[450donn]

WG,
Maybe if you got out of your library and your cushy government job you would see the USA in a whole different light. People in private sector do not have the privilege of retiring after 20 or 25 years with full medical paid for life and a nice fat retirement check paid for by the tax payers. We actually have to work until we are 66 or 70 depending on age and hopefully we have scrimped and saved enough money to allow us to retire. Then we have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars a month for a supplemental health care package that hopefully we might never need in our old age. That is if an insurance company will actually sell us a policy with out restrictions on preexisting conditions. If Mr Obama and the DNC really really wanted to stimulate the economy instead of pay backs and pork they would actually sit down and write a package that that makes sense. Cut federal spending, cut payroll taxes, then watch how the extra money in your and my pockets every month is used.
There is nothing for free in this world. Someone has to pay.
Heck the bottom line is that if and that is a big IF the teachers unions actually made their teachers teach in grade school and high school college would not be as necessary. As it stands now, a person has to have a college education because they never got one in public high schools before that.

[excon]

That is if an insurance company will actually sell us a policy with out restrictions on preexisting conditions.

Hello again, 450:

I wholeheartedly agree. I don't know why your doctors decisions have to be run by the insurance company first... That's SCREWED up.

We need to get the insurance company OUT of the examination room, and have the government cover us ALL, irrespective of your preexisting conditions. That'd be GOOD for you. No?

excon

[450donn]

Oh PLEEZE not that again. Lets seen now, according to the Hillary health care plan as proposed ? Back in 1993 was it, that would have happened. Now, feel free to go back and check my figures, but as I remember it her hinesses plan would have cost the American taxpayers something like 35% of the GDP!
So no that is not a viable option in anybodies book.
Please stop drinking that koolaid would you!

[George_1950]

... Then we have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars a month for a supplemental health care package that hopefully we might never need in our old age. That is if an insurance company will actually sell us a policy with out restrictions on preexisting conditions....

Please note that medicare supplement policies and medicare advantage policies are available to retirees without underwriting during the 'open enrollment' period. If a retiree makes his election at the right time, 'pre-existing conditions' are not operative. When to Enroll in Medicare: Review Important Dates for Each Medicare Enrollment Period
I am not endorsing Humana, but this ad appeared quickly in my search, and the information looks correct.

[450donn]

George, We are just now going through this with my mother in law. If she had the medicare part A her last hospital stay would have cost her out of pocket $1068.00.
So how many citizens on a fixed income with no supplemental policies can afford that in one month? Having a supplemental policy is crucial to seniors. But the Government is not the answer. When has the Government ever been able to do anything less costly than the private sector does it?

[excon]

So how many citizens on a fixed income with no supplemental policies can afford that in one month?

Hello again, 450:

Slow down. You're making my head spin...

On the one hand you recognize that someone in your family can't afford their health coverage...

But, on the other hand, you don't think the government should step in to help. Dude! Does your mother in law know you're willing to throw her under the bus?

excon

[George_1950]

...We are just now going through this with my mother in law. If she had the medicare part A her last hospital stay would have cost her out of pocket $1068.00.

Evidently, your mother-in-law is not 65. As I understand it, Part A (Hospitalization) is 'free'. Part B has a monthly premium of $96.40 during 2009. It has been a couple years since I looked into this, but some insurance companies were reimbursing the Part B premium in their Medicare Advantage plans, which liberals/Democrats find despicable, by the way. Enhanced benefits under Medicare Advantage plans is something George Bush got right, and Obamacrats will try to gut.

[450donn]

You are both wrong, She is 92. Attached is a summary of the copayments required under part A medicare
2008 MEDICARE DEDUCTIBLE, CO-INSURANCE & PREMIUM AMOUNTS

Cost-Sharing for Part A and Part B
Note: On September 19, 2008 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Part A and Part B premiums and deductibles for 2009 (see below).
Hospital Deductible: $1,024 / benefit period
Hospital Coinsurance:
Days 0-60: $0
Days 61-90: $256 / day
Days 91-150: $512 / day

Unless you qualify with more than 60 quarters worked you pay a premium for this coverage.

[George_1950]

It's not a matter of being wrong; rather, what are the facts. There are many seniors, 92 years of age and older, with Part A. Just curious: what is your ma-in-law's reason for not having it? She is evidently not eligible for Medicaid, but there again I am making assumptions.

[450donn]

That is correct you are making an assumption. But, in her situation having not worked long enough to qualify for the Free premiums, and for the last hospital stay of 5 days her out of pocket cost under Medicare would have been $1068 dollars. Under the private replacement plan she has her out of pocket was $800. Dollars. This plan cost her $96 dollars a month and does have limits. With her other medical problems over the past year she is bumping up against those limits. So we will have to see what happens in the next few months.

