 20 years and he never does any of that ridiculous crap trying to over prescribe or over diagnose so I'm praying he never retires but I know it's going to happen one day and when that happens I don't even know what I'll do
When I turned 50, I couldn't believe the onslaught of companies calling my phone asking me to switch to this cellphone company, insurance, pick up additional insurance, asking to sign up for social security disability, life insurance, etc. When I went to the Dr for a pain, I had to get this xray, that MRI, this test, that test. Give me a freakin break. I made it to 50 just to be harassed for the rest of my life on Earth by charlatans in the medical field? I have to change my whole life bc I am now over 50 years old? Are you kidding me?!!!
Good for you! Knowledge is important. You tell 'em! (the thieving, lying, for profit evil ones)
I m agree
Why. The government permit it???
and they dont nothing NOTHING ON THE DR BILLS OR TEST TO THE DRS NOW ..WHY WOULD I HAVE NEW TEST DONE ...THE ALL THE SAME CO. THE GOV YES YEZ
Yep, I've learned to say no to all the questions during my annual physical, because they are just sniffing around for something to enter on your chart so they can give you a drug for it. Naturopathic doctors are so much better
Working in healthcare at the largest hospital in my state, seeing how often elderly patients get screwed out of needed care by managed Medicare (private insurers) is heartbreaking. Traditional Medicare is the way to go along with supplement insurance. The premiums are higher but knowing that you'll be taken care of when you need it is peace of mind. Don't skimp on your health and if you do, don't be surprised when you get screwed.
But I cannot afford price of Medicare supplements & not eligible for Medicaid.
@@keilana6 well then vote for the people who are trying to get all Americans healthcare coverage. Hint: it's not the republicans
I agree! I didn’t know about the difference between Medicare and so called Medicare Advantage until last year. I am no longer in an Advantage plan. Very deceptive
How did you get out of your Advantage plan and accepted into Medicare? Did you get accepted into a Medicare supplement plan without underwriting, or did you just get regular Medicare Part A and Part B?
I've been on Medicare Advantage for 10 years because I can't afford premiums for Mc supplements. I hate that I am relegated to 2nd class medical care due to governmental lobbyists & insurance co.
@@keilana6 Because you don't have much money. But it's better than no health insurance.
Mr. Potter forgot to mention the pharmaceutical industry being integral to the heist.
This is really sad! Stealing from the seniors and taxpayers. Thank you so much for covering this!
A physician told me once, "Make no mistake health care is a business. "
Make no mistake, health care is a business.
So glad I have an independent insurance agent. He kept me away from Medicare advantage.
A relative worked for a hospital and then an ins co. She said to NEVER get an advantage plan.
It depends on the area you live in. Some zip code areas don't have a lot of docs or hospitals.
This helped me very much. This is the year I enroll in Medicare and I feel overwhelmed.
Find a good agent to help you navigate. I had help as it was so confusing. Ask friends if they know someone. Don’t just choose the cheapest policy. Your medicare part A only covers hospitalization. Then you choose part B or C or D etc. those are either PPOs or HMOs. The HMOs were cheaper but I couldn’t get any care outside of my county. I chose a PPO where I can go anywhere in the US and I can go to any doctor I choose to.
Never do a Medicare Advantage.
@@Dbb27Thank you!
@@Dbb27 Part C is Medicare Advantage.
Thanks Democracy Now for interviewing so many who are crucial to our existence.
And thank you Wendell potter for being an incredible hero.
Share this interview ppl--
it won't be shown on mainstream
I recently retired early mainly because of the stress of dealing with insurance companies. I had to get authorizations for surgeries and test. The MC Advantage plans made these poor patients jump through so many hoops and made them delay treatment so often it was heartbreaking. The people we had to go through on the phone were reading a script and most barely spoke English. We could never talk to anyone at the insurance company that actually could have a knowledgable conversation and could make a decision. Alot of seniors are flat out being lied to about these plans and most have no clue what they have. It is an outrage. We both have Medicare now and are getting bombarded with mail, text and phone calls from these disadvantage plans.
So is it best to just have parts A & B then ?
Exactly! I just toss them in the garbage. I luv how you said: “disadvantage!”
@@WildmanUSAF
Yes! Those are the true Medicare benefits!
Ditto. Half of my daily phone calls are from Medicare plans. So irritating.
@@WildmanUSAF Yes, along with a Medigap policy to cover the 20% that Medicare does not cover.
I saw this coming every since medical insurance became mandatory.
This was out there long before ACA. You’re misinformed. It has nothing to do with mandatory insurance. One can receive part A which only covers your hospitalization and not choose any of the supplements.
@@Dbb27
Why does my supplement which pays the 20 % Medicare doesn't pay, cost me almost three times as much as Medicare ?
Unless we have Universal Health insurance you really do need health insurance unless you want to leave yourself open to risk. Even a small surgery for breaking a bone cost me $50,000.
