Ricketts says community health centers offer alternative to Medicaid expansion

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joe Duggan

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts says the state’s community health centers can help provide an alternative to expanding Medicaid for the Nebraskans who currently don’t qualify for medical coverage.

It’s better for the state to help fund clinics like those operated by Omaha’s OneWorld Community Health Centers than accept the federal government’s offer to pay for 90 percent of the cost of Medicaid expansion, Ricketts said Friday. He made the comments on “The Bottom Line,” The World-Herald’s Internet radio broadcast.

“Things are not stable at the federal government level,” Ricketts said. “Let’s look for solutions based on Nebraska solutions that will be stable.”

The OneWorld center provides primary health and dental care for patients who pay based on their income and insurance coverage. The Omaha centers are on pace to treat 35,000 or so patients this year, said Andrea Skolkin, OneWorld’s executive director.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/ricketts-says-community-health-centers-offer-alternative-to-medicaid-expansion/article_f86b8b8d-e8d0-5515-a192-e0fbb03e79b9.html

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Gov. Pete Ricketts is pro life, pro death penalty, and pro death by not expanding Medicaid!

[Vinca]

1. Community health clinics are a great idea, BUT they are not hospitals.

They don't do surgery. They don't deliver babies. They don't do many things. We not only need Medicaid, we need a similar program for everybody.

[CurtEastPoint]

2. Same options for ALL Americans: rich, poor, young, old... One coverage for all.

I am currently wading through the puzzle of entering Medicare and the supplements, advantage, plans, letters, exclusions, coverages, deductibles, out of pockets. It's a fucking nightmare. How does ANYONE who is not bright (I am, I assure you, and it is baffling to me) make correct decisions.

[turbinetree]

4. Yepper............................................

I also am going through the same process, and I spoke with my wife insurance claims adjuster in the doctors office she works out of, and she basically said you don't want to buy the ( Medicare Advantage stuff, all you are doing is giving money to a insurance company that does basically the same thing as the Medicare 80/20 its basically worthless), because medicare picks up the 80/20, why pay for it again.
As for the drugs, that's a entire different program, she said you have to see what kind of medication you have and if you need the infamous Part D. But you should get Part A and B.
She said a lot of folks coming into the office have the AARP program, the only thing I don't like about it and this Humana stuff that's being shown on the tube, is that I would give a CEO at United Health Care money, who is still trying to figure out how to deny coverage.
But the AARP Supplemental Plan basically picks up the 20% coverage that is not covered under Medicare, even though they are aligned with the CEO of United Health Care--------------so for whatever your needs are, if you happen to have to go to a hospital its covered.

I really do wish we the public had a public option-----------------this is insane


Have fun


I hope this helps, tried to get as simple as possible



Honk-------------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[FlaGranny]

5. I don't like giving money

to a private insurance company either, but Medicare Advantage is definitely a better deal if you pick the right one. The Medicare Supplementals are great if you can afford 3 or 4 hundred dollars a month extra for the best ones. Most of them still require copays in addition to the monthly premium. The only benefit of those is that there is a maximum out of pocket expense per year and you can go to any doctor who accepts Medicare. There is no maximum OOP for Medicare. Almost no one can afford a supplemental who is on Social Security though.

I've been on a Medicare Advantage plan since I turned 65. The plan I'm signing up for this year has no deductible, $0 copay for primary care, $20 for specialists, no monthly premium (except for the $103?) deducted from my SS check. In addition you get 2 teeth cleanings a year, xrays, and dental exams for $0 copay. Drugs $3. I have found nothing to compare with what it offers. I'm taking this plan because I can afford it and I can't afford most of the others.

[CurtEastPoint]

7. Sounds like a winner, FG! Care to share which one w/me? I'm in a quandry.

[turbinetree]

12. Which one is this .....................

that you are talking about.

I know that I will have at the most taken out at the top of my SS for Medicare will be 104.00 and some change or the new hike of 150.00.

