Still in Florida, Musing about Health Care

We are still in Florida. Madeline is spending much of her time with her grandchildren and of course, her son and daughter-in-law. Over the last month or two we have spent a lot of time maintaining our health, but also we are seeing some of the problems that friends and other elderly members of our family dealing with health care issues.

We seem to be very fortunate in implementing the new Medicare prescription program. We were able to access the Internet, and price out various options with a wide choice of providers. There are puzzles that I don’t understand. We are technically Texas residents. If we were residents of another state, our premiums could be either more or less. Why?

I believe the program will end up lowering drug costs by a considerable amount. The price drug companies charge for drugs when purchased via a health provider, seem to me to be a lot less than were the costs of the drugs formerly when we got them from our pharmacy. Also, information is provided on the web sites giving the cost of similar, but not exactly the same drugs from generic sources. Thus, one could reduce their drug costs even more by investigating these generic options.

What is alarming about the new program is that it is very complex, and one really has to be able to use the Internet to investigate the options in a rational way. Of course many elderly people – many whom we know - are unable to use the computer in this way, and in fact do not even own a computer. Without doubt these people in many cases will just go to a provider they trust --- it may not always be the best choice.

We are of the age where nearly all our health care is paid by Medicare or Medigap health insurance. It is difficult to see what is the future of the Medicare entitlements. I know we get excellent health care. If government programs are to be curtailed, it will still be necessary to find a way to provide health care for everyone. It seems to me the main argument is whether it can be done with less costs if paid by an individual rather than the government. Anyone that has ever had the unfortunate experience to compare the cost of medical care when the price is negotiated by an insurance company as compared to a price dictated to an individual, understands clearly that an individual seeking medical care has almost no negotiating power, and his (or her) medical cost will be of several magnitudes of what they would be,, if negotiated by an insurance company. “Nuff said, the “good old days “of individuals paying their own medical bills will not work!