@@workonitm8 it’s open enrollment right now. Look for a better plan. There are hundreds of plans. My medicare is $145 I think and my supplement is $238. No copay and no deductible.
Why the New York Times do investigators on health insurance "NOW"??? we must think VERY DEEPLY NOWWW.🤔🤔🤔🤔🤯🤯🤯🤯
CMS has not been asleep at the wheel. CMS’ job like the rest of the government is like this guy said, to protect and enhance the profits of the oligarchy. Surprise surprise!!
NOBODY NEEDS HEATH INSURANCE
EVERYBODY NEEDS HEALTH CARE
FOOD is our medicine & the evil leaders pasturized, HOMOGENIZED, refined our flour salt & sugar, now these will only downgrade our health not help at all!
Off topic, but related. At the end of my nursing career I worked in hospice because I could no longer work in the hospital. The pace and stress for hospital nurses is incredible. Anyway, many hospices are also ripping off the government. Especially the for-profit ones. But even the non-profits sometimes keep patients on service that are not hospice appropriate (or hospice eligible). But the non-profits that I saw are much better than the for profit hospices. The best hospice I saw was Collabria Hospice in Napa. I won't go there with the worst. Lots of government money in hospice care. They should also be more thoroughly investigated than they are. Kaiser and Sutter also both have their own hospices. Kaiser is now being sued for Medicare Advantage program. And Sutter has been sued for overcharging. Both have very highly paid executives. We need stricter oversight on all of this. Hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospices, etc.
Make it illegal for medical companies to trade as public stocks. I believe that would take out much of the profit pressures and hove the public better health care.
They bring them.into hospice before they are even close to death....o ly 6 months or less to live can be on hospice...
@@phriedokra6158 I’ve seen the absolute flip side of that- MDs don’t refer until the last 2 weeks as they can no longer bill when they transfer. Let the hospice MD answer to use of opioids and let the death be on their records. In 27 years of hospice work I saw this over and over, oncology patients desperate for pain relief. Most of the people who were applying for “Death With Dignity“ were doing so because of pain. When their pain was better managed MOST were no longer interested
My mom was sent home to die on home hospice and it was TRAUMATIC AND HORRIBLE!!!! I will NEVER agree to that again. All the care was dumped on us while Compassus billed the government. Taking care of a DYING HUMAN BEING IS AWFUL, especially one you love. There's a special place in hell for the for profit hospice owners and Ochsner administrators who think this is acceptable!!!
@@CK-vp6hh well, if anyone wants to get sent home to die on hospice as soon as possible and have medical care provided by your unskilled family and friends, go to Ochsner. They love to reduce their RAMI by urging dying patients to do home hospice.
I was in the medical billing department. Insurance company's deny 10 claims, process 10 claims. The pattern continues. We were told by a huge well know insurance company to deny 10 claims pay 10 claims. This was one of their department rules. They deny, deny. They know that the denials are the last claims billers work on. They count on you going past the filing limit. Or forget about them.
Very very true. My sister had cancer when enrolled in Kaiser HMO. Co-pays exceeded by far the premiums for a supplemental plan. A scandal, as is AARP sell out
Thanks for airing this!
I am a primary care physician and I began to realize patients do not understand the difference between Medicare and "Medicare" Advantage. It shouldn't be allowed to be called that! They are shocked to find their options limited as to their choice of doctors (of course ironically Republicans would have you believe anything the Gov't does = less choice), large co-insurances, need for prior authorizations, and more. I do my best to explain why Medicare is better, then I go home and see the slick ads for "Medicare" Advantage on TV and my stomach turns. Though I do get pressure to raise my patient's risk scores, I am rigorous about coding my patient's problems accurately.
Thank you dr for your service. Sincerely.
Thank you! The world needs more caring doctors like you.
I'm currently in medical in Canada. We have a completely different healthcare system here. I'm shocked by how people on MA are treated in the US.
Thank you for reporting this. Excellent guest
Really sick of this country. Only wealthy get a break. Thank you for covering this. I had an advantage policy and I could not afford the long-term out-of-pocket costs.
Try going to another country and get good health care.
Katie, what did you do? Were you able to get back on Traditional Medicare?
If by long term out of pocket cost you meant long term care itself then neither Medicare advantage or traditional Medicare with a supplement plan would cover that
@jake Greenb
Aw what a cute attempt at a witty reply
I am so depressed by this I don't what to say. I just lost a sister in January 2022, she suffered a stroke and she was airlifted from the USVI to FLORIDA, After several weeks in the hospital she was moved to a Rehab center and within several day the Ins notify her son that her time had expired. We brought her back home. Theses Advantages programs are big time RIP off.
When insurance decides whether you live or die something extremely wrong is going on. My wife is an RN and the amount of corruption in the insurance and medical community is out of control and they’re killing people 🤬
I am going back to my own Federal Employees HEALTH BENEFITS. These health insurance companies lied , zero monthly premium. Zero co-pay. A great lies.
