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ie: there would be no "application process" as everyone would have it.

commandlinefan 5y ago
Do you really honestly believe that the paperwork burden would disappear if the government took over medical care? Can you think of anything else the government runs which is free of mindless bureaucracy?
- Spooky23 5y ago
  Yes. When you turn 65, you receive Medicare benefits after a pretty painless application form, which is mostly to obtain coordination of benefits information for retiree private plans Aftwards, you have very little interaction with Medicare, other than if you are placed in a nursing home or rehab, at which point you may need to argue for more benefits as the rehab will try to maximize their revenue by kicking you out after 90 days.
- GlenTheMachine 5y ago
  Ever looked at the paperwork burden of private insurance for a child with a rare medical condition? I have. My wife and I spent a year - literally twelve months - filling out reams of paperwork to get a rare medication covered. And eventually failed. There did not appear to be any end to the paperwork. It was itself clearly punitive, they designed it so you would likely fail so they wouldn't have to cover the condition.
- jefurii 5y ago
  This is a false talking point. My mom was a marriage and family therapist until she retired, and the burden of dealing with private insurance paperwork - private insurance - was so onerous that she and other therapists she knew simply had to stop dealing with insurance. Medicare paperwork was simple compared to that.
- toast0 5y ago
  Would the paperwork disappear? No. But I'd bet it would be a lot less. My spouse visited a doctor in January 2020, and we recently got yet another Explination of Benefits about that visit, which is probably the 15th time they've sent one. I wish I was exagerating.
- cogman10 5y ago
  As someone who deals with medicaid paperwork as well as private insurance paperwork. It's basically exactly the same from the insuree's POV. I give the hospital my child's medicaid number, they take it from there. Really pretty much that simple. No prior approval. No crazy paperwork. Just give 'em the number and you are off to the races. I'm sure it would be worse for elective surgeries, but that's not really what anyone is arguing for.
- kelnos 5y ago
  We already know the answer to that via Medicare. It certainly has its issues, but it doesn't seem like retirees on Medicare are drowning in paperwork.
- ineedasername 5y ago
  I think people going bankrupt with medical debt or outright dying through lack of care would still prefer beauracracy and paperwork to nothing at all. Besides which, unless you have the best gold plated insurance plans or a mediocre plan and never need to go out-of-network, mindless beuracracy and tons of paperwork describes the status quo of private insurance. And annecdotally, my father on Medicare has far few issues of that sort than I do on my (above average) employer's plan.

Do you really honestly believe that the paperwork burden would disappear if the government took over medical care? Can you think of anything else the government runs which is free of mindless bureaucracy?

Spooky23 5y ago
Yes. When you turn 65, you receive Medicare benefits after a pretty painless application form, which is mostly to obtain coordination of benefits information for retiree private plans Aftwards, you have very little interaction with Medicare, other than if you are placed in a nursing home or rehab, at which point you may need to argue for more benefits as the rehab will try to maximize their revenue by kicking you out after 90 days.
GlenTheMachine 5y ago
Ever looked at the paperwork burden of private insurance for a child with a rare medical condition? I have. My wife and I spent a year - literally twelve months - filling out reams of paperwork to get a rare medication covered. And eventually failed. There did not appear to be any end to the paperwork. It was itself clearly punitive, they designed it so you would likely fail so they wouldn't have to cover the condition.
jefurii 5y ago
This is a false talking point. My mom was a marriage and family therapist until she retired, and the burden of dealing with private insurance paperwork - private insurance - was so onerous that she and other therapists she knew simply had to stop dealing with insurance. Medicare paperwork was simple compared to that.
toast0 5y ago
Would the paperwork disappear? No. But I'd bet it would be a lot less. My spouse visited a doctor in January 2020, and we recently got yet another Explination of Benefits about that visit, which is probably the 15th time they've sent one. I wish I was exagerating.
cogman10 5y ago
As someone who deals with medicaid paperwork as well as private insurance paperwork. It's basically exactly the same from the insuree's POV. I give the hospital my child's medicaid number, they take it from there. Really pretty much that simple. No prior approval. No crazy paperwork. Just give 'em the number and you are off to the races. I'm sure it would be worse for elective surgeries, but that's not really what anyone is arguing for.
kelnos 5y ago
We already know the answer to that via Medicare. It certainly has its issues, but it doesn't seem like retirees on Medicare are drowning in paperwork.
ineedasername 5y ago
I think people going bankrupt with medical debt or outright dying through lack of care would still prefer beauracracy and paperwork to nothing at all. Besides which, unless you have the best gold plated insurance plans or a mediocre plan and never need to go out-of-network, mindless beuracracy and tons of paperwork describes the status quo of private insurance. And annecdotally, my father on Medicare has far few issues of that sort than I do on my (above average) employer's plan.