Dr. Oz and the Plot Against Medicare

#MedicareAdvantage plans are killing seniors and bankrupting hospitals. Now the #Trump administration is preparing to make them mandatory, ending #Medicare as we know it.

from #DropSiteNews
[co-published with Truthdig]

Alexander Zaitchik
Mar 24, 2025

https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/dr-oz-trump-plot-medicare-advantage-plans?r=fzerp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

#HandsOffMedicare
#USA #US #USPolitics
#news #press #MehmetOz
#DrOz

Elon Musk's social insecurity

The billionaire's reckless claims seem intended to manufacture outrage to justify an end to what he refers to as an “entitlement program.”
https://contrarian.substack.com/p/elon-musks-social-insecurity

"Ronald Reagan called #SocialSecurity “a secure & stable base so that older #Americans may live in dignity.”

#ElonMusk calls it a “Ponzi scheme.”
...
differences of opinion between #Musk & #Trump, the White House... pledging not to cut Social Security, #Medicare or #Medicaid benefits"

#USPol #News #US

James Glenday points out the absurdity of the #LNP not only matching but SURPASSING #Labor's $8.5 billion #Medicare plan withing HOURS, by $500 million.

HOW ARE THEY PAYING FOR IT?

Opposition spending planned on a beer coaster.
Labor would be crucified.

#journalism #auspol

GP visits to become free for most under $8.5b 'legacy defining' Labor Medicare promise
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-22/labor-medicare-promise-to-make-gp-visits-free-for-most/104969694

Anthony Albanese says he'll make 90% of GP visits free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030. This is a bargain for the government with a price-tag of only $8.5 billion. It's also a strong, traditional Labor policy for social services.

I'd like to think this is a sign that Albo is getting back to his roots, and announcing policies that will get the approval of the Greens and other left-leaning parties. It's also laying the groundwork for another "Mediscare" campaign in anticipation of Peter Dutton's toxic bullshit.

Boosting funding for bulk-billing will have massive flow-on effects for the general wellbeing of Australians: quality of life, ability to function in school and at work, and therefore a long-term payback for the economy. Anyone arguing against this policy has a deep-seated ideological hatred for "poor people" and knows nothing about the economy — I'm looking at you, Peter Dutton.

Details I'd like to hear more about:
- Mental health care funding got a boost, so it's good to see the government taking this neglected area more seriously.
- Dental health care was not mentioned, and it absolutely needs to be covered by Medicare. Teeth are a vital part of your body that require life-long care and shouldn't be at the mercy of private health insurance.
- GPs got screwed by Scott Morrison when he made a bunch of massive cuts to Medicare. The government will need to coordinate with GPs to make sure they get fair compensation for their work.
- Peter Dutton having a sook, and rolling-out that tired old lie about Labor being wasteful with money.

#AusPol #AnthonyAlbanese #Albo #Medicare #MentalHealth #ScottMorrison #ScottyFromMarketing #Mediscare #PeterDutton

"Republican Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia, told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo on Monday that Republicans have been “discussing” cutting mandatory spending—that is Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits—in order to pass Trump's tax cut agenda, which will require trillions in reciprocal cuts if Republicans want to make it a reality."

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/10/2302758/-GOP-zooms-in-on-Social-Security-cuts-to-fund-Trump-s-tax-scam #USpol #SocialSecurity #Medicare

The kids in charge of your money. #elonmusk #coup #treasury #federalfunds #protest #senators #resist #revolt #socialsecurity #medicare #grants #salaries

Let’s be clear: this “pause” won’t do anything significant nor remedy escalating damages to #America, #Mexico, #Canada, #China, #Panama, #Europe, #Ukraine, #Gaza etc. This #appeasement won’t pause a #criminal, #fascist, and all his servile #lackeys, including #Musk, #Rubio, and all their “little boys”. Neither stops the assault on seniors on #Medicare and #SocialSecurity, the poor on #Medicaid, nor minorities and #CivilRights. Doesn’t buy #eggs and other #essentials.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tariffs-mexico-troops/

Just a reminder Deferred #Resignation #Email to #FederalEmployees January 28, 2025 https://www.opm.gov/fork/ by #musk employees who hijacked the #OPM office of personnel management server and have repeatedly threatened civil service employees. who provide all of us with #Medicare #medicaid #socialSecurity #Unemployment #Insurance #SNAP #HeadStart #SSI #WIC #affordablecareact #ACA #CHIP #food #nutrition #education #security #poverty #healthcare #aviation #transportation #safety net life in America

I am so sick of the #media amplifying the #GOP lie that Social Security & Medicare are "Federal assistance" or "entitlement programs."

They are NEITHER.

They are funded by workers who pay into their own #SocialSecurity & #Medicare accounts over their entire working lifetimes.

seriously: are any republicans willing to step up and explain WHY they plan to REPEAL the $35/month cap on insulin costs for seniors on medicare?