I agree with Wendell Potter. The private insurance companies SHOULD NOT be using “Medicare” in the name of a plan. The insurance companies that committed fraud need to be held accountable. And we need to identify the members of congress who are taking the lobbying money. I’m so disappointed in AARP! Go Katie!!
No surprise to anybody that’s been paying attention. Traditional Medicare is the most efficient insurance program in the country- lowest overhead and administrative costs and highest “medical loss ratio” (a term that refers to the unfortunate reality of insurers needing to actually pay for medical services received by the insured). There is no “competition” provided by private insurers cherry-picking the healthy (and less costly) patients from the Medicare pool. They’re good at marketing, not at paying effective medical services efficiently. Gripe if you want about government third party payers, but the private sector is a complete sham, and they’re much harder for providers to deal with than the feds.
Anyone may return to Original Medicare if they do not like their Medicare Advantage Plan. No one is forcing you to remain with them. Don't like it, get off of it!
@@purplenights1 It’s a scam that costs taxpayers billions and gives insureds the equivalent of a free toaster. People sign up for “free” marginal benefits that don’t improve health and leave the rest of us holding the bag.
you obviously have no idea how this works. there is no qualifying for a medical advantage plan, they accept everyone. they don't even ask medical questions.
@@melsemmling4275 I’m a physician in practice since 1985 with administrative experience and a master’s degree in public health. I’m pretty sure I know how it works.
But what if you can't afford regular Medicare?
Thank you for making this broadcast. We've known this for years. Please keep pursuing this story.
We need to stop having insurance companies as the middle men and have universal healthcare.
Bingo! The US is the only advanced industrial nation not to have some form of universal healthcare. Time for M4All!!!
Universal health care is not the answer. It would cost you, the taxpayer, more than paying for insurance. What needs to happen is government needs to get out of the health care business. Y'all are calling for more government intervention, when they're the ones that screwed it up to begin with. That's called the unbroken leg fallacy.
@@haleybrown2836 this is true because the US is managed by the Corptocracy! Getting closer each month towards
Fascism.
@@hughjassle5876 this has already been debunked.
@@hughjassle5876 I hate to contradict you but universal healthcare would be cheaper, covering everybody. I worked for more than a decade in Europe, three countries, and had excellent coverage. Universal healthcare replaces premiums with a payroll deduction. I believe in Germany the employee pays 7.5% and the employer pays 7.5%. This includes pharmaceuticals and you can go to any doctor you choose, including specialists. No deductibles and very, if any, minimal co pays. Our system is a human disgrace!
This has been going on for many many years. That is why we are in this predicament.
I am on an Advantage plan through Anthem and my husband will be. We could not possibly afford the supplemental for both my husband and I (which was calculated for the two of us to come to nearly 12K per year, ) and while I am no longer employed he makes better money than most. We are both in our mid 60's, are in reasonably good health, and neither of us take a single prescription. We mostly avoid conventional medicine, preferring to buy the best food possible, get enough exercise and take quality supplements. I understand the need for reform and wouldn't argue the point, but I am not sure how on earth most seniors (some 27% of whom have less than 10K in savings) can possibly afford the medicare supplemental. Its great to expose the fraud which appears to be rampant in medicine now and I appreciate this segment by Democracy Now, but the costs of the supplemental option just can't be swept under the rug by saying, "It cost us a lot, but......."" If Congress is going to step up for the American people ( a concept I find to be laughable at best) they will have to address this.
@Dale G There is one of four things going on here - 1) you were lied to about the supplement pricing in order to get you into an advantage plan, or 2) you misunderstood the supplement pricing and/or did not price shop, or 3) you are on death's doorstep rather being as healthy as you say you are, or 4) you are lying on behalf of the insurance companies to scare people away from supplement plans.
I am older than you, am considered obese, and am on prescriptions. I have traditional medicare and a supplement plan G. I pay $136 per month for the supplement, which is just over $1,600 per year. $12,000 per year for you and your husband is an outrageous exaggeration. I suggest you do your research and then edit your comment to be accurate, or admit you lied by removing your comment.
True some people's social security is so little they can't afford a supp. I had to retire at age 45 because I couldn't hold a job. I had 30 of them so couldn't pay much into SS or Medicare. I gave up.
@@abnerperry5297 WOW, Abner, 3 out of four of your ideas count me as a liar. Holy cow, are you always this hostile?
I worked with multiple people on this.... People who had no reason to lie. I am in the age group wherein I cannot get the benefits plan people even a few years my senior can get. The supplemental plan available to me was 6K and the same for my husband. Too much for us. Maybe next time you want to critique someone you could try to be kinder.
@@abnerperry5297 Hello Again Abner,
I just checked my figures again for the year 2023. The cheapest I could get was $5,438 per year for myself. This includes Medigap part N supplemental $160/month; Part B $170/month, Dental and eyes $55/month; Drug coverage $7 month. For the $392/month total there is a deductible of $233 on part B and $505 on drugs. Since I see a chiropractor regularly for degenerative discs that has to get paid. If I use the drug benefit it would be no surprise to hit that deductible target given what they cost today.
