'Medicare Funding Crisis Essay\r'

'As the newly establish chief of staff I abide been tasked with responding to a proposal for reducing Medic are expenditures by enrolling participants in HMO. I understand that we take a crap some key questions must be addressed and that we must justify our bunk on either economic aptitude or equity grounds. Outlined down the stairs are some of the questions that must be answered in order address this result properly.\r\nIs Medicare in a state of crisis?\r\n are you aware of the various policies that are universe enacted from apiece state to state regarding the fashioning of Medicare? Medicare is funded by the national official government and apiece state is responsible for operating the Medicare course of instruction as well as the topical anesthetic Medicaid programs. However, premiums make cerebrate increased for Medicare and also, the reportage has changed in the past few years requiring slew to purchase additional supplemental Medicare policies †this is un wieldy for patriarchal that have fixed incomes. If the patriarchal are unable to purchase Medicare, they allow go uninsured. The Medicare system is double-funded. It is funded by the tax imparter (federal dollar) as well as the premiums being collected. But, in being double-funded, the reportage is still not as high as approximately private redress companies making them come forward with less(prenominal) quality.\r\nAre radical measures inevitable to preserve the program?\r\nThis is a actually interesting question and you volition have to take a more subjective approach to answering it. I acquire’t believe on that point are radical measures that must be taken to preserve the program because it is funded through 2 divisions †the federal government (taxpayer) and the premiums being collected. However, the price of providing the medical work is much higher(prenominal) than the apostrophize being collected. Perhaps a more responsible approach would be to eva luate the cost of the medical works being profferd and standardize a cost table among all insurance companies including Medicare. For ex ample, a invitee may be seen by a doctor for a prescribed check-up and that provider is only allowed to give Medicare $65.\r\nIf a client came to that same physician with a private insurance policy, that physician is allowed to charge the private insurance $120. What happens then is that the service under the Medicare payment is not provided in the most quality manner (although, physicians will argue this) because they are getting give much less by Medicare order. The physician may spend more time, energy, and shipment to a private paying client because they are getting almost double the amount of notes from the private insurance. It is a matter of motivational service-delivery. The radical measures that affect to take place are increase Medicare rates of reimbursement or mandating lower rates of private insurance to neutralize the lay on the line of receiving poor quality services.\r\nHow is Medicare funded now?\r\nThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a branch of the segment of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the federal agency that runs the Medicare Program and monitors Medicaid programs offered by each state. (In 2011, Medicare covered 48.7 million community. Total expenditures in 2011 were $549.1 billion. This capital comes from the Medicare Trust Funds. (Medicare.Gov (2010). About OTPN. Retrieved from http://www.medicare.gov/about-us/how-medicare-is-funded/medicare-funding.html) Medicare is funded by the federal government (the taxpayer’s federal taxes out of their paychecks). People may believe that social security pays for Medicare, but it doesn’t. If less people are working, less money is going into the federal â€Å"pool” of money to distribute to Medicare. The nation is at an incomparable high for reported unemployment †that means that there is million s of dollars not going into the fund written report for Medicare.\r\nHowever, just as many people are seeking medical coverage from Medicare †an imbalance occurs. Why do the elderly feel that Medicare is an insurance program, not a welfare program? Is this perception perfect? Some elderly, in my opinion, believe that Medicare is an insurance program that they are entitle to. During the huge Society movement in the 40’s-60’s, various governmental programs were designed to provide citizens entitlements to human services and welfare inescapably. The Medicare and Medicaid coverage was designed to provide those that do not have any means to pay for health care a right smart in which they could maintain their health needs †a right that the government and society has deemed every person should be entitled to; their health. So, depending on the culture, upbringing, and personal philosophy.\r\n'