Social security and medicare

[jmjj215]

Re: Social security and medicare

Ah - all making sense now

[VJW]

Re: Social security and medicare

While I haveno clue how the prescription plans work as that is covered through my work, I have never been a big fan of private accounts for social security.

With good reason:

Chile's Candidates Agree to Agree on Pension Woes

SANTIAGO, Chile, Jan. 9 - Michelle Bachelet is a pediatrician and a Socialist, while Sebastián Piñera is a billionaire businessman and a conservative. They may agree on little as the opposing candidates in Chile's election for president, but they concur on one important point: the country's much vaunted and much copied privatized pension system needs immediate repair.

The Chilean system of personalized accounts managed by private funds has inspired a score of other countries since the pioneer effort to create it here 25 years ago. It is endorsed by President Bush, who has called it "a great example" from which the United States can "take some lessons." Here at home, though, dissatisfaction with the system has emerged as one of the hot-button issues in the election, a runoff that will take place on Sunday.

Other studies, including one conducted by the World Bank, indicate that pension funds retain between a quarter and a third of workers' contributions in the form of commissions, insurance and other administrative fees.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/international/americas/10chile.html?pagewanted=1

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[VJW]

Re: Social security and medicare

UPDATE: Failed Prescription Drug Program

STATES TAKE ACTION AS ADMINISTRATION PLAN FALTERS

(AP) – Arkansas and Illinois have joined about half a dozen other states taking emergency measures to help residents struggling to get prescriptions filled under the new Medicare drug program.

Illinois officials sent notices to pharmacies Wednesday detailing where to call if Medicare patients can't get medicine. If the problem can't be resolved by phone, pharmacists will be allowed to bill the state for the cost of the drugs, officials said. Rhode Island officials also said they plan to launch an emergency program.

In some case, people who enrolled in plans have discovered they aren't listed as participating when pharmacies check their computers. Other beneficiaries found they were listed as owing a $250 deductible when they should have been paying only a few dollars per prescription.

Earlier this week, New Hampshire authorized up to $500,000 for payments to pharmacists who give a 10-day supply of drugs to people having trouble getting their medicines. South Dakota started allowing people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid to get a 30-day supply of medicine.

Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts and North Dakota had already announced plans to help low-income residents get their medicine if pharmacists were having trouble confirming coverage through the new Medicare benefit.

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[jmjj215]

Re: Social security and medicare

Most of the time I read what the NY times writes with a bit of skepticism. That paper is so biased it's not even funny.

[cercis]

Re: Social security and medicare

Jesse, can you name a few sources which are not biased? Just so we know ...

[jmjj215]

Re: Social security and medicare

Jesse, can you name a few sources which are not biased? Just so we know ...

Not off the top of my head. That was my point though - seriously - who do you believe these days? Both sides spin stuff so much it's hard to know who to believe.

[jmjj215]

Re: Social security and medicare

I should mention though that some definitely are worse than others

[cercis]

Re: Social security and medicare

I find NPR to be scrupulous about presenting both sides of the coin. And I know this to be true because half the time I find myself thinking they're as conservative and fox news.

[VJW]

Re: Social security and medicare

Most of the time I read what the NY times writes with a bit of skepticism. That paper is so biased it's not even funny.

I find the charge of “bias” rather strange given that the story is filled with so many quotes, and that it mirrors the coverage of both the presidential race and the issue of the failed pension system so beloved by the RightWing as presented in the Chilean news.

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[katwoman]

Re: Social security and medicare

Similar article was on the front page of yesterday's Chicago Trib. And that is a conservative paper.

[Optsol]

Re: Social security and medicare

Are you relying on SS and Medicare for your retirement years?

Key word for me is "rely". Taking that literally -- no way. I'm certainly not writing it off as a black hole, but I'm certianly not betting on SS keeping the house lights on.

I would like to see some privitization on new money moving forward, but I can also see both sides of the argument. Good for me, not necessarily good for everyone though.

It's somewhat pointless to argue program solvency (looking forward 30 years and saying it's fine, or saying it's kaput). All we know are the demographics of that time. Not payout rates, gdp, tax rates, inflation, medical cures, medical costs, etc...

[jmjj215]

Re: Social security and medicare

I find the charge of “bias” rather strange given that the story is filled with so many quotes, and that it mirrors the coverage of both the presidential race and the issue of the failed pension system so beloved by the RightWing as presented in the Chilean news.

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I'm not making an accusation or speaking to this particular article, but I've been quoted before where what I said was not what I said. And please don't try and tell me the NY times is not biased. I take what most media says with extreme skepticism anyway. They'll do anything to sell a story - they want sensationalism so they can get readers. I've had far too much personal experience with the media and my family to believe otherwise.

[VJW]

Re: Social security and medicare

Glad you admit it’s a belief.

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[VJW]

Re: Social security and medicare

UNMITIGATED DISASTER INDEED !


Medicare's Botched Drug Benefit Roll-Out

Medicare's $728 billion prescription-drug program was supposed to bring relief to seniors and subsidize our country's neediest beneficiaries. There would be a ''seamless transition,'' to the new program for low-income seniors, promised Mark McClellan, chief of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The actual roll-out has been an unmitigated disaster.

Many of the sickest and poorest beneficiaries nationwide are going without life-sustaining medication because of program failures, misinformation and confusion. The federal government has botched the roll-out of one of the most-expensive entitlement programs ever, and the frail elderly are paying the price in pain, aggravation and tears.

How bad is it? Consider that 20 states have intervened to subsidize drugs for low-income beneficiaries who can't get their prescriptions covered under the new program. Florida should join the effort. Otherwise, poor seniors will be left out on a limb by the Medicare program until the crisis is resolved.

MORE HERE

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[sweeps]

Re: Social security and medicare

VJW, you're the poster boy for Social Security. If the federal government can mess up Medicare so badly, what makes you think that they wouldn't do the same thing to Social Security?