Medicare celebrates its 50th birthday: Medicare is a grand achievement for more than 54 million Americans, mainly those who are 65 or older. The golden anniversary is a natural time to...

Jerry A. Loc: California

Medicare is a grand achievement for more than 54 million Americans, mainly those who are 65 or older. The golden anniversary is a natural time to consider how to keep Medicare strong for the next 50 years. Our U.S. Congress has to pass a bill S.31, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2015, given the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to negotiate prices for prescription drugs covered by Medicare. Now Medicare is not allowed to negotiate with drug companies to lower prices for beneficiaries like private insurance plans do, and Americans covered by Medicare pay a lot more for prescription drugs. If you agree, please call your Senator Republican or Democrat and ask them to cosponsor bill S.31, Medicare prescription Drug Negotiation Act of 2015.

Bad Bob Loc: Virginia

Jerry A. wrote:

Medicare is a grand achievement for more than 54 m... (show quote)

Darn Jerry passing the bill would cut into my 30% returns in my healthcare investments.

crazylibertarian Loc: Florida by way of New York & Rhode Island

Jerry A. wrote:

Medicare is a grand achievement for more than 54 m... (show quote)

From the time, I remember no study that showed either Title XVIII or XIX (Medicare, Medicaid) was necessary.

The AMA, an organization that as a D.O. I often am at odds with, stated that it would result in the federal government controlling medical care in this country. To assuage those fears, the writers of the bill, threw in a disclaimer that such an eventuality would happen. It should be viewed as some kind of a sick joke.

What government subsidizes it controls. As a beneficiary, I'd give it up tomorrwo for the freedom it would give us back.

Bad Bob Loc: Virginia

crazylibertarian wrote:

From the time, I remember no study that showed eit... (show quote)

Is that "freedom" personal bankruptcy?

Loki Loc: Georgia

Jerry A. wrote:

Medicare is a grand achievement for more than 54 m... (show quote)

*****
I will look into this bill. You and I usually disagree, but you have piqued my curiosity.

son of witless

Bad Bob wrote:

Darn Jerry passing the bill would cut into my 30% returns in my healthcare investments.

Be honest. How is your portfolio now? The last few weeks have been brutal.

JMHO Loc: Utah

Jerry A. wrote:

Medicare is a grand achievement for more than 54 m... (show quote)

We have $128 trillion worth of unfunded liabilities and the total net worth of our country is $94 trillion and we have another $18+ trillion worth of debt. Change the decimal points and work those numbers into your own household budget and see what they tell you. Over $40 trillion of these unfunded liabilities are from Medicare. Currently 71% of the national budget goes for entitlements and servicing the debt. When Obamacare is fully implemented in 2017, more will be added to that number. The Treasury has brought in record amounts of tax dollars into their coffers over the past two fiscal years, and we're still running close to $400 billion annual budget deficit. If, and when, interest rates reach 2008 levels, the interest on the national debt will be around $1 trillion (it is just over $200 billion now). In short, we're broke folks.

She Wolf Loc: Currently Georgia

This proves a one payer system is doable. Think of the money saved if Medicare was open to all citizens. We could not only negotiate the cost of prescription drugs but also the cost of medical procedures. Giving everyone access to medical care would be a wonderful legacy.

Bad Bob Loc: Virginia

son of witless wrote:

Be honest. How is your portfolio now? The last few weeks have been brutal.

Yesterday 9.99% YTD.

Jerry A. Loc: California

Bad Bob wrote:

Darn Jerry passing the bill would cut into my 30% returns in my healthcare investments.

Passing the bill S-31 Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2015, will help more than 54 million American and families, and you are one American greedy, and inhumane who oppose the bill in U.S. Congress. GOD Bless the U.S.A.

Jerry A. Loc: California

She Wolf wrote:

This proves a one payer system is doable. Think of the money saved if Medicare was open to all citizens. We could not only negotiate the cost of prescription drugs but also the cost of medical procedures. Giving everyone access to medical care would be a wonderful legacy.

I agree with you 100%, Medicare for all single payer with cost control regardless individual income will be the best, but the majority members of U.S. Congress who received millions of $$$$$ dollars from the Medical Care monopoly opposed that for their own convenience, and Americans pay a lot more money for Medical care and prescription drugs than people do in other advanced countries like: France, Germany, U.K., Canada, Sweden, Japan, etc. etc.

Jerry A. Loc: California

She Wolf wrote:

This proves a one payer system is doable. Think of the money saved if Medicare was open to all citizens. We could not only negotiate the cost of prescription drugs but also the cost of medical procedures. Giving everyone access to medical care would be a wonderful legacy.

I agree with you 100%, Medicare for all single payer with cost control regardless individual income will be the best, but the majority members of U.S. Congress who received millions of $$$$$ dollars from the Medical Care monopoly opposed that for their own convenience, and Americans pay a lot more for Medical care and prescription drugs than people do in other advanced countries like: France, Germany, U.K., Canada, Sweden, Japan, etc., etc.

Loki Loc: Georgia

Jerry A. wrote:

I agree with you 100%, Medicare for all single payer with cost control regardless individual income will be the best, but the majority members of U.S. Congress who received millions of $$$$$ dollars from the Medical Care monopoly opposed that for their own convenience, and Americans pay a lot more for Medical care and prescription drugs than people do in other advanced countries like: France, Germany, U.K., Canada, Sweden, Japan, etc., etc.

Healthcare in the UK is a joke, and Canada is not far behind. What Germany has is not single payer. I am not familiar with all the other countries you named, but at least one, Germany, is NOT single payer. The system seems to work in Sweden, but Sweden has a small population, and is a completely different situation.

Jerry A. Loc: California

crazylibertarian wrote:

From the time, I remember no study that showed eit... (show quote)

CrazyLibertarian: For you every U.S. Government program we have like Medicare, Medicaid, etc. to help the American people, low income workers, retirees, and veterans resulted in Federal government control. You are living in a cave in 2015, you don't complained about the subsidizes U.S. provide to big businesses, corporations, and billions of U.S. dollars aid to Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, etc. etc.

Jerry A. Loc: California

crazylibertarian wrote:

From the time, I remember no study that showed eit... (show quote)

CrazyLibertarian: For you every U.S. Government program we have like Medicare, Medicaid, etc. to help the American people, low income workers, retirees, and veterans, etc. resulted in Federal government control. You are living in a cave in 2015, you don't complained about the subsidizes U.S. provide to big businesses, corporations, Oil Co. etc., and billions of U.S. dollars aid to Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, etc. etc.