$5438 for me plus a like figure for my husband who will begin Medicare coverage in February,l is still outrageous and NO EXAGGERATION.
You clearly were on Medicare before 2020. Next time you want to second guess someone by calling them a liar, you might check the facts.
Juan nails it. Testing for EVERYTHING, whether it's merited or not, is keeping seniors running around from corporate facility to corporate facility. Those tests are extremely expensive. Rarely is a diagnosis or treatment derived from the many tests an average senior is channeled through each year. It's all a money-grab. If you are approaching Medicare eligibility age, DO NOT BUY AN ADVANTAGE PLAN! You'll be stuck in it for at least a year. And it will COST you a ton of money. You will not become any healthier in the process.
once you buy into a private company plan with drug coverage, if you ever go back to straight medicare and then one day decide to buy a private plan again, you pay a huge monthly penalty FOREVER for having gone uninsured with a private drug plan when you were on straight medicare.
@@nonyabizness.original I will not enroll in a private plan. Period. I get the AARP sales pitches in the mail almost daily. I toss them out without even opening. At least I don't get robo-calls from these grifters. Not yet, anyway. Thanks!
@@jabbermocky4520 Yeah, I've told AARP that if they continue to contact me, I'll pursue a cease and desist order.
I refuse to be pursued by these marketing scammers.
(Yes, they stopped contacting me, finally.. )
Right !! There is so much greed greedy Bastards $$$$$$$$! Thanks 🙏 He said “It’s Disadvantages “ Lured Lurking Television 📺 commercials just over and over!🤥🤥🤥 Lying in Cahoots! Damn I spent 1 hour in emergency 🚨 room ! Bam 💥 20,000.00 dollars 💵
My advantage care plan wanted me to pay $104 for an ultra that the doctor ordered, just to turn around say I need a CAT scan which cost $160. I'm basically in good health, so I refused to pay it. It's not worth the 50 percent that I got back in my social security check. And I haven't heard from no one since. I'm not sure what to do next. Maybe doctor pimple popper could help. 😁😁😁
Katie Porter has to win her election. She's the best person we have representing us in Congress. I'd like to see her as our first woman president.
I'd volunteer for her campaign if she were to run but who would represent us at her level? Same reason why I was conflicted with Elizabeth Warren.
She is one in a million.
Me too.
This is also why we need more women running for office.
She’s so smart and down to earth
Over diagnosing patients!? Does that also mean that those same patients were being over treated or given the wrong treatments blatantly? I can’t imagine the risks this could/would put on patients. As someone with a life long autoimmune disorder it infuriates the hell out of me that we have a corrupt profit driven “insurance system” because tbh we don’t have a functional medical system in this country. Like all things in America nothing is off the table for profit, nothing is sacred, and everything is turned into a grift.
I'm with Humana now but I'm going to change the moment I move.
1/6 of the economy and it sickening literally
Absolutely well said!
"According to the FDA,US doctors kill 1.1M Americans/year from the book the LETHAL dose by Dr. Jennifer Daniels. So far they have killed over 50 million Americans. Life expectancy in USA is the same as in 3rd world countries such as Cuba, Lebanon, Barbados, Panama etc. Age 78. Cancer is/are parasites such as worms, syphilis and candida. Syphilis is lyme disease is lupus is rheumatoid arthritis renamed. Same symptoms same disease renamed.
@Commander McBragg its caused by parasite. Doctors wont give him antiparasitic drugs to cure him.
I was about to sign up for the Medicare Advantage plan with Aetna, so I'm glad I saw this. I'll do more research before I make any decisions.🧘
@berniesanders, what can be done here sir? This is horrible. Why are these predatorial companies allowed to continue and flourish?
I’ve always known this as a nurse. Every Medicare eligible person in my family stayed on traditional Medicare with a Medigap plan if I could help it.
I am a retired nurse and I didn't know this. Good you did.
Even with a Medigap Policy, clinics overbilling is common practice for some Seattle health centers. Do they not upgrade their billing systems annually?
Are all united h3alth plans bad on m3dicare??? They seem like they want to push me off the plan. Is this because of a lawsuit or they dont like that i chose the ppo? They want me to give up my otc for another (guess they changed companies they had sweetheart deals with again.)
They also called me daily (like a harassing telemarketer for 2 years. )
@@livewithmeterandnomeasureb1679 I got tons of mail regarding Medicare Advantage plans and Kaiser called me repeatedly about it.
Great reporting. Please keep up the expose’. The amount of mailers sent out to people by these insurers when seniors turn 65 is enough to realize the money at stake. Senior care is so inadequate in this country. Seniors are over medicated and underserved in important areas such as long term care and physical therapy.
An evasion from hell!
How doI find out about the lawsuit? EVERY DAMN DOCTOR that participated needs to lose their license to practice!
Q1 . Is this called Healthcare fraud?