I hate giving these jerks ( insurance companies, because I feel we have been played against each other for so many years it seems like it never stops), any more money but when you have some serious health issues, your choices are the choices.


Thank before hand



Honk----------------- for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[FlaGranny]

13. I didn't say which one because

I don't know if it is available everywhere or if the plans are the same. I get it in Florida. It is called Coventry. I know it is also available in Texas but not sure the benefits are the same. They merged with or were bought out by Aetna recently. Plans are different in different states and even in different counties in the same state, even with the same company. The absolute best insurance plans are only available in a few places. Dade County, Florida, is where you want to be for the best coverage of all. I'm in Palm Beach County and costs are higher for people here. I guess they think we're all rich here.

I do a lot of research of what's available. I go to each plan's web site and research their plans. I research their provider lists to make sure there are enough physicians in my area on the plan so that I'm not stuck with one I don't like or they're all too far away. This year, Coventry meets my requirements the best, although I will have to change my primary care doctor, who I really like, after 4 or 5 years with him.

Good luck with your search.

[turbinetree]

14. I am going into the SS office this week.............................

and I will have to talk to them, right now I have to bring a checkbook for the deposit


Thanks

[Hoyt]

6. Thing is, right now these companies provide something traditional Medicare does not.

On traditional Medicare, a serious illneess would bankrupt most of us without a supplement or Advantage plan.

In some areas, you can sign up with nonprofits like Kaiser.

[FlaGranny]

16. This is very true because

Medicare has no out of pocket maximum and 20% of $150,000 is a lot of money. My husband had a heart attack 2 years ago and that is approximately what his hospital bill was. We certainly did not have the $30,000 copay. As it turned out with the Medicare Advantage it cost us about $600 and there was no extra billing by the cardiologist, radiologist, etc.

[houston16revival]

3. Splitting ER's

I know what ER care cost me along the way, and sometimes I just
needed a quick look by a doctor and a lab test tomorrow

There are still a handful of outpatient free clinics in my region

If they can handle urgent needs without ER costs, why can't
the idea be expanded so that ER's take the obvious emergencies?

I think in this case the Gov. has a valid angle on cost, but it's an
adjunct not an adequate substitute

[Downwinder]

8. Is he going to fund them

and recruit the volunteers to staff them?

[sakabatou]

17. Fuck no. He'll even slash their funding if my opinion is right

[patsimp]

9. how stupid are Republicans and how more stupid are the fools who trust and follow them?

The average IQ is really brought down by Republicans. Get them out of the equation and we may be looking at 120 as an average.

[atreides1]

10. Wow

Is that a rhetorical question? It appears that every time Republicans are asked how much more stupid they can get, they tend to consider it a challenge!

It's not that Republican politicians and their supporters are actually stupid, it's just that when your agenda involves bigotry, racism, and misogyny and most of you have the moral values of gutter slime...it tends to make to entire bunch look as if their brains were removed!

[jwirr]

11. Just curious: I wonder how the medical providers in out-state

Nebraska feel about that? They would be the ones providing this "free" health care. Also primary health care and dental - so do not get really sick or die.

Also there are areas in Nebraska so thinly populated it would never be feasible for them. They are lucky they even have clinics.

[mountain grammy]

15. Yeah, Ricketts is full of shit

says One World center:

The OneWorld center provides primary health and dental care for patients who pay based on their income and insurance coverage. The Omaha centers are on pace to treat 35,000 or so patients this year, said Andrea Skolkin, OneWorld’s executive director.
“We’re honored that he would mention us,” Skolkin said, saying that her organization supports Medicaid expansion.
Nebraska currently has seven clinics across the state, which receive substantial funding from the federal government. While they provide health education and preventive care, they cannot offer inpatient care.
The OneWorld clinics are maxed out, resulting in substantial wait times for appointments, Skolkin said.
“We know many people would benefit from Medicaid expansion,” she added. “More people with Medicaid coverage would help us better meet our mission.”

Yes, the governor is pro death by not expanding Medicare.....