Changes to Medicare Coming?

[kickingandscreaming]

That's kind of heartless.

"Heartless" is the GOP way.  They have ice water running through their veins. 

[Simon Dog]

it's my fault for not having a large saving plan.  That's kind of heartless.

SS benefits should be calculated based on what you put in + investment return - reasonable premium for disability.   The problem is reallocation of wealth.  Privitization done properly would not increase or decrease the pool, just get rid of the redistirbutionist nature of the program.

[nursey66]

I'm scared as hell for what that Trump is going to do to all of us ! He is already tweeting nasty stuff about China, giving millions to big business to stay here, not go to Mexico , others will want the same thing, so the $$$ has to come from somewhere , I fear it will come from the most vulnerable people in our country!  Re vamping Medicare and SSI / SSDI  will most certainly mean less benefit for us than we have now.

[Simon Dog]

Trump has already indicated he is to chicken to kick 25 year old "children" off their parents insurance policy, so I every much doubt he will be squaring off against AARP and the disabled community.

[kickingandscreaming]

benefit

Those of us who value our "benefits" should be using the term "earned benefits" when talking about SS and Medicare.  The conservative right frames the argument their way when they refer to "entitlements."  Language matters.  The word "entitlement" is imbued with connotations of taking and takers and parasites who sit back and expect money  rather than a benefit that most of us have spent a lifetime paying into and earning.  Some on this site and on the right are obsessed with "redistribution" of their precious wealth from the rich to the less fortunate.  That is selfish and false.  If anything our economy has been busy redistributing wealth FROM the less fortunate to those on top.  And that is why America is now reeling from serious income and wealth inequality and all the problems that follow.

[Simon Dog]

I agree with "earned benefits".    What annoys me is that I worked as long as I could instead of taking disability, paid more into Medicare than I would have not working, and my "thank you" for paying the extra tax is a $50/month surcharge on my Medicare as a penalty for not taking disability.

[KarenInWA]

I agree with "earned benefits".    What annoys me is that I worked as long as I could instead of taking disability, paid more into Medicare than I would have not working, and my "thank you" for paying the extra tax is a $50/month surcharge on my Medicare as a penalty for not taking disability.

Wait, what? What kind of penalty? For not taking SSDI? My goal is the same as yours, to keep on working for as long as possible. I'm not currently on dialysis, I'm currently transplanted w/a low functioning kidney and am back on the list. I'm 43 and have been doing this ESRD thing since 37.

KarenInWA

[iolaire]

I agree with "earned benefits".    What annoys me is that I worked as long as I could instead of taking disability, paid more into Medicare than I would have not working, and my "thank you" for paying the extra tax is a $50/month surcharge on my Medicare as a penalty for not taking disability.

Wait, what? What kind of penalty? For not taking SSDI? My goal is the same as yours, to keep on working for as long as possible. I'm not currently on dialysis, I'm currently transplanted w/a low functioning kidney and am back on the list. I'm 43 and have been doing this ESRD thing since 37.

KarenInWA

I'd guess that is an older rate for the Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA)?  The standard Medicare monthly premium is $121.80 and is locked in at that price up to about $86k in income, after that you pay more on a sliding scale based on income up to $389.80 total per month. 
https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/part-b-costs/part-b-costs.html

I pay this type of additional charge and its a "tax" I support.  I'm lucky enough to have income, its ok that I pay more for this insurance so others without my resources are able to pay less.

[Simon Dog]

Wait, what? What kind of penalty? For not taking SSDI?

I am charged a higher rate for Medicare since I  worked in 2015 than I would if I had been on disability, or even just unemployed and not paying taxes, in 2015.

[Whamo]

It's worse than that, friends.  I read financial newsletters and almost all of them are predicting a financial collapse.  It's mathematically imminent as the banks continue their wild bets.  One of the predictions is that social security and medicare will no longer be funded as the dollar falls into a free fall.  A domino will ripple through the economy.  Things will be worse than the great depression.   I'm afraid they'll stop paying for dialysis as one of their first budget cuts. 

[Paul]

I read financial newsletters and almost all of them are predicting a financial collapse.

Yeah, and I get newsletters telling me that all world leaders are alien lizards in fake human costumes. I don't believe those newsletters either.

This subject has come up before in another thread. My reply there still holds. It was:

However the important thing to remember is that it is bloody unlikely that the US will default. Sure it is possible, but the earth being hit with a DK* in our lifetime is more likely, and that would kill everyone off. But you don't worry about that do you? So why worry about the US becoming insolvent?

*DK = "dinosaur killer", a meteor big enough to wipe out the dominant life form (humans) hitting the earth and doing for us what is believed a previous one did for the dinosaurs. It is always a real and present danger, statistically it should have happened by now, so we are overdue.

[Simon Dog]

The response will not be to discontinue dialysis or Medicare but make such benefits increasingly means tested.

Imagine having your social security cut or having a massive dialysis copay because you had the financial discipline to contribute heavily to your 401K or IRA.  In fact, the ability to means test (newspeak for income redistribution) is why the Democrats are opposed to any privatization that gives those who contribute to social security title to their assets rather than an obligation the government can change at any time.