They're going to die.

[applegrove]

I waited to post this until I had permission from the writer. This is real and it's frightening. The blood running through the veins/arteries of the monsters in the R' party/Project 2025/Russell Vought has been replaced with cruelty and evil. 😡🤬😭

— Rebecca E ❌👑 (@spoutiblegirl.bsky.social) 2025-10-03T23:31:50.345Z

[Klarkashton]

1. This news is coming at a bad time for the

Republican bastards that won't budge on the healthcare budget.
This is absolutely tragic raising the fees in order to give tax breaks to billionaires and wasting money on ICE.

God help us.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. But also not a bad time b/c it comes before Midterm Elections.

[Klarkashton]

15. That's a forever time away these days.

Imagine next fall. Who knows?

[Marie Marie]

46. Right before the election, Trump will declare that his beautiful Tariff Plan has left the US with so much money,

too much money. Then he will send out a token "Tariff Surplus Check" for a thousand bucks to everyone (because everyone can be bought off with money like him) and the rubes will eat it up , think he is the best President ever and vote for whoever he tells them to vote for.

[Skittles]

3. I'm confused what plan she has

is it a private plan in addition to Medicare? or a Medigap plan? what exactly is going up

[applegrove]

4. Don't know. I can't figure out the US's medical system.

I'm in Canada.

[Skittles]

5. well, believe me

it doesn't make a lot of sense to a lot of us Yanks either

[James48]

12. It's a "Medicare advantage " plan.

Some people don’t have traditional Medicare, instead they have “Medicare advantage” plans, which are private plans they pay a fee for.

But once you are on an advantage care plan, you can’t yo back to regular Medicare.

[Skittles]

13. actually you CAN go back to regular Medicare

but if you want a Medigap plan it will cost you out the ass (not that they are cheap for anyone) and they CAN be denied

[soldierant]

31. You may have to do so during open enrollment

but I think that's coming right up. Regular Medicare is parts A and B. I would recommend getting part D if one has chronic conditions (here, Sheriff). I am fortunate in that the employer I retired from opted to go to an HRA program. Keeping an active Part D with a particular company is a condition of keeping it, but that works well for me - I just got the notice from them that next year's premium will go down a little If Part D is not an option, a DUer recently posted an article about a service that Mark Cuban is involved with,, so that may be an option.

Please don't tell them I said so, but in my opinion all Medicare Advantage plans are scams. The only one who gets an advantage with them is the insurer.

[Skittles]

36. Medicare "Advantage" is a huge scam

I don't blame people for using them - especially people of modest means, a lot of money is spent enticing them - but the entire goal of MA is to eventually get rid of Medicare and turn it all over to the insurance wolves. Only then will people see what those "freebies" really cost.

[BattleRow]

42. Should be retitled "Medicare Disadvantage".

[Skittles]

48. it's shouldn't have Medicare in the name at all

it is private insurance

[BattleRow]

49. If intent on using Medicare,MedicareLESS would have been an option.

[kkmarie]

52. MA Private insurance companies driven by profit

"UnitedHealth is scaling back its Medicare Advantage offerings, with plans to exit 109 counties and discontinue plans that cover approximately 600,000 members in 2026."

This will be in mostly rural areas. They aren't making enough money. Apparently they haven't been able to deny enough claims 🙄

[Skittles]

54. more likely

they are being heavily scrutinized now and ARE paying more than usual, which is cutting into their profits

time to ditch areas with too many claims

[soldierant]

63. In 2023, I was in the hospital and then rehab

and of course I had to provide and later verify my insurance both places. I think it was in rehab that after I said I had Medicare A and B asked to be sure I didn't have Advantage, and I said "I wouldn't touch Advantage with the proverbial ten foot pole, and he said. "Oh, you're smart." Providers know.

[BlueKentuckyGirl]

55. They ARE scams

You are right. Medicare Advantage plans ARE scams. I started out on Medicare and a medicare supplement. A few years later, I switched to a Medicare Advantage plan. They sound good since you don't pay anything unless you actually use them and many of them include dental, unlike traditional Medicare and the supplement plan, that charge you monthly, whether you use them or not. The problem I had with the Medicare Advantage plan, was that they kept changing the approved providers, so I was having to change my doctors. Then they started denying services and drugs. And by the way, the drugs they were denying were dermatological meds; nothing that was going to lead to addiction or anything! Anyway, I went back to traditional Medicare and that's where I will stay. The supplemental plan does have a screening process if you return and CAN deny you from enrolling. I, fortunately, am pretty healthy, so I passed the screening.

[Skittles]

64. yes that is another thing

MA can keep changing their plans and they DO, often based on how you use any benefits......it is disgusting.

[Rebl2]

41. Was just

going to ask about that. Have always had regular Medicare and secondary plan from my husband’s former employer from which he retired from several years ago.

[W_HAMILTON]

56. A distinction without a difference in the vast majority of cases.

For traditional Medicare to be most effective and cost-efficient, you need supplemental insurance.

