OT: Give Americans the same healthcare as Congress and Government

In message news:ffdoo9$kdb$ snipped-for-privacy@news.albasani.net, witfal sprach forth the following:

Why not be a man of principle like Ron Paul and REFUSE the Congressional pension?

I didn't Google. But if by "they" you mean the people I know, who worked for the gov't., then no. They most emphatically do NOT get soc. security benefits.

Cathy

I don't know about "they", but you should do the google and find out about now. That's what I'm talking about.

They don't get soc. sec. benefits now, haven't received them in the past, nor will they get them in the future. One of them became eligible - age-wise - last year, but there are none for that person - not in the picture, period. Pension, yes; soc. security, no.

Cathy

There are many groups that are not covered by SS, lucky bastards. Railroad workers, postal employees, state government workers, and police come to mind. They pay into deferent systems. Most are true retirement plans that build equity, pay much higher benefits like 75% of ones highest pay rates, full medical and death benefits etc., but lack the "insurance" benefits of SS.

mike

That is not the half if it, thanks to the woman libbers. If one is receiving SS retirement benefits and was married to them for ten years, each of his previous wives get a check equal to half his amount, as well. At my age I could had three previous wives. The folly is that ones FICA is the same whether he is ever married or was single.

On of the reasons I never applied for the SS retirement benefit when I became eligible nearly twenty years ago, beside the fact I don't need the money, was I didn't want my first wife to get something for nothing again.

Another goofy aspect of SS, are the Medicare reimbursement rules. I always purchased the type of medical coverage that I wanted and I could well afford, but when I turned 65 I could NO LONGER BUY coverage because I did not apply for Medicare and buy part "B!"

Insurance providers can not sell you heath insurance if you do not apply for Medicare and buy part "B," once you turn 65, if you paid into SS, so I had to apply. The reason being SS pays hospitals a specified amount every month, for those on Medicare in their area, to provide coverage for those on Medicare, SSI, and to cover the "FREE" coverage for the poor, under the Hill Burton Act. That law requires all hospitals to provide free coverage, to be eligible to receive the outrageous rates paid by Medicare.

If one choose alternate coverage from those Medicare supplement insurance companies, such as offered by AARP or HMOs, PPOs etc. the amount paid to the hospital then goes to the supplement insurance companies instead.

There are so many old folks in Florida that supplemental coverage, as well as no deductible, no limit, drug coverage as offered by my POP, costs nothing.

I E I recently had a procedure at the hospital in Key West that, under Medicare reimbursement rules, cost a bit over $3,300. Medicare supplement insurance companies such as offered by AARP or HMOs, agree to fees and rates with doctors and hospitals, my POP paid just over $800 as full payment, that is why one must buy part "B" ;)

mike

That is not exactly true. The federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) fully covers bankrupt company pension plans for conventional defined pensions and vested pensions. What they do NOT cover are "benefits in excess," like those paid by companies out of their pension fund to induce early retirement, if the plan goes under. There is no similar coverage for

mike

What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man. Conservative family values at work.

That's not what I asked.

Thank you. That is one reason, when she left with her 'new friend' I gave her some income producing property and more money and than she can spend in her lifetime, to make sure she would not come back ;)

mike

You are right Tony. I thought it was 15 but was not sure. I would imagine there are still some federal workers not retired yet that are under the old system, but all new hires from 20 years ago and sooner are under social security.

Cheers

The regular workers don't really have it made, just a reasonable retirement. It is most of the elected and appointed officals that really have it made in retirement.