I believe this kind of fraud is also broadly happening in auto repair industry.
Exactly how low companies can go in their insatiable appetite for more and more dollars never ceases to amaze me. Screwing their own sick parents to squeeze out a few more dollars might set a new bar but I’m sure some of them will even sink lower.
There is more honor among thieves.
.
and you treat your money differently?
Is anyone going to jail?
Only if a rich person's wealth is threatened, so no.
The question is Not only is anyone going to prison, but will the have to give back the 25 billion and all profits that were made on that 25 billion?
This man also said his mother lived longer because he pulled her out of Medicaid Advantage, if this is the case we should see CO'S tried for Murder.
what jail .They may have to apologize..These criminals
This needs to be reported by mainstream media, to say this is terrible would be an understatement.
This is why I believed Kennedy that the government shouldn’t be trusted. Thank you !
Straight Medicare is open and honest. The problem is with the private profit driven Medicare Advantage companies.
Two and a half years ago I had to go into the hospital because it turned out I had some kind of fluid on my left side that was drained. I was kept in a private room and I had eight separate doctors and no one could figure out why the fluid was there. They lost my samples of blood and saliva three times in one week. They wanted me to continue the stay and of course run more and more tests. I left after a week because I figured if they kept losing my samples that they wanted to test what was the point of me staying there with eight separate doctors and no diagnosis.
Over diagnosing patients and putting stuff in their bodies that aren't necessary sounds like premeditated murder to me
Doctors are quick to PRESCRIBE medication but how often do they take you OFF a medication ?
Soon, you're on many meds, some that you don't need any more.
Work in a big hospital as a therapist. Pretty much everyone with Medicare advantage does not qualify for necessary rehab services post discharge to ensure they are not readmitted. Our social workers have taken to calling it “Medicare disadvantage.” Just gross stuff
Totally agree. Found out when I was referred to physical therapy. Could not afford copayment on a regular basis.
My father was hospitalized for CHF many times and each time his stay was extended to jump through hoops for proper documentation for Medicare Advantage Plans to approve rehab to get him stronger. Never approved. VERY DISHEARTENING!
We never enrolled in the Advantage plan.
How do we as taxpayers STOP this corruption from taking place?
I knew back in 2009 this was a scam. At that time these plans gave the impression the plan would reduce prescription costs but were not forthcoming that people are signing up for an HMO. I used to work at a podiatrist office and we lost quite a number of patients because their insurance changed and had to go within their HMO network. It wasn't until I would tell them why we can see them they realized what they have and didn't like it and didn't want to change doctors. It's sad how deceptive practices are used to target seniors.
You can also choose a PPO plan that offers a much bigger and wider network and the costs are basically the same as the HMO. I have a PPO plan and love it.
By the way, drugs are generally covered under both Tiers 1 and 2, and a small surcharge for tiers 3 and 4.
I also worked for a Podiatry clinic and saw the same thing. What a sham
jfc they have both hmo and ppo.
@@purplenights1 PPO plans are typically more costly than HMO plans. They usually have a higher deductible, but do give you more choice.
Years ago I learned that health insurers hire doctors and nurses to rule on approval or disapproval of coverage of claims
And the more that gets disapproved, while premiums are still being paid, the more profits the insurance company makes.
Correction.....they hire doctors and nurses away from the jobs that would most benefit society and use their "knowledge" to deny any services they can to their members. There's a severe shortage of trained nurses and physicians that will take many years to train and replace those who have already left.
yeah, and they rule on second hand information without ever having seen the client.
@@paulmezhir8354 that fact alone is just appalling, inconceivable. Imagine using your medical knowledge to HARM people instead of HEAL !!!!
@@paulmezhir8354 Many nurses want jobs out of the hospital because the working conditions in hospitals.are SO POOR. They overwork nurses to the point of abuse. And for most of my career it wasn't because there weren't enough nurses to hire, it was to increase profit. Abusive for the nurses, and unsafe for patients. It is an incredibly stressful profession. So glad I am retired.
I've worked I medical administrative position for 20 years. These insurance companies are just scam and our patients have suffered financially and medically. I see it every day.
IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS GETS REPORTED. about 45 years too late.
Thank you for your transparency from this medical nightmare...
Listen to the Senate hearing by the financial services subcommittee with Liz Warren on February 2, 2022. The future of Medicare.
The bottom line is: "What can we seniors do about it?"
Traditional medicine: Naturopathic & Ayurvedic remedies have been the greatest blessing to our family. I study constantly to care for mine & myself. Pets included!
Vote blue to start
@@phriedokra6158 LOL! Surely, you jest!
All the more reason to make it Medicare for all. Prices would go down and our health would be better.
