Are people generally pleased with the cover they get from Medicare - ie - are you able to see the consultant you want to see and if necessary, be treated by the best specialists at the best hospitals?

I doubt if any here are involved with medicare

The few people I know who take medicare are not pleased with it and have trouble getting access to doctors, tests, drugs, treatments, etc. If you can think of it, Medicare will restrict it.

Probably going to depend on if you have traditional Medicare coverage or through an HMO/PPO.

Medicare Advantage Plans like HMOs and PPOs Called “Part C"

This option combines your Part A (Hospital) and Part B (Medical)
Private insurance companies approved by Medicare provide this coverage.
Generally, you must see doctors in the plan. Your costs may be lower than in
the Original Medicare Plan, and you may get extra benefits.

Original Medicare Plan

Medicare provides this coverage. You have your choice of doctors. Your costs may be higher than in Medicare Advantage Plans.

http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10050.pdf

One thing I can tell you is if you sign up for Medicare Part D the prescription drug plan and are receiving Social Security benefits DO NOT DO NOT have the premiums withheld from your Social Security benefits. Have the company bill you.

You may want to call the SSA toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 and request the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) telephone number, which is also located in the Medicare Handbook. The SHIP office can provide general information about Medicare, managed care plans and the various types of health insurance that is available in your area. The service is free.

You may also find information on how to contact your SHIP office on the Internet at:

http://www.medicare.gov/Contacts/Home.asp

You are referring to the medicare program in the US and not Australia, right?

Cos the US system is a very bare-bones one, a kind of safety net. General approach is that the patient should be happy they can see any doctor at all! Highly unlikely to have a choice of hospital or consultant, in my limited US healthcare experience.

I have Medicare Parts A & B. Have not experienced any problems whatsoever. According to what I am reading maybe I should have. Two replacement hips to date.

some of it might also depending on where you live...

That's Medicaid you are describing, not Medicare.

Medicaid being for people who are financially challenged...Medicare for seniors.

and disabled people that have received Social Security or Railroad disability benefits for 24 months or have end stage renal disease.

Just another of the things I didn't look into when I moved. I think you have to have worked a certain number of years here to qualify? 10?

or 40 quarters.......... I think you're right.

An agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom (U.K.) improves Social Security protection for people who work or have worked in both countries. It helps many people who, without the agreement, would not be eligible for monthly retirement, disability or survivors benefits under the Social Security system of one or both countries.

If you do not have enough work credits under the U.S. system to qualify for regular benefits, you may be able to qualify for a partial benefit from the United States based on both U.S. and U.K. credits. However, to be eligible to have your U.K. credits counted, you must have earned at least six credits (generally one and one-half years of work) under the U.S. system. If you already have enough credits under the U.S. system to qualify for a benefit, the U.S. cannot count your U.K. credits.

Although the agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom allows the Social Security Administration to count your U.K. credits to help you qualify for U.S. retirement, disability or survivor benefits, the agreement doesn’t cover Medicare benefits. As a result, we cannot count your credits in the United Kingdom to establish entitlement to free Medicare hospital insurance.

http://www.ssa.gov/international/Agr...phlets/uk.html

Whoopsie! Sorry!!

It's very confusing to have the two names so much alike. One way to remember is the aid part in Medicaid - "aid" for low income people. That's how I remember it.