Medicare - Is It A Good Program

[sfsd104]

I'm 100% and use the VA for my health care. However, the care is only good for medication and test. I want to go to a civilian doctor. I have medicare but don't like the thought of paying 25% of the bill.

My question - who uses medicare and just how does the program work?

Thanks - Bob

[william n]

My belief is that its great....This is what my Dad states. But i belive he has some type of supplemental part to that, with the AARP. He pays very little. I know my Mom was being treated for cancer for 7 months before she passed and it cost my Dad $1,000.00 for everything. I want you to know that my Dad would have sold the house,cars and moved into a homeless shelter if he needed to, and too pursue my moms care. Just this guys input. Peace, William

Edited September 9, 2008 by william n

[simple fly]

my wife is on medicare,she is on a program called generations that medicare pays for. it makes sure that we have little or no out of pocket and we can use outside dr's.

http://www.generations.cc/

[Pete53]

Medicare is a great program and I feel that every American should have it. I have combined mine with an HMO and I have low copays and no other expenses. I would rather have it than VA care to be honest.

[jbasser]

Medicare is great. I use it as secondary to another insurance and I have yet to pay a co payment.

Maybe you can find a secondary insurance to pay the extra 20 percent.

J

[john999]

Bob

I think by just depending on the VA you are risking your life. You can at least go to a private internist and pay the money for backup. It could save your life it they spot something your "rushed off their feet" VA doctor misses.

[LarryJ]

I have what is called "Medicare Advantage". It's "Super Medicare" I guess you'd call it.

It costs a little more, but covers darn near everything.

Mine is with Aetna. It's Medicare, underwritten and supplemented by Aetna......and Aetna is not the only insurance company, either. I think that most private insurers are going along with Medicare on this "Advantage" program.

Regardless, I'm better covered, health insurance-wise, than I have EVER been, what with my VA (I'm 100% so I have no out-of-pocket with VA) and then my Medicare Advantage (it just got through paying a chunk of change when my prostate got so swollen, I wound up in the VA ER one Saturday night a few weeks ago. They had to catherize me.......then wanted me to have to wait for FOUR weeks before I could get a urology appointment and me with a tube up my ya-ya and a uring bag strapped to my leg....so, I gets in to see my wife's urologist where she works, on Wednesday after that Saturday ER visit. Two visits to him, and a week, and I'm shut of the urine bag/catherer). So, the VA did really good in seeing me in the ER, I wasn't there but a couple hours and that's for seeing the doctor, lab work, catherer insertion and meds through the pharmacy. I have to hand it to them, I was treated swiftly (ya never know what a relief having a tube inserted into your bladder can really be...until you haven't been able to pee for a day and a half. Trust me on this one, okay.). They were just slooooow on the "follow-through".

Thank you Mr VA and thank you Ms Medicare.