[Wondergirl]

WG,
Maybe if you got out of your library and your cushy government job you would see the USA in a whole different light. People in private sector do not have the privilege of retiring after 20 or 25 years with full medical paid for life and a nice fat retirement check paid for by the tax payers. We actually have to work until we are 66 or 70 depending on age and hopefully we have scrimped and saved enough money to allow us to retire. Then we have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars a month for a supplemental health care package that hopefully we might never need in our old age. That is if an insurance company will actually sell us a policy with out restrictions on preexisting conditions. If Mr Obama and the DNC really really wanted to stimulate the economy instead of pay backs and pork they would actually sit down and write a package that that makes sense. Cut federal spending, cut payroll taxes, then watch how the extra money in your and my pockets every month is used.
There is nothing for free in this world. Someone has to pay.
Heck the bottom line is that if and that is a big IF the teachers unions actually made their teachers teach in grade school and high school college would not be as necessary. As it stands now, a person has to have a college education because they never got one in public high schools before that.

My job is not at all cushy. The community is mainly blue collar. We have no library union. Starting pay is around $10 an hour. We hire mostly part-timers (no pension). In the corporate world, I would get a nice pension after making (with my education and with my job responsibilities) a salary of six figures. After almost 30 years in public libraries, I make less than $35,000 a year. (As a Lutheran teacher, my pay was even lower.) I have been at my pay ceiling for years -- I'm told the library can't afford to pay me more. The property taxes that support public libraries are spent on books and other library materials and for building maintenance, not for staff salaries. (My library needs a new roof, and the director is in the process of getting a mortgage to pay for it.) That's why we have so many volunteers and community service workers, to get the work done that we can't afford to hire people for. The saying is, "If you want to get rich, don't work at a public library."

[George_1950]

...in her situation having not worked long enough to qualify for the Free premiums...

She didn't qualify under her own earnings or her husband's earnings for Medicare? Does she qualify for Medicaid?

[450donn]

She didn't qualify under her own earnings or her husband's earnings for Medicare? Does she qualify for Medicaid?

Under her qualifications her medicare payment would be $248 or 264 dollars a month. Her EX husband owned his own business for many years and did not pay SSI.
Regardless, under the 2009 rules for part A the copayment for hospital stay of up to 60 days is $1024. I personally don't know a lot of retirees with that sort of cash just laying around. But, the alternative is so far worse is it not?

[excon]

Socialism doesn't work very well.

Hello again:

Does anyone other than me, find the irony in this discussion??

excon

[Wondergirl]

Hello again:

Does anyone other than me, find irony in this discussion???

excon

I do. Wondergirl wonders if they do.

[tomder55]

I'm told the library can't afford to pay me more.

There is active discussions in my area about consolidating lirary services and shutting some down.
My daughter works in the local one while going to college. She may choose library science as a career

I went into a library in our area and saw a bar code self checkout table and I told her that she may want to reconsider unless she goes into research .

[tomder55]

I'm told the library can't afford to pay me more.

There is active discussions in my area about consolidating lirary services and shutting some down.
My daughter works in the local one while going to college. She may choose library science as a career

I went into a library in our area and saw a bar code self checkout table and I told her that she may want to reconsider unless she goes into research .

[inthebox]

WG:

I would want to see that it writing:

What exactly qualifies as community service?

As we all know Obama was a "community organizer" with ACORN.

Does a political group like ACORN need to be supported by the taxpayors?

----------------------------------------

I like your sig: however, I need the money, I've been hurt, and I would not want even want to see myself dancing;)






G&P

[Wondergirl]

There is active discussions in my area about consolidating lirary services and shutting some down.
My daughter works in the local one while going to college. She may choose library science as a career

I went into a library in our area and saw a bar code self checkout table and I told her that she may want to reconsider unless she goes into research .

Similar discussions are underway in my area. We also just set up a self-checkout station. I receive the monthly magazine from ALA. The times, they are a-changin' in Libraryland.

[Wondergirl]

What exactly qualifies as community service?

Community service is unpaid work done to benefit the community, usually done at a non-profit institution that serves the public and is funded by their tax dollars or donations. Our cat shelter qualifies, as does the animal (dog and cat) shelter, food pantries, the park district, and public schools. I've already listed some of the unpaid work volunteers and community service workers do at our library. Choosing and delivery/pickup of library books/materials to our community's homebound is a library volunteer service I didn't mention.

I'm hoping once spring comes someone will organize volunteers or community service workers to pick up all the trash that's currently lying under the snow and ice.