The Great Big Medicare Rip-Off [Medicare Advantage]

[somarco]

“Other than the rise in complaints to CMS, limited information is available about whether the marketing rules are being followed and whether beneficiaries are receiving the information they want about coverage choices,” the researchers noted.

Policymakers have advised tracking the disenrollment rate as a signal of consumers’ discontent potentially due to misleading marketing practices.
https://healthpayerintelligence.com...antage-marketing-policies-remains-a-challenge


But . . . MAPD clients NEVER complain about anything . . . and never leave . . .

 

[sman]

LD - can you find us a 5 Star PD plan where the MA portion is not 5 Star but the Rx part is? It's a MA-PD#5 plan - very, very rare.

When you find it, please report back here. Oh, and if you don't mind, let's try to have that be your next post. No posting until you find it. It'll be our little game.

Go!

We'll be here once you find it!!!!!

Holy crap!!!! It worked. Well done sir.

 

[LostDollar]

I don't do unicorns

 

[goillini52]

I don't do unicorns

 

[Midlevel]

Holy crap!!!! It worked. Well done sir.

Why didn’t you let him sleep????

 

[PCBI]

Here it comes.........

https://healthpayerintelligence.com...antage-marketing-policies-remains-a-challenge

The Commonwealth Fund researchers called for more investigation of what information is accessible for beneficiaries as well as agent and broker compensation.

Geesh. Whats up with the uptick in CMS complaints? Are these new agents not following guidelines or could it be there are so many guidelines that agents get lost in the red tape. I put 1 MAPD product on the books from a referral this AEP. In the last 15 years maybe 5. Most all my biz is renewals from 2005 so when I get a case its like dodging CMS arrows. I can't do this I can't do that I have to make sure this is read and signed and dated so on so on. My guess Medicare beneficiaries are complaining bc the red tape slapped on so many hands in the cookie jar can't do the job for 1-200 clients in a 2 1/2 month window a year when carriers change or whatever. Its a product that needs less CMS hands in the mix imo.

 

[gregj]

Look at the national debt and debt to GDP ratio since 1997.

https://www.thebalancemoney.com/national-debt-by-year-compared-to-gdp-and-major-events-3306287

You can throw darts at BOTH parties for this mess.

hmmm. that chart could scare a person.

but look again - how closely does its arc map with the economic fortunes (or misfortunes) of the US? For example, one might point out that the post-WWII ratio started its climb about the time Ronnie Raygunz' tax cuts were first implemented (not saying that's the whole story, because it's not, but a body could credibly make that assertion). Things were arguably pretty good in the 80s & 90s but that chart could suggest otherwise.

Maybe try a different ratio chart for comparison - that of the cost of debt service to GDP:

[EXTERNAL LINK] - Federal Outlays: Interest as Percent of Gross Domestic Product

(source: St Louis Fed. I've never heard of "balanceofmoney.com")

Here, what we spend to cover our charges (our debt) grew all the way to 3% in the 80s & 90s, but dropped back to a more familiar (more manageable?) 1.5% range in the late 90s. The US has been "indebted" since its founding, for many good reasons, some of them having to do with the reality that a country is not an individual or household, so the "meaning" of debt, etc differs in some ways that have practical ramifications.

tl;dr debt, deficit, interest rates info can tell a bunch of stories for both nations & individuals.