Reader’s Write: Morris replies to critics

The Island Now

Did you hear about the horrible things some liberal readers of this newspaper have written about me? They just don’t know what to make of me. I guess no one they know actually criticizes their messiah-in-chief in the White House. I am still amazed that they get so upset when I just exhibit my first amendment rights and I hold President Obama up to the same standards as every other President. Maybe they expect me to be crushed by their crude expletives. Perhaps they think they can scare me into giving up my “unimaginable” political beliefs. Who knows?

Anyway, are you ready to hear what these “advanced thinkers” said about me? Ok, here goes. Last week, a letter-writer actually called me “stupid”! How will I ever survive that one? Another one called me a liar!! What class? A third one said that as a doctor, his diagnosis was that I must be dyslexic. Thanks Doc. At least I now know what’s wrong with me.

What antagonized these “brilliant” thinkers? Please sit down. Ready? Of course they objected to me criticizing Obama. That’s a given. No one is allowed to do that anymore. Do you remember all the terrible names they called President Bush? A double standard ? Of course ! Anyway, what really set them off was, (get ready for this one!) my spelling and grammatical mistakes! Must I repeat that? It was a spelling issue!! Why would anyone waste their time correcting my punctuation, when our democracy is falling apart and the press is still not holding the Chief Executive responsible. I must not forget, that according to their liberal upbringing, they must NEVER, and I mean never, let any Conservative Republican go unpunished!

Let’s try something new for a change. Without resorting to any profanity, lets examine the Congressional Budget Office’s own statistics. Remember, the CBO is the Obama administration’s own source of information! That’s fair? Come on, all you Progressives, give it a try!

1- This nonpartisan government agency estimated that the first, 10-year cost of of ObamaCare is $1.8 trillion dollars. That’s a far cry from the $825 billion dollars that President  Obama has always given us. A lie? His estimate was “slightly” off. Like half!! Picky, picky!!

2- From 2013-2022, More than

$700 Billion dollars must be “taken” (ok, withdrawn!)  from Medicare to pay for The Affordable Care Act. Otherwise, I guess it’s not “affordable”. I know that you Liberals have told me that this would strengthen Medicare by removing its waste, fraud and duplication of services. You do know that if that much fraud can not be found, some Medicare services would have to be reduced as well. So, every time you read about some medical test or procedure which is “not recommended” anymore, you will remember what I just said. Weakening Medicare?  I guess only time will tell. What would your backup plan be ? Raise taxes on the rich? Again? I thought so.

3- However, to really see where the cuts will come from,  (you may call them cost-cutting if you like) the CBO has even itemized them for you:

A- a $17 billion dollar reduction in hospice services (you better stay alive)

B- a $33 billion dollar reduction in all other services.

C- a $39 billion dollar reduction in skilled nursing services. Who needs nurses anyway when unionized hospital workers will do?

D- a $66 billion dollar reduction in home health service! Let’s bring patients back into the hospital where costs are astronomical and unionized jobs are guaranteed.

E- a $145 billion dollar reduction in payment to medical centers

F- a $156 billion dollar reduction in the extremely popular Medicare Advantage plans. I told you Obama’s ultimate goal is to get rid of all private insurance companies!

and perhaps the most onerous,

G- a $ 260 billion dollar reduction in hospital services.

That’s a total of $ 716 billion dollars!

Do you really think that this massive reduction can be found by reducing fraud and waste, without effecting Medicare services? I really doubt it.

Some of these same readers have also spread incorrect statements about Medicare. I’ll try to clarify this one as well. However, I do urge everyone of you, to register at your local Social Security Office at least 3 months before your 65th birthday, review their records to make sure all your lifetime contributions were reported, and go over with an expert there, all your  benefits. Don’t take my advise or any other non-expert in the field. It’s just to important. Be patient! Bring every document you have. Get the names of everyone you speak to. Make copies of everything. Expect to be there for hours and you won’t be disappointed. Remember, this is a government bureaucracy.  But it’s better run than it used to be.

1- When you reach your 65th birthday, you must register with Social Security or you will be penalized. This is true even if you decide not to start receiving your Social Security benefits until a later date. You must register!

2- However, Medicare automatically becomes your primary medical insurance as soon as you are 65 !!

3- However, your years of contributions ONLY provide you with Medicare Part A  (hospitals),     NOTHING ELSE IS FREE!!

4-  Medicare Part B  covers your doctor bills, so you really need that as well.  But, to get it, you must buy Part B yourself!! It is not automatically included, as Dr. Marcus stated. It costs $104.90 – $335.70 per month, depending on your income. To make it easier for you, the monthly premiums can be automatically withdrawn from your social security checks.  Or

If you already have part B coverage from another insurance, you are already covered and you don’t need it.  You have already paid for Part B.

A third possibility  is to pay your doctors bills out of your own pocket. That’s really a poor option! But Part B is definitely not free!!!!

5- Part B only covers 80% of the doctors bills. Therefore you need a Medicare Supplement Insurance to cover the remaining 20% and any copays or yearly deductibles!

You may purchase this supplemental insurance from AARP, the major insurance provider in that field.

If you purchase it directly from AARP, Medicare Supplemental Insurance  will additionally cost you over $500 per month for 2 people ! Now you see that AARP is not that little “mom and pop” operation they always claim to be. It’s just another huge insurance company !

6- You  also need a prescription drug plan, whose cost varies, depending on the covered drugs. Again you may already have your own prescription drug plan or you may choose to pay for your own prescriptions.

The bottom line is that if you have another insurance which already covers you doctors bills (Part B), Supplemental insurance  and a prescription plan, count your blessing because the cost of these three items is well over $8,000 per year!! Maybe to some of you that’s free. But not to me !!

My own Medicare card does say part A and Part B , not because Part B is free, as Dr Marcus also stated, but because  I additionally purchased Part B directly from Medicare!

7- It is also factually incorrect to state that if I don’t like Medicare, I could opt out and get my own private insurance. The government doesn’t allow anyone to do that or believe me, I would gladly do it and apply the $8,000 to a private insurance policy. Everyone must sign up for Medicare. Period. No exceptions!

Now you see why so many retires are having second thoughts about AARP representing them, and President Obama’s government run healthcare system

I am confident my facts are correct. I still can’t be sure of my spelling! Sorry!

Dr Stephen Morris

North Hills, NY

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