Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Jul 9th 2007, 6:35 am
#61
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Yes, the government's expectation is that a person be asset-free to receive nursing home care etc. The way around it is to transfer the elderly person's assets into their children's names -- BUT it has to be done a few years before care is needed or it's seen as fraud. Trouble is -- most old people do not want to admit the inevitable and they stall on transferring the assets.
There were supposed to be changes that would protect a spouse from having to give up their home when the other spouse fell ill like this.... but of course it's never happened. However -- it is much, much, much harder to deny someone on Medicare treatment (vs Medicaid or no insurance and inability to pay).
I think what most people are missing is that you either pay over time through taxes and cover everyone, or take the chance that you or someone you care about won't fall catastrophically ill -- because if that happens, you'll lose everything. Americans usually want to believe that Bad Things Only Happen To Bad People and to a few Other People Who Got Unlucky. This false optimism is what allows the current situation to continue.
Please don't read this as not caring about the situation.... I do care. It was a wrench to lose my grandparents and especially my grandfather. But he died as he wanted to die: at home, no medical bills, sudden death.
Jul 9th 2007, 7:09 am
#62
Former Floridian
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Back where I belong
Posts: 574
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
The wifes grandpa just had a huge stroke. It is a sad tale I'm afraid, made more so by the fact that after working all their lives they now have to sell all they have worked for to pay for initial medical care and the after care involved. They retired some years back and sold their home to buy a bloody big RV. They would bugger off for the Michigan winter and head south every year. A happier couple you could not have met.
Now they are having to movein to an apartment and file bankruptcy. All for a few short weeks in hospital and some home care afterward. In the hospital is a huge mural on the wall saying - serving the poor! Made me want to gag.
I should mention also that he is not out of the woods yet and his wife has been told that, should he pass, she will not be entitled to his teamsters pension. Makes you sick dont it.
Now they are having to movein to an apartment and file bankruptcy. All for a few short weeks in hospital and some home care afterward. In the hospital is a huge mural on the wall saying - serving the poor! Made me want to gag.
I should mention also that he is not out of the woods yet and his wife has been told that, should he pass, she will not be entitled to his teamsters pension. Makes you sick dont it.
OMG, this makes me so effing mad. What's the point in people busting their asses their entire lives if they'll just have to give it all to the health system when they need treatment? I work with a couple of people who have also been driven to bankruptcy because of medical bills. It isn't right and should be outlawed.
Jul 9th 2007, 7:12 am
#63
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Good point. People kid themselves that they'd rather not give the government any more tax money and would rather keep and spend it themselves, so they oppose a universal health plan. Most find out the folly of that decision when they reach old age. By then it's too late.
Jul 9th 2007, 7:32 am
#64
Account Closed
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 700
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Jul 9th 2007, 7:35 am
#65
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,110
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Jul 9th 2007, 7:47 am
#66
In the pink
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,324
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
The wifes grandpa just had a huge stroke. It is a sad tale I'm afraid, made more so by the fact that after working all their lives they now have to sell all they have worked for to pay for initial medical care and the after care involved. They retired some years back and sold their home to buy a bloody big RV. They would bugger off for the Michigan winter and head south every year. A happier couple you could not have met.
Now they are having to movein to an apartment and file bankruptcy. All for a few short weeks in hospital and some home care afterward. In the hospital is a huge mural on the wall saying - serving the poor! Made me want to gag.
I should mention also that he is not out of the woods yet and his wife has been told that, should he pass, she will not be entitled to his teamsters pension. Makes you sick dont it.
Now they are having to movein to an apartment and file bankruptcy. All for a few short weeks in hospital and some home care afterward. In the hospital is a huge mural on the wall saying - serving the poor! Made me want to gag.
I should mention also that he is not out of the woods yet and his wife has been told that, should he pass, she will not be entitled to his teamsters pension. Makes you sick dont it.
Re pension: Usually you are given a choice at retirement. You can take the whole thing, and it dies when you die. Or you can take a slightly lesser amount, and the wife can pick up the coverage upon your death. It's an option.
Doesn't he have a Teamster's medical plan, that pays what Medicare might not? How old is he?
Jul 9th 2007, 8:20 am
#67
Account Closed
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 700
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Sorry to hear that Silly Sod. Does grandpa not have Medicare? They usually pay for stroke care in hospital and nursing home.
Re pension: Usually you are given a choice at retirement. You can take the whole thing, and it dies when you die. Or you can take a slightly lesser amount, and the wife can pick up the coverage upon your death. It's an option.
Doesn't he have a Teamster's medical plan, that pays what Medicare might not? How old is he?
Re pension: Usually you are given a choice at retirement. You can take the whole thing, and it dies when you die. Or you can take a slightly lesser amount, and the wife can pick up the coverage upon your death. It's an option.
Doesn't he have a Teamster's medical plan, that pays what Medicare might not? How old is he?
Jul 9th 2007, 8:31 am
#69
Account Closed
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 700
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Yes usually you choose which way you want your company pension plan paid. its usually a little less per month if you want your spouse to still receive any benefits after your death.
Last edited by southern comfort; Jul 9th 2007 at 8:36 am.
Jul 9th 2007, 9:35 am
#70
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 15,455
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
The only problem I can see (Besides the fact that my healthcare is in the hands of the govt. even by proxy) with it is that the tax hit on my paycheck (even considering what I currently pay for health insurance) will hurt. Remember, we will also be paying for the 45million who are currently uninsured as well as making sure the health care contractors make a buck or two out of the deal and paying for the big new Govt. red tape manufacturing facility to administrate the whole thing.
Jul 9th 2007, 9:40 am
#71
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
I guess to me its the lesser of two evils. I've been at the same job 15 years. During that same period I've seen the Govt screw up a lot of things. If you're self employed or low skilled you probably see it differently.
In a perfect world, good healthcare would be priced sanely and anyone with a decent job could afford to pay the Doctor. The Govt could provide for the truly poor with subsidized care in the same way they do now with housing and food. Ain't gonna happen though.
Last edited by another bloody yank; Jul 9th 2007 at 9:44 am.
Jul 9th 2007, 9:43 am
#72
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,182
Re: Sicko - so who has now seen the film?
Just as well you aren't one of them - right?