How about the fact, that we are forced to buy private insurance to supplement what Medicare doesn't cover anymore !!!! Our government handed Medicare over to private insurance!!!!!! It covers just about Nothing!!!! So I still pay into Medicare and Etna Insurance every month and I can't afford proper health services
Perfect time to hold those accountable and give Americans Medicare for all
In the nineties I had developed a simple fungus infection between two of my toes in of of my feet (I caused it myself). I had private med insurance so I went to my doctor and had a prescription for a cream that did not work, twice (!) I tried, then I went to a special skin clinic where also the prescribed cream did not work. So for about three months I was struggling to do my work as a roofer, luckily I had a crew working for me but was still struggling to simply to go up on a ladder to the roof in my slippers until I went to visit my family in Hungary and told my brother of my predicament who responded with saying 'me too just had the same thing' and proceeded to give me his cream for the fungus he was supplied with. In twenty four hours the cream worked real good on my toes and in three days infection was completely gone. I suffer from terrible memory but still remember the name of this cream, Pimafucin, which is also available in America but under a different name that I don't remember now. This same kind of infection I also had once in the early eighties right after starting to work as a roofer and remember finding a cream in the pharmacy that worked real good in curing it but when this second time I looked in all major pharmacies I could not find the same again ( because the ones available did not work). I did remember it's name for a long time but now I forgot. So, my point is that with your own medical insurance doctors won't want to heal you promptly but are trying to make you come back to them as much as possible in order to bilk insurers as much as they can.
Years ago, a friend from US had a fungus infection on her thumbnail & didn't know what to do now in France for the cream she was prescribed for it in the US. I said just put iodine on it. She did, & she has never had any problem since, after years of some silly cream.
Where ever money is involved there is corruption
Ah, the beauty of a for-profit health care system, the crowning achievement of the USA
The YMCA will not offer a "senior" membership to you unless you sign up for "Advantage." Horrible.
I knew it! That’s why I’ve never enrolled in any of these programs. They keep mailing me applications constantly to enroll. I will always refuse cuz I know what they are up to!!!!
What are people supposed to do in the meantime when they turn 65 and cannot afford a Medicare Supplement plan? In California, Los Angeles county, the average price for a person turning 65 is $150 a month for just a Medicare Supplement plan, that doesn't cover vision and dental. In addition, the person turning 65 must also buy a standalone Part D (prescription) plan, the average price for this coverage, and to avoid the Part D penalty, is $30 a month. Until we change our U.S. Healthcare system, what are seniors supposed to do? Medicare Part B will be $164.90 a month in 2023; the average price for a Medicare Supplement plan is $150 a month; and, the average price for a Part D plan is $30 a month. That's a monthly of average of $344.90, and that's without comprehensive dental nor vision coverage! What are people 65 and older to do until we make big changes?
It still beats Obamacare at 63 with $900 monthly premiums and $9k/year deductible.
Not sure about California but they do have what’s called a Medicare Savings program that will help pay for the part b and then you can go on a plan that helps pays the copays. It’s based on income and assets. Hope that helps.
@@FLJ777 Faith Johnson - They who, please? Thanks.
I agree with you we were on straight Medicare with a supplement paying so much that we could barely live month to month and we live in Florida . We still got doctor bills we were paying through the nose. We went to Medicare Advantage AARP so far at least we aren’t broke each month . If the time comes that they refuse to treat me because of profits well one day they will answer for how they treat me or anyone else .
Christian Gonzalez, in 2022, everybody is having to pay $170.10
I pray that in my lifetime we will have universal healthcare.
Yes! With dental, vision, and hearing, just like Bernie wanted.
It’s weird that republicans so hated Bernie, when he made sense.
Canada has it and its great...until you get sick
And world peace!
When you have to go to school for “insurance billing and coding” you can smell that the fix is in. When nobody has the same “code”, nobody pays the same price.
Put two and two together.
.
Once again...Universal health care. Plain and simple, Consistent codes and pay rates. No one not cared for and well cared for. No ads, no prescription ads, no prior authorization by people who do not know you or or health info for regular tests, no networks. No head spinning choices to decipher. No enrollment time. PERIOD. No lobbies. For profit is a sin.
How can we get these harassing calls to stop. It does not matter if you are on the NO Call List or block calls.
I witnessed hospital fraud when on Medicare. I went to the emergency room for bowel blockage. I was totally ignored as to knowing about my own body, kept in hospital for two stupid days in a room with a man behind a curtain who never stopped coughing; endured two catscans for kidney damage that avoided photographing my bowel, even after I explained the one pair of organs I had checked within the year were my kidneys and I had mistakenly swallowed several jellcaps of echinacea and needed an enema. They billed the government almost forty thousand dollars and billed me 600 dollars, and served me six or seven meals I didn't ask for and couldn't eat, but surely was billed for, and I left with no diagnosis, but was accused to be just showing up for drugs, and they fed me plenty of those, including fentanyl. In the end, a smart nurse stole two bottles of prune juice from the kitchen, I evacuated and checked myself out in a rage. I'm an elementary school teacher, retired and was 73 at the time. I think elders get treated like this a lot. I taught science and know a lot about biology so I was disgusted; but when I reported it as fraud to the Feds in charge, they supported the hospital, and I gave up. It was pure bullshit from the moment I walked in. Plus the doctor who examined me made a pass, at which I simply glared, and he was the one who said I was a drug addict. Catholic hospital in Santa Cruz, Ca. "Dominican." Avoid it if at all possible.