#politics #MAGACultMorons #republicans #GOP #Healthcare #Medicare #Insulin #Seniors

"AARP and UnitedHealthcare have a long-standing partnership to improve the health and well-being of Americans 50 and older. UnitedHealthcare is the exclusive insurer of AARP Medicare Supplement plans, and AARP endorses UnitedHealthcare as their top choice for a Medicare supplement carrier." https://www.uhc.com/employer/large-organizations/group-retiree-solutions/group-medicare-plans/aarp-medicare-supplement-insurance-plans
#AARP #UnitedHealthcare #Medicare

The problem with this article is that the #media hasn't been very empathetic here. This isn't a case of "white man kills family" and the photo is him jet skiing.

The media has actually been trying pretty hard to shame everyone who is being empathetic to him.

The empathy is coming from social media.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/21/luigi-mangione-racism-media

#MedicareForAll #Medicare #Medicaid #Healthcare #Insurance #UnitedHealthcare #BrianThompson #LuigiMangione #Luigi #UnitedHealth #FreeLuigi #Politics

“If you’re unclear, #terrorism is when the #poor kill the #rich, and #selfdefense is when the rich kill the poor”!

https://www.normalisland.co.uk/p/luigi-mangione-could-face-death-penalty

#MedicareForAll #Medicare #Medicaid #Healthcare #Insurance #UnitedHealthcare #BrianThompson #LuigiMangione #Luigi #UnitedHealth #FreeLuigi #Politics

#socialsecurity #medicare #medicaid #foodstamps #republicans #snap #elonmusk #oligarchs #oligarchy

British people trying to guess outrageous American #healthcare costs.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYqe9rKC/

via PublicCitizen

An abomination of corp greed.
#UnitedHealthcare #Medicare #LuigiMangione
#insurance #eattherich #taxtherich #inequity #greed

as bad this is,
1) the 4 year count down hasnt even started yet
2) this and drones in the sky and everything else is intended to fill the news time and #bigcorp media time so no one is talking about the real plans.
#distraction is their main skill they bring to our government.

the #conservatives want their hands on the #socialSecurity money and #medicare money.

Killing those two systems is their number 1 goal in the next 4 years and they do not want anyone talking about it.

"Thompson, who became C.E.O. in 2021, increased UnitedHealthcare’s profits by five billion dollars in just two years. Between 2019 and 2022, #UnitedHealthcare more than doubled its denial rate for prior-authorization requests for post-acute care. One of Thompson’s signature innovations was to use a predictive algorithm to kick ailing and disabled #Medicare patients out of nursing homes and rehabilitative programs, causing untold misery and penury."

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/luigi-mangione-and-the-making-of-a-modern-antihero

#luigimangioni

📢 From #MEAction:

"Support Keeping Telehealth – Take Action Today!"

https://www.meaction.net/2024/12/11/support-telehealth-take-action-today/

"Expanded telehealth coverage for Medicare is set to expire at the end of this year, December 31"

Call your elected official to ask them to continue the expanded telehealth coverage

(sample call script provided)

Please boost!

@disability @mecfs @longcovid

#USPol #Medicare #Telehealth #Disability #MEcfs #LongCovid

I’ve just been down the street to pick up my Prolia injection to take to my doctors appointment. I paid $6.70 & clearly beside this cost was the actual cost of $250.68 😳.
How lucky we are in Australia to have the healthcare system we have with #Medicare & the #PBS. It’s not perfect but way better than many other countries.

Son of a b*tch, #UnitedHealthcare! Days after #Medicare open enrollment closes, UHC sends me an email that they changed their tier 4 drugs for 2025. The most expensive and restrictive tier. This will affect 4 of my medications, pushing towards the $2000 maximum out-of-pocket yearly limit.

"Project 2025 has called for making #MedicareAdvantage—the privatized Medicare in which #UnitedHealth specializes—the default enrollment option for #Medicare. This would essentially privatize Medicare for the 66 million people who use it, but since Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers about 6% more than Medicare, this would not create the savings Musk is supposed to be finding."

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-5-2024
#UHC

"Medicare Advantage, also known as Part C, was supposed to save the government money. The competition among private insurance companies, and with traditional Medicare, to manage patient care was meant to give insurance companies an incentive to find efficiencies. Instead, the program’s payment rules overpay insurance companies on the taxpayers' dime."

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2024-12-03/taxpayers-spend-22-more-per-patient-to-support-medicare-advantage

#healthcare #medicare #MedicareAdvantage #HealthPolicy

Same Drug, 2,200 DIFFERENT PRICES!! 💰💰💰

“Some 61 drugs had monthly prices that diverged by at least $30K, including a $223K range for nitisinone.

The reason for the huge price differences: PBMs negotiate widely different prices for prescriptions, depending on your insurance plan.

@robertkennedyjr let’s reform this! Wonderful place to start. https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/medicare-pays-wildly-different-prices-for-the-same-drug-b20fa58c #press #prescriptiondrugs #medicare

#MedicareAdvantage should be abolished, not expanded. The ads flooding the media right now are incredibly misleading. #Medicare

#Lincare Made Billions While Repeatedly Defrauding #Medicare. Feds Did Little To Rein It In.
—

Lincare, the nation’s largest distributor of home oxygen equipment, has repeatedly violated Medicare rules and probation agreements, victimizing ailing patients and costing taxpayers huge sums. The federal #government has done little to stop it.

https://propub.li/3UNDUms

#News #Healthcare #Insurance #Fraud #CPAP #Health