If you start on traditional Medicare when you are eligible and sign up for a supplemental plan, I believe you cannot be turned down, your premiums are based on your age, and future premium increases are also tied to your age (rather than how sick you are/how much you utilize the insurance).

Contrast that with a Medicare Advantage plan, where once you are on it, you are most likely on it for life because you CAN be turned down if you switch back to traditional Medicare and try to buy a supplemental plan then. Your medical history will be used against you and even if you are the healthiest person on the planet, you are at least 65+. Think it was tough buying a plan on the individual market when you were in your 40s? Imagine that, but being aged 70, 80, etc. and almost assuredly with some health conditions that will result in you being considered a high risk.

I have dealt with this intimately twice now, when I was a caregiver for my mom and then when I helped my sister get connected with a Medicare broker to assist her in signing up.

DO NOT SIGN UP FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE.

Sure, it has a lot of added perks and other bells and whistles and seems great -- until you actually really need to use it. Like when someone has a stroke and they are in no shape to leave the skilled nursing facility they are currently in, but AI at a for-profit insurance company decided it's time to kick them out. Then you are left being a 24/7 caregiver for a bedbound stroke victim that can't do anything on their own.

No non-medical professional is ready for that and the last few months of my mom's life were made so much more difficult and stressful than they should have been. End-of-life is going to be tough regardless, but Medicare Advantage turned it into a nightmare.

[Skittles]

60. I talked a younger brother out of signing up for MA

when he had a major health issue later, a surgeon told him YOUR SISTER DID YOU A SOLID

[bfoxmatt]

61. Why is Medicare so confusing?

I am a relatively healthy woman on Medicare. (I am 72, soon to be 73.) OK, so I have kidney disease and am on pills for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a few other ailments, but I'm out there being active, hiking, traveling, gardening, having a good ole time (other than when I'm feeling down because of current politics).

I have an additional AARP policy with United Healthcare. I have NO IDEA if that is considered a Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Supplement policy? I also signed up for the Part D Prescription plan even though my Rx's are not that bad so far. I was nervous about if I needed more expensive prescription drugs in the future and it looked like, similar to other "penalties" imposed, that if you wait longer to sign up, it will be more costly.

I was a science educator for 25 years and always feel like -- if I can't understand it, what about the rest of the people!?

[Skittles]

62. that UH policy you have is likely a Medigap plan

should help you with the 20% of medical expenses Medicare does not pay - that doesn't sound like a lot but of course we all know in American healthcare that can be a LOT OF MONEY

sometimes when I hear people throwing around "MEDICARE FOR ALL" I wonder if they realize how much it can really cost with all the PARTS

Healthcare in America is absolutely RIDICULOUS.

[W_HAMILTON]

65. Tell me about it!

Do you have an account at Medicare.gov? If so, log in to your account and see what it says about your coverage. If you still aren't sure which you are on, come back here and tell us what it says and we can try to decipher it for you!

For reference "Part C" = Medicare Advantage.

[NJCher]

50. I think she's a pre-65 senior

who has a plan supplemented by tax dollars. It's an Obamacare supplement they are cutting.

People do not pay for Medicare Advantage plans separately. They come out of Social Security, just like Medicare does.

Here is an article that describes it. I warn you, it is a bit complicated.

https://www.progressivepolicy.org/republicans-missed-a-perfect-opportunity-to-cut-wasteful-spending-in-medicare/

[TimeToGo]

40. I had the same question

[MontanaMama]

43. She could be a senior who is not yet

eligible for Medicare and buys health insurance from the Marketplace. I’m 60, my husband is 64. I buy our health insurance through the Marketplace for us and our 20 year old son. Our policy is $2200 per month with an $8000 per person deductible. We received a letter stating our current plan will go up at least 75%. I don’t know how we will shoulder this.

[Skittles]

47. wow

it's just....unconscionable to trade these kind of benefits to give more money to people who don't need it.......in the meantime, work continues on Trump's ballroom

WTF IS GOING ON

[Mr.WeRP]

58. Greed has overtaken governance and made the voters

Delusional and stupid via 24/7 propaganda.

[a kennedy]

6. I HATE, ABSOLUTELY HATE THIS WHOLE GAWD DAMN ADMINISTRATION!!!!!!!

I FAWKING HATE THEM ALL. and not sorry. I hope they do infiltrate this site. I hope they see what I’ve written and said. I FAWKING HATE, DESPISE, and DETEST THEM ALL. 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬

[dhol82]

7. I got a notice about two months ago

My copay insurance is going to be raised 50%. It was high before but now will be ridiculous.

[dhol82]

8. Sorry, that should be the medigap plan from United healthcare

[Ms. Toad]

16. On a Medigap plan, your copay should be fixed by the plan type when you bought it. n/t

[Bread and Circuses]

9. Sorry to hear this...

But, I’m confused.
She states that she’s a senior and low-income and medicaid . Am I wrong to assume that she is receiving Medicaid?
I don’t know her situation , but something doesn’t add up for me , $1000/monthly Increase to her Medicaid plan.?
And why would she cancel her health insurance when she has many serious health issues?

