To the Editor:
I really did not know the difference between the two until the rash of TV ads made me curious, there must be a lot of money involved to generate this much advertising expense.
First, they are separate government programs:
MEDICARE is a government insurance program funded by a payroll tax on working people who get medical coverage when they reach 65 years of age. Like Social Security if you don’t live past 65 the money you contributed goes to those who live beyond 65.
Medicare Advantage is a special program under Medicare that involves multiple private companies that have additional features and you choose your provider.
MEDICAID is a government charity program, an entitlement if you prefer, it is funded partly by federal and partly by state revenues. This is mainly income tax money, in other words we all pay our share. It is limited to persons living below a certain percentage of the current poverty level. Most of the high benefit levels quoted on TV are for Medicaid recipients. It is our common duty to take care of widows and orphans and the disabled but like all government programs this is subject to graft and corruption.
In Missouri about 1.3 million people are enrolled in Medicare, 1.5 million are enrolled in Medicaid out of a total population of 6.2 million. Almost 50 percent are enrolled in these programs although many over 65 may be in both programs. That means that one quarter of Missourians need government aid for medical care.
With the growth of Medicaid I believe it’s a step toward the national health care system that being widely promoted. It also gives low wage corporations less incentive to offer health insurance if a government program is available.
I welcome an open discussion of these topics.
August Hoernschemeyer
Owensville
