Medicare Advantage

1.45% of EVERY DOLLAR YOU EARN goes to Medicare. On top of that, every employer must match that amount. Self employed folks like me pay the entire amount. That means almost three cents for EVERY DOLLAR EARNED in this country goes to Medicare. BILLIONS are paid into the system every year. THAT'S a lot of hot dogs!

Conceptually, Medicare is a good thing. It insures an aging population against health care costs at a stage of life when most folks need more medical care. My parents have Medicare cards; they feel entitled to the benefits after years of hard work. They're fit and healthy and want to stay that way. They can see the medicare advantage.

My 94 year old grandmother has one too and didn't use it until recently. She doesn't trust Doctors you see. Until her stroke in late 2006, she hadn't set foot in a Doctor's office since 1948 when my aunt (her youngest) was born. That's almost 60 years without any real medical care! She was very healthy until her stroke and has had a near total recovery. Needless to say, she sees a Doctor (and a Physical Therapist) on a regular basis now and really needs the medicare advantage this program provides.

I just wonder if Medicare will survive. Some project the program will run out of money by 2018 since there will be more people drawing benefits than paying into the pool. That would not be good. I have to believe a large part of the shortfall is because of the inefficiencies of THE GOVERNMENT in administering the program. Would you BUY health insurance from the government if you had a choice? I know I wouldn't!

Unfortunately, Medicare is the only game in town for many senior citizens. We need to make sure the medicare advantage is there for us and our kids.

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