Republican Party, Teabag Party and the Libertarian Party absolutely SUCK!

[Bo D]

To sum it up in one word....no

I didn't think so. But I do wonder about your inability to come up with a source of your own.

[me]

I didn't think so. But I do wonder about your inability to come up with a source of your own.

Whats the point if I did you would dispute it.

[Anne]

   Anne.  Question.  Who are you talking to and the basis of your question?

Ex, he says Medicare is free and that he is paying for all the care that it gives those of us who are enrolled in it. I pointed out that we all pay $1200+ per year for our basic coverage and supplemental insurance is another additional cost.

[Bo D]

Whats the point if I did you would dispute it.

Oh! I get it. You're allowed to dispute my source but I'm not allowed to dispute yours.

The truth is .... you got nothing!

[Exterminator]

Ex, he says Medicare is free and that he is paying for all the care that it gives those of us who are enrolled in it. I pointed out that we all pay $1200+ per year for our basic coverage and supplemental insurance is another additional cost.

Not everyone pays for their medicare and at $100.00 monthly for two people, I am, at the very least, supplementing your health care costs.  Spin it any way you'd like but Medicare is still an entitlement program.

[Anne]

It is per person, not a couple, and that doesn't count all the years we paid into it, by your count supporting people before us. For someone who says they are for the masses you certainly complain about contributing to helping them. You complain when you think someone doesn't have their facts straight but it doesn't seem to bother you when you aren't correct. According to the latest government book most people pay the standard premium for part B. I don't know anyone who doesn't pay it and I know several people whose only income is their social security.

[Bo D]

Medicare is still an entitlement program.

http://www.law.illinois.edu/elderlaw/issues/vol_12/num_1/pdf/Moon.web.pdf
"Medicare's future centers on Medicare's "entitlement" status because this means that Medicare spending grows automatically as the number of persons eligible for benefits and the costs of those  benefits rise over time.3 Such flexibility in spending is required for this social insurance program to guarantee coverage to all who are eligible. In practice, the terms "entitlement" and "social insurance" are treated relatively interchangeably by policy makers."

http://www.ucc.org/justice/social-security/pdfs/SS-entitlements-HO.pdf
"There are three major federal entitlement programs: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)."

From the VERY conservative Heritage Foundation
http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/entitlements
Show Americans the full picture of the federal budget—including long-term obligations from entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—to generate public pressure for spending control.

And the Feds themselves call it an entitlement ...
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/78xx/doc7851/03-08-Long-Term%20Spending.pdf
The three major federal entitlement programs------Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security------will account for about 45 percent of those outlays, or about 9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

[Exterminator]

For someone who says they are for the masses you certainly complain about contributing to helping them.

Oh, no; I'm not complaining at all.  I have absolutely no problem with my tax dollars being used to the benefit of the general population; that's what they should be used for.  The point of this discussion is people who think that they are entitled to those benefits but would deny them to others.

[Anne]

It may be an entitlement program but those of us who are enrolled in it are still paying and most likely have been paying since it began. It isn't free to the enrollees unless you only want part A, which would not pass the government's own guidelines for adequate insurance. You really don't think you are complaining? I haven't noticed anyone one here wanting to deny ss or medicare to anyone, only differences of opinion on how to make it better so everyone can have it when they are old.

[me]

http://www.law.illinois.edu/elderlaw/issues/vol_12/num_1/pdf/Moon.web.pdf
"Medicare's future centers on Medicare's "entitlement" status because this means that Medicare spending grows automatically as the number of persons eligible for benefits and the costs of those  benefits rise over time.3 Such flexibility in spending is required for this social insurance program to guarantee coverage to all who are eligible. In practice, the terms "entitlement" and "social insurance" are treated relatively interchangeably by policy makers."

http://www.ucc.org/justice/social-security/pdfs/SS-entitlements-HO.pdf
"There are three major federal entitlement programs: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)."

From the VERY conservative Heritage Foundation
http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/entitlements
Show Americans the full picture of the federal budget—including long-term obligations from entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—to generate public pressure for spending control.

