Wraps Up How I Feel About the Health Care Issue

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by ChTatum

I saw a report just this afternoon about how the current disparity in cost of health insurance between younger people and seasoned citizens was around 6 or 7 to 1, with older people paying the most.

One model being proposed in the house plan would bring that ratio to 2 or 3 to 1. The average rise in cost for younger people would be around $1100 per year. Guess what? If the younger generation won't spend what it currently costs, they ain't about to spend more.

And, there is a good argument to be made for government man-dated health insurance being unconstitutional.

Older people should pay more, they are more likely to have major health problems and long hospital stays

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Older people should pay more, they are more likely to have major health problems and long hospital stays

I am not sure I agree with the ratio being so disparate though.

In theory, younger folks are able to earn more, given the inherent benefit of youth.

Whatever I spend, if I have to spend, there had just better be someone, something there to take care of me in my golden years.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Older people should pay more, they are more likely to have major health problems and long hospital stays

I am 71 years old, will be 72 in early December. My wife is 68. We are both on Medicare plus I have United Health Care through General Electric's benefit program and, GE provides me with a prescription plan.

Both my wife and I have $96.40 deducted from our Social Security checks each month. From what I understand, this will go up to around $104 per month in 2010, then up to $112.00 in 2011, and up to around $120 per month in 2012. Social Security will not include a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for the next 2 or 3 years. Medicare costs may change from what I have shown depending on what kind of Democratic Party health care is approved.

Each month I get a pension check from GE. I worked there 32 years and retired March 1, 1998. That established pension check amount will not change during my life time. Each month $202.00 is deducted from my pension check for my medical supplement to Medicare. Last year that actually went down a little but it ordinarily goes up each year.

So, my wife and I pay $394.80 per month for Medicare plus a supplement which covers some of what Medicare does not. That comes to $4737.60 per year. That is over 11 percent of our income.

As senior citizens whose income does not change while expenses continue to increase and age-related health issues loom, we are concerned about what our elected representatives (who seem to pay no attention to the desires of those who elected them and pay their salaries) will do.