I am not criticizing this woman, I’m sorry for the difficulties she faces. It must be stressful.

I hope that a relative can sort this out for her and explain that she is risking her life if she discontinues medical insurance and medical care.

If the facts are accurate , I wish we had more details.

Thanks for reading my post.

[applegrove]

11. She implies she is on Medicare with an additional plan.

[HuskiesHowls]

28. She says "her share" is going up $1,000 per month

That is probably a combination of premiums, Part D deductibles and copays. If some of her meds changed tier, her cost could go from zero dollars to maybe 50% of the cost (which for specialty drugs could be thousands). Her deductibles could have gone up from possibly zero to some astronomical number. Its also possible that instead of having zero copay for doctor visits, that has gone up, as well as referrals to specialists.

My wife and I are both in our late 70's, and I have just gone through this. In my wife's very specific case, Part D deductible went from zero, to $615. That's along with the monthly premium going up $25 a month. She only has 4 prescriptions, and all of those are generics, so it will take us about 6 months to cover the deductible. Along with that, my wife's supplemental insurance rates went up $50 a month, and for the last 4 years, the only claims have been for quarterly doctor visits; no specialists, no hospitals, no expensive testing.

My wife and I are lucky, we're both pretty healthy, but we both feel the need to be insured because we don't know when one of us will need it. Most recently, we've spent more money on keeping our dogs healthy, than we have on ourselves.

[Bread and Circuses]

29. Thanks!

I found the post to be confusing. Yes, I can better understand if one factors in her deductible, copays, monthly premium and meds.

I don’t doubt that the costs are going up. But this is crazy.

I’m glad that both you and your wife are able to stay healthy! It’s important to take care of our little fur-babies, too!

Many thanks!

[applegrove]

32. Sorry for you but glad you have the means.

[mwmisses4289]

10. If I am understanding this correctly,

the lady is implying that her out of pocket expenses (a.k.a co-pay and/or deductible) is going to go up by over a $1000 more per month. In other words, if she only has to currently pay $400 a month for all her care, medications, etc., next year her payment is going to get jacked up to $1400 (or more) per month. If her income from ss and other sources is only $1500-2000 or so a month, a $1000 or more increase is going to be devastating.

[applegrove]

20. Right. That is what I got out of her statement.

[Skittles]

37. OK that makes sense to me

seeing as she is a person who most certainly routinely uses up deductibles, when they are raised that can be quite costly

what a fucking SCAM American health insurance is, it is just plain WRONG......not to mention how constant worry about medical bills affects someone's health and recovery

[Jack Valentino]

14. The blood running through the veins/arteries of the monsters in the R' party/Project 2025/Russell Vought was

ALWAYS 'cruelty and evil", so I am confused..... there has BEEN no great change here

[Auggie]

17. My plan D is set to increase $50 a month

[applegrove]

21. Nope. He was a gun humper. Encouraged to daydream about guns in his youth.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

24. Nobody is celebrating, especially in this thread, unless it is you. . . . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

27. Go worship your orange god, cult member. . . . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

22. Please do not post opaque links. Post the real link and provide a description so we know the source. . . nt

[SoFlaBro]

26. I'm not convinced that you will get a coherent response.

[applegrove]

33. Will try to do better.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. It wasn't you, it was the maga troll. You're fine. . . . nt

[applegrove]

35. Okay. Thanks.

[Joinfortmill]

30. Wow. What a shock to receive.

[OldBaldy1701E]

38. No, but I was on borrowed time already.

I cannot afford it now, so any increase means I will have to just suffer in the streets and die in the gutter.

However, I will promise you this. If I end up in this position with no way out of it (which is the path I am on at the moment, despite any attempts to change this), I will spare no expense or effort to get to D.C. so I can die on the steps of the White House. If they are causing it, they should have to experience it. Over and over and over. Remember, that orange gibbon won't even come out of the doorway unless they clear Pennsylvania Ave. None of them will leave without massive protection. They don't like having their 'fee-fees' hurt.

Maybe if enough people do this, it will wake up the rest of us. I doubt it, but at this point, I might as well do something.

[wiggs]

39. So sorry. Not reported enough...especially the fact that many who are relatively healthy will

leave the market rather than pay more, which leaves the overall population on insurance programs unbalanced. Resulting in even higher costs and premiums.

They are crashing the systems...both public and private.

[Fil1957]

44. I used to think the R's just didn't care. I was wrong. They do care, they WANT people to die.

[shanti]

53. Remember death panels?

That was their invention

[Evolve Dammit]

45. You have every right to be pissed as hell. There is NOO excuse for this cruelty and the outrageous cost of "healthcare"

[multigraincracker]

51. The answer is very simple 2 words.

Single Payer, like the rest of the civilized world.

[flamingdem]

57. Appreciate the post but without details it's hard to understand

what is causing the increase.

I wish there was a list of how different plans will be impacted.

People will be getting increase letters now and I hope some of us here post!

[Skittles]

59. see post #43

yup