I am sorry for your troubles. I am just interested to know how swallowing gel caps of echinacea can block your bowels. I take caps of echinacea all the time and never had that experience. Are you sure it was the gel caps?
So a Biology teacher doesn't know that a good dose laxitive will generally open up your bowel. If that doesn't work, a Fleet enema will, which you can buy for a few dollars at the pharmacy.
Of course its corrupt, its Catholic. Biggest corrupt entity in the world.
@@purplenights1
@@purplenights1 it sounds like we are not dealing with a full deck of cards here! I'm keep on rollin by
You hit it on the nose. Thanks! This set my antenna quivering the moment I began receiving their barrage of pushy ads in the mail. Only last week my PCP office staff was under the FALSE impression that I was enrolled in Medicare Advantage. When the hospital’s own insurance people are confused, you gotta wonder. Nothing AT ALL wrong with my current Medicare, so why on EARTH would I willingly permit another middle man-an ancillary insurer-to pick my (and the government’s) pockets?!
Well said!
Thom Hartman has talked about this for several days.
Several years I think. More so lately but he's been talking about this for awhile, especially when he has Alex Lawson on from Social Security Works.
It's not just the ads. The unsolicited phone calls are relentless.
This man has courage and integrity. He's a real leader.
Thanks for reporting!! Keep shining a light on this corruption, it's everywhere.
he forgot to explain the difference between Advantage (a rip off) & Supplemental plans one buys in a addition to Medicare, Medicare "does NOT" pay for everything so the consumer is basically "forced" to buy 1 of the plans, advantage has no monthly fee but cost the consumer a ton in Dr bills, and Supplemental picks up all that Medicare does not pay, Supplemental has a monthly fee, (not cheap upwards of $300 a month) and if Medicare does not cover it, these plans will not kick in additional coverage, PLUS the consumer has to purchase a prescription plan. They are almost horrible as they don't cover many meds which is more out of pocket to the consumer. What a real loss to the consumer again. He is CORRECT! The advantage and supplemental is only additional converage IF the consumer wants to purchase it. OR Do NOT and bar the door hoping Medicare covers what happens to the consumber health wise. Either way the consumer is strapped significantly with further bills. Something has got to GIVE USA GOVT!! Every citizen pays ROYALLY into the Medicare system all their lives by working. No illegals
You are right on the money with what you just said. I felt like I had to pick one or the other and naturally, I chose the advantage plan because I couldn’t afford the supplemental option. They get you with the cost of the medications and you have to pick one or the other. If you don’t have a caseworker to explain all the fine print like people have with Medicaid, you’re left on your own to figure this shit out and then you’re getting calls, texts, and emails with them all telling you something different.
You are right on the money with what you just said. I felt like I had to pick one or the other and naturally, I chose the advantage plan because I couldn’t afford the supplemental option. They get you with the cost of the medications and you have to pick one or the other. If you don’t have a caseworker to explain all the fine print like people have with Medicaid, you’re left on your own to figure this shit out and then you’re getting calls, texts, and emails with them all telling you something different.
Not all advantage plans have high copays. I'm done areas of the country they do. I'm many areas the Max for the year is less than $500 for the entire year! That's less than a couple months of a supp and drug plan. I do agree there should be more choice, but like the commentator did, he spoke from one extreme and that is NOT painting the entire picture correctly
No illegals?
Think long and hard about switching to a Medicare Advantage plan, because you pay a big penalty if you want to switch back to regular Medicare. Also, even with regular Medicare you still have to get your drug coverage through a private company. This needs to change.
i had a drug plan for quite a few years, never used it and the price skyrocketed so i canceled it and went back to straight medicare. a few years later i signed up for another drug plan, and suddenly i had to pay a huge penalty every month FOREVER for having gone 'uninsured' on straight medicare. which no one ever told me about till it was too late. so drug plans, once opted into, are effectively mandatory, even though they are not.
side note- the only time i used the private company drug plan to get a prescription, the pharmacist told me "hey, with your insurance this drug will cost you $48, but if we run it without your insurance it'll cost you $14, so what do you want to do?".
You pay a big penalty if you switch back to regular Medicare?
I got on Medicare Advantage because I just didn't know any better. So far as I know, I CAN'T go back to straight Medicare, which I would love to do. Pre-existing conditions apparently still exist.
@@cynthialester8348 "If you go 63 days or more in a row without Medicare drug coverage or other creditable prescription drug coverage, you may have to pay a penalty if you sign up for Medicare drug coverage later." medicare site.
