Wolking: Majority of Seniors Have Positive View of Medicare

Omaha Steve

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Sun Aug-16-09 07:54 PM
Original message

Wolking: Majority of Seniors Have Positive View of Medicare

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11752

Lede: In Minnesota and around the country rural town hall meetings on health care reform are being hit by loud aggressive protesters trying to stop reform. But do they reflect what most Americans really want? Doug Cunningham takes a look.
By Doug Cunningham

Virginia Wolking is a rural organizer with the Center For Rural Affairs. She told the Minnesota News Connection that many farmers, small business owners, senior citizens and others in rural areas do want health care reformed.
: "Almost everyone that I talk to has a story about health care and many times those stories are very sad. Most people that I know have had to battle their insurance company at some point. And I think for people who have had to do this a public plan is something that's necessary and something that a large number of people can support."

Medicare is the biggest �public option� health care program in America, and Wolking says her research indicates a majority of seniors have a positive view of that government-run health care. She encourages seniors and others who support reform to not be intimidated by the organized disruption of these town hall meetings. She says here are many ways to speak up for health care reform.

: "Writing a letter, or calling their office, writing an opinion piece or letter to the editor in your newspaper. So if you don't feel comfortable speaking up at a town hall meeting there are other opportunities for you."

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jody

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Sun Aug-16-09 08:00 PM
Response to Original message

1. Makes sense to me but don't many/most of those covered by Medicare believe they are getting coverage

for very low personal cost, i.e. Medicare is mostly paid for by government and via it by taxpayers?

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Old Codger

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Sun Aug-16-09 08:27 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Medicare

I paid in my whole working life, I now pay 100 a month for it and am happy with the coverage I receive, there are stories out there of bad things under medicare but that is truer of anything, good and bad and mediocre bit it is a pretty good deal overall and I personally and most of my elderly friends agree.

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jody

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Sun Aug-16-09 08:33 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. That's my experience also but my question was regarding whether those on medicare thought others

were helping to defray the cost.

Do you believe those currently on medicare as a separate cohort could have their health-care insurance covered by their contributions from their working years?

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Old Codger

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Mon Aug-17-09 09:13 AM
Response to Reply #3

4. Hmmmmm

I would think that that depends entirely on what each person ends up receiving in the way of health care from medicare, so far for me I believe that what I contributed over my working years plus what I pay now actually does cover what resources I have needed, but I am pretty lucky to be fairly healthy. Someone who has serious health problems most likely would use their contributions up pretty fast given today's charges and fees. I think this is what you were asking if not then I do not know.

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