I also wanted to mention my husbands urologist is a veteran, in the reserves, and a flight surgeon for NASA; and he works for a hospital in the Texas Medical Center BUT he spends most of his time at the VA and am grateful he does this to help other doctors and the patients with his experience and medical knowledge. He is a gem!
When I worked as a social worker in geriatrics, I fielded many a call from distressed patients that were saddled with extra costs from Medicare Advantage Plans. (you are dealing with an insurance company). I told them to call Medicare and ask to return to Traditional Medicare. They will re-enroll you in the allotted time frame. As a prior salesperson I know the sales reps are very convincing with many unsuspecting elders. The Advantage Plans might work for some people but my experiences working with clients have proven otherwise. Our veterans deserve better!!!
I've had my own experience with Medicare Advantage helping a relative at the end of life. I needed a PhD in end-of-life care to help, and I had no idea what I was getting into when I agreed to help. Then of course, everyone sat around and pointed out everything I was doing wrong and questioning everything I was doing instead of helping.
Anyway.
That experience taught me how deplorable Medicare Advantage is. And this P2025 proposal for veterans is Medicare Advantage for Veterans. Which is a slap in their faces.
Andra, kudos to you for helping a relative in the end-stage of life without support. What a physical/emotional challenge…
We cared for my WWII vet dad,24/7 for almost 3 years, until he passed away at 97.He had dementia although was healthy and not on any meds until the day he died.Of course, rare at this stage of life. Dad didn’t utilize the VA for care and chose a no-premium Medicare Advantage plan,with limited income as retired maintenance man living on Social Security.
While MA worked for dad, as it does for others, it substantially increases Medicare spending per beneficiary. MA reimbursement is driven by a patient’s diagnostic codes(not same with traditional Medicare) so strong financial incentive to upcode. When I questioned some of dad’s diagnostic codes(recall one for chronic kidney disease) when his care required only his regular physical exams, I was told it was just because of his age.
Right. This is what many Americans don't realize about Medicare Advantage. It is costing US taxpayers so much more per user. There's so much more room to wiggle and milk the system for profit. Which is the reason Medicare Advantage exists. For profit. Not for seniors.
Thank you Andra for your excellent reporting and explaining! A special thanks for your IG meme! Spot on and love how you referenced pages for the fact checkers to look at. I am so grateful for you! I was pondering how to put one together and I knew I needed to reference pages and if I got it wrong it would be flagged!
I still have abortion, transgender care, and disability to go. I'm glad the meme seems to be working so far. Citing sources gives less room for info, but I hope it foils the "fact-checkers" at Meta. Who aren't "fact-checkers." Since it's The Dispatch, a right-wing outlet.
That's who flagged the meme I shared from you. The lists of what P2025 will prohibit are harder to do, because, for example, P2025 does not say, "Ban abortion nationwide." Even though they all but say that in everything else they DO say. And they underscore it with everything Republicans are doing now. But outlets like The Dispatch will say "fake" and Meta will go along.
I hope approaching memes this way will be more productive. As much as I deplore making memes.
Thanks, Andra! I'll pass this on to my friend. She did understand that P2025 is calling for privatization. However, I'm not sure if she connected the dot to possibly firing some of her brothers and sisters in arms (300,000 vets working for federal government). And the comments I'm reading about Medicare Advantage similarities don't bode well for our veterans' pockets.
I also wanted to mention my husbands urologist is a veteran, in the reserves, and a flight surgeon for NASA; and he works for a hospital in the Texas Medical Center BUT he spends most of his time at the VA and am grateful he does this to help other doctors and the patients with his experience and medical knowledge. He is a gem!
When I worked as a social worker in geriatrics, I fielded many a call from distressed patients that were saddled with extra costs from Medicare Advantage Plans. (you are dealing with an insurance company). I told them to call Medicare and ask to return to Traditional Medicare. They will re-enroll you in the allotted time frame. As a prior salesperson I know the sales reps are very convincing with many unsuspecting elders. The Advantage Plans might work for some people but my experiences working with clients have proven otherwise. Our veterans deserve better!!!
I've had my own experience with Medicare Advantage helping a relative at the end of life. I needed a PhD in end-of-life care to help, and I had no idea what I was getting into when I agreed to help. Then of course, everyone sat around and pointed out everything I was doing wrong and questioning everything I was doing instead of helping.
Anyway.
That experience taught me how deplorable Medicare Advantage is. And this P2025 proposal for veterans is Medicare Advantage for Veterans. Which is a slap in their faces.
Andra, kudos to you for helping a relative in the end-stage of life without support. What a physical/emotional challenge…
We cared for my WWII vet dad,24/7 for almost 3 years, until he passed away at 97.He had dementia although was healthy and not on any meds until the day he died.Of course, rare at this stage of life. Dad didn’t utilize the VA for care and chose a no-premium Medicare Advantage plan,with limited income as retired maintenance man living on Social Security.
While MA worked for dad, as it does for others, it substantially increases Medicare spending per beneficiary. MA reimbursement is driven by a patient’s diagnostic codes(not same with traditional Medicare) so strong financial incentive to upcode. When I questioned some of dad’s diagnostic codes(recall one for chronic kidney disease) when his care required only his regular physical exams, I was told it was just because of his age.
Right. This is what many Americans don't realize about Medicare Advantage. It is costing US taxpayers so much more per user. There's so much more room to wiggle and milk the system for profit. Which is the reason Medicare Advantage exists. For profit. Not for seniors.
Thank you Andra for your excellent reporting and explaining! A special thanks for your IG meme! Spot on and love how you referenced pages for the fact checkers to look at. I am so grateful for you! I was pondering how to put one together and I knew I needed to reference pages and if I got it wrong it would be flagged!
I still have abortion, transgender care, and disability to go. I'm glad the meme seems to be working so far. Citing sources gives less room for info, but I hope it foils the "fact-checkers" at Meta. Who aren't "fact-checkers." Since it's The Dispatch, a right-wing outlet.
Wow The Dispatch! you are so knowledgeable. Thank you for your wisdom :)
That's who flagged the meme I shared from you. The lists of what P2025 will prohibit are harder to do, because, for example, P2025 does not say, "Ban abortion nationwide." Even though they all but say that in everything else they DO say. And they underscore it with everything Republicans are doing now. But outlets like The Dispatch will say "fake" and Meta will go along.
I hope approaching memes this way will be more productive. As much as I deplore making memes.
Inspired by Andra's blog, we mapped How Project 2025 Cuts Veterans’ Benefits.
How many veterans live in your county who would be hurt? Where are the VA clinics that would be closed? Who are the MAGA reps supporting Project 2025?
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/07/16/project-2025-cuts-veterans-benefits/
They are bastards. Thanks for this visual, Deepak.
Thanks, Andra! I'll pass this on to my friend. She did understand that P2025 is calling for privatization. However, I'm not sure if she connected the dot to possibly firing some of her brothers and sisters in arms (300,000 vets working for federal government). And the comments I'm reading about Medicare Advantage similarities don't bode well for our veterans' pockets.
I'm writing the disability one now, and I'm so angry. Please look for it tomorrow and share with her.