And the Feds themselves call it an entitlement ...
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/78xx/doc7851/03-08-Long-Term%20Spending.pdf
The three major federal entitlement programs------Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security------will account for about 45 percent of those outlays, or about 9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Then I guess they'd better start paying everyone back what they put into it and quit charging for the medicare coverage 'cause if you don't pay in you sure as hell don't get it.  Remember, that money is supposed to already be there and would be if they hadn't started dipping into it.

Now as for medicaid, yes, that is an entitlement program because you don't have to pay into it or for it to get it.

[me]

Oh, no; I'm not complaining at all.  I have absolutely no problem with my tax dollars being used to the benefit of the general population; that's what they should be used for.  The point of this discussion is people who think that they are entitled to those benefits but would deny them to others.

You're damn straight, it should be denied to "illegals" who paid nothing into the system while there are people who are natural citizens and those who became citizens through the proper channels who are denied help everyday. 

[Exterminator]

It may be an entitlement program but those of us who are enrolled in it are still paying and most likely have been paying since it began. It isn't free to the enrollees unless you only want part A, which would not pass the government's own guidelines for adequate insurance. You really don't think you are complaining? I haven't noticed anyone one here wanting to deny ss or medicare to anyone, only differences of opinion on how to make it better so everyone can have it when they are old.

Lets face it, older people typically require more in the way of health care than younger people and one serious illness could more than negate every contribution you have ever or will ever make.  If and when that happens, you will still be covered, ergo, it is an entitlement program in every sense of the word.  The question becomes one of why only old people should be entitled to benefits; why shouldn't every citizen?  Some people never get to use the benefit that they've paid into because they die before they become eligible and often, they die because they don't have adequate coverage now.

[me]

Lets face it, older people typically require more in the way of health care than younger people and one serious illness could more than negate every contribution you have ever or will ever make.  If and when that happens, you will still be covered, ergo, it is an entitlement program in every sense of the word.  The question becomes one of why only old people should be entitled to benefits; why shouldn't every citizen?  Some people never get to use the benefit that they've paid into because they die before they become eligible and often, they die because they don't have adequate coverage now.

You will be covered "if" you continue to pay the premiums and "if" have adequate supplemental insurance to cover what medicare doesn't pay.  Otherwise you are in the same boat as an uninsured younger person.  Medicare only covers up to so much "after" the deductible it doesn't pay for all of it. Then there is the problem of finding a doctor or good surgeon who will accept medicare.

[Henry Hawk]

Lets face it, older people typically require more in the way of health care than younger people and one serious illness could more than negate every contribution you have ever or will ever make.  If and when that happens, you will still be covered, ergo, it is an entitlement program in every sense of the word.  The question becomes one of why only old people should be entitled to benefits; why shouldn't every citizen?  Some people never get to use the benefit that they've paid into because they die before they become eligible and often, they die because they don't have adequate coverage now.

Ex, the problem I see with medicare is that the program has been an open-ended entitlement......whatever the demand for medical services was, it was covered and the taxpayer simply picked up the tab, regardless of its cost.....this bill just kept getting progressively bigger and bigger every year...and now with the baby boon it is now WAY out of control...and it needs to be modifed.

There has got to be some limits and caps.....I think a program such as this needs to looked at to cover THOSE who cannot afford it, and NOT a new HC that covers everyone.....those who have HC by their employers have no need for interference.

[Anne]

Lets face it, older people typically require more in the way of health care than younger people and one serious illness could more than negate every contribution you have ever or will ever make.  If and when that happens, you will still be covered, ergo, it is an entitlement program in every sense of the word.  The question becomes one of why only old people should be entitled to benefits; why shouldn't every citizen?  Some people never get to use the benefit that they've paid into because they die before they become eligible and often, they die because they don't have adequate coverage now.

Medicare was formed exactly for the reason that older people are not as able to work and provide for themselves and with the decline of the family unit there are many who have no help. Younger people should be able to work and provide for themselves, and I know it isn't easy now. It never was as easy as some people think. My father was one of those who never used his pension, ss, medicare, he died at 52. He paid into his pension and ss his entire working life and never got a dime. My mother only drew ss for three years and had paid into it for all the time she worked. I doubt if she ever got back what she paid into it. Maybe we should all get the same insurance the President gets. Then we would all be good.