@@cynthialester8348 "The cost of the late enrollment penalty depends on how long you didn’t have creditable prescription drug coverage. Currently, the late enrollment penalty is calculated by multiplying 1% of the “national base beneficiary premium” ($33.37 in 2022, $32.74 in 2023) by the number of full, uncovered months that you were eligible but didn’t enroll in Medicare drug coverage and went without other creditable prescription drug coverage. The final amount is rounded to the nearest $.10 and added to your monthly premium. Since the “national base beneficiary premium” may increase each year, the penalty amount may also increase each year. After you enroll in Medicare drug coverage, the plan will tell you if you owe a penalty and what your premium will be."
"BLOW THE WHISTLE AROUND THE WORLD 🌎 CAMPAIGN "
Oh so this scam started back in the Bush years to privatize heathcare. Glad to see this confirmed on this show. I was barraged with calls, mailers, and brochures when I turned 65. The sheer volume and intensity made me suspicious of what they were pushing.
It's alway Republicans who screw over the poor, the working class and the elderly. Why anyone, who isn't rich, would keep voting for those POS is mind blowing.
Im a nurse that worked at a insurance company and I always try to educate ppl about this
Just imagine those dollars spent FOR THE GOOD OF ALL. Government simply exists to RUIN EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES and it all stems from any and every type and style of PURE GREED.
your statement is just wrong. Business exists to service greed. Government is there to protect you from exploitation. Time for an informantion diet, my friend.
Not true.
Our government helps in
Many ways.
Guess you want “Freedom”
from your citizenship, when
What we
Need is Freedom from Corporate Greed.
Hey Mike did you miss the part that the private companies are committing fraud ? What about honesty from those companies ? Do you not understand that the programs would likely work fine if not for the fraud being committed against Medicare ?
Government run by REPUBLICONS exists to ruin everything... unless your one of their rich donors. Then you get concierge service, tax breaks and head of the line at The Extreme Court to buy judges and court decisions.
In this case, private companies lobbied hard for the chance to get their greedy hands on taxpayer dollars and after they got what they wanted they’ve been caught stealing even more. The truth may be that Medicare is something that our government is pretty good at.
Great to see Wendell Potter again! Also great, hearing the truth about Medicare Advantage. I know firsthand it's truly Medicare Disadvantage due to my mom. AARP didn't point this out as far as I could tell...
AARP was a good advocate for seniors in the 1970s, but now they are mainly an insurance broker
AARP is a business masquerading as a non-profit organizationg.
Finally the truth is unfolding! The US health care system is a profit driven industry. This explains why it is so expensive.
THEY SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN NOW!!! HOW is no one being charged???
I used straight Medicare for 6 years before I switched over to Humana. To me it's just easier to navigate, and I don't let doctors abuse Me by over diagnosing me! The idea is to stay out of the hospital, not think of excuses to go in! Educate the patients that they're being abused!!
I think these programs are beneficial in particular to lower income people who can't afford supplemental insurance.
You have to be in a PPO or HMO and see only your main doctor. And get pre approval for any procedure. That is what turns me off on Advantage plans. Also, some have co-pays for drs visits or ER visits. Unless you also have Medicaid, which picks up those costs for you.
Do you mean, you found Humana easier to use? Didn’t this guest say Humana was among the companies that had been sued? I heard Humana covers some of the health care which I actually use, naturopathic doctors and acupuncture, so I was going to look at them.
I work for an advantage plan. Managed care for many people are easier to navigate. You can't lump ALL people into a bucket and day that's what they need like the commentator did. That's why seniors have choice. Heck, I choose to be on an HMO on my employer plan for the same reason. Your health plan is ONLY as good as the network or medical group you choose. Your health plan makes 0 decisions on your procedures and what your doctors recommend. Your medical group does. He doesn't even state that. If it's a highly rated plan they will only choose to contract with highly rated networks.
@@mizzury54 That is the only reason I have one. Do not have income to buy Medigap & keep up with other bills.
My doctors group was charging me $75 (thru Medicare) for a televisit instead of $25 copay thru Humana (my Primary). So I raised heck! I told them they are trying to get more money from Medicare vs my primary. If they go thru Medicare/govt they get more money & I told them "Oh, Heck no! You will NOT charge me - aka rooking me". They had the nerve to say "Your refund may take up to a year". Again, I said "Oh, heck no! That will NOT happen. I harassed them with FACTS & they finally refunded all the $. They were wrong & they knew it & they didn't know I know my rights! And rookers! We must BE ARMED WITH KNOWLEDGE!
This is a great testament to the need for Medicare 4 all.
Nope. Too expensive
@@georgewagner7787 obviously you don't do any research. A single payer system will save trillions of dollars over the current private system. Check out the ultra conservative Koch Brothers independent report from a couple years ago.
This guy is brilliant and explains things really well. Bet he gets on just fine with Bernie.
It is so nice to hear the reality. I'll admit that I've been tempted by some of the ads, but I'm always asking if it's Medicare Advantage.
The answer is always "yes". I didn't know much, but I am aware that the Advantage plans end up costing far more than they save.
Insurance companies must go! All of them!