Senior care and resources for those provide care for senior citizen seems to be an ever growing topic. I came across another site about how to care for senior citizens that has resource information on senior care and is targeted at those who care for seniors. I guess as the population ages this becomes a bigger and bigger issue. If I had money I'd think about investing in nursing homes, assisted living, and senior housing.
On the bright side, if the senior care world is growing there will be more support available. Of course on the not-so-bright side are we going to start competing for resources? I am already worried that the amount of time and money being spent on senior care in this country is starting to become a drain on our economy. Just look at the federal budget and see how much of it goes to medicare and to social security. Now imagine that the number on senior citizens that the government (i.e us taxpayers) are helping to pay for the care of grows until half the country is paying for the care of the other half. People are going to start thinking of senior citizens as a drain on the whole nation. Right now we each only have the drain of the senior that we are caring for.
I guess back to the bright side, there will be an economy based on the care giving industry. Just like we had an economy of people working at Walmart to earn money to buy things at Walmart, maybe we will ahve an economy of poeple working in nursing homes and assisted living facilities to pay taxes so that the countril can affort to keep it's ever growing number of seniors in the same nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Senior care, the gift that keeps on giving...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Seniors health insurance = scamming seniors
So, why do senior citizens appear to health insurance companies as easy marks for "senior health insurance" plans that in the end aim to rip off our most vulnerable elder citizens? Why can't they thin "you are a senior citizen, a veteran who fought for his country, we'll be nice to you". Instead they seem to think "you are a senior citizen, likely elderly and trusting, we'll take advantage of you." I'm sure this isn't just a New Hampshire problem.
A few years ago my uncle had a supplemental plan to cover medical costs beyond medicare. It included prescriptions and cost him about $75 per month. We were working to save him money, and we get an offer for a new senior supplemental insurance plan that is only $19 per month. No prescription benefits, but he uses a senior program and does pretty well with prescription prices. With him living on mostly social security,and the prospect of another cold NH winter with high heating bills, it seemed like a good option. So we switched him to the new plan.
The first year things went fine. But remember, to these companies, seniors are marks to be ripped off. The next year when it becomes time to renew the plan, the new price is $42 per month. More than twice what is was the first year. Then this year we got a renewal notice and the price has gone up to $72 per month. $19 to $72 in three years. That is much more than health costs have really gone up. They are just trying to rip off senior citizens because they think they are too naive to figure out what is going on. It just gets me going.
Needless to say I am out looking for a new plan.
But really, if you see a senior citizen standing on a bus you get up to offer them a seat (maybe the insurance people don't but I'm pretty sure even they do) so how come they can then go to their office and spend all day thinking of ways to take money from senior citizens just becasue they are senior citizens?
Also, a quick plug for a guy I found who does snow plowing in Hollis and who was willing to help me out of a bind even though he is not my regular plower.
A few years ago my uncle had a supplemental plan to cover medical costs beyond medicare. It included prescriptions and cost him about $75 per month. We were working to save him money, and we get an offer for a new senior supplemental insurance plan that is only $19 per month. No prescription benefits, but he uses a senior program and does pretty well with prescription prices. With him living on mostly social security,and the prospect of another cold NH winter with high heating bills, it seemed like a good option. So we switched him to the new plan.
The first year things went fine. But remember, to these companies, seniors are marks to be ripped off. The next year when it becomes time to renew the plan, the new price is $42 per month. More than twice what is was the first year. Then this year we got a renewal notice and the price has gone up to $72 per month. $19 to $72 in three years. That is much more than health costs have really gone up. They are just trying to rip off senior citizens because they think they are too naive to figure out what is going on. It just gets me going.
Needless to say I am out looking for a new plan.
But really, if you see a senior citizen standing on a bus you get up to offer them a seat (maybe the insurance people don't but I'm pretty sure even they do) so how come they can then go to their office and spend all day thinking of ways to take money from senior citizens just becasue they are senior citizens?
Also, a quick plug for a guy I found who does snow plowing in Hollis and who was willing to help me out of a bind even though he is not my regular plower.
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