Government-run health care programs
Fisher's Karyl Mammano discusses the public option
By wilfeard, noel
Last Updated:3:36 PM EST 2/24/10 Section: News
On Feb. 4, 2009, two weeks after his inauguration, President Obama signed a law increasing health coverage from 7 million to 11 million children.
This was one of the first steps toward a "public option".
A public option consists of a government provided health care service that offers the public a cheaper alternative to private insurance carriers.
A year has passed since that first step and the debate has heated up and many wonder if it is feasible and affordable.
In a recent interview, full time faculty member and Director of Nonprofit Management for the Center of Community Engagement Karyl Mammano discussed these various government health care options in detail, profiling prevalent ones such as Medicare, Medicaid, Child Health Plus, military/government worker coverage, veteran's coverage, as well as smaller options like Indian Health Services.
Before teaching Mammano worked in various health care service providers around Rochester, dealing frequently with many of these government options.
The most commonly used forms of government health care are Medicare and Medicaid.
"Medicare is care for the elderly and the disabled. As long as individuals are working, they can receive Medicare benefits when they retire and turn 65," Mammano said.
Medicare is funded through taxes on our individual paystubs. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), was a part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Social Security Act of 1935.
FICA deductions will cap eventually. After you reach a certain dollar amount you have paid, they don't take anymore out of your pay, but Medicare payments continue no matter how much you earn. Like many insurance plans, Medicare deductibles vary based on what services are necessary.
"If you were in the hospital, you would pay x amount of dollars for 60 days, then if you're in longer, you would pay a daily deductible for the next 30 days," Mammano said.
The Medicaid option is similar to Medicare but it is intended to benefit the needy. Individuals must qualify for Medicaid, and the stipulations differ by state and county.
This was one of the first steps toward a "public option".
A public option consists of a government provided health care service that offers the public a cheaper alternative to private insurance carriers.
A year has passed since that first step and the debate has heated up and many wonder if it is feasible and affordable.
In a recent interview, full time faculty member and Director of Nonprofit Management for the Center of Community Engagement Karyl Mammano discussed these various government health care options in detail, profiling prevalent ones such as Medicare, Medicaid, Child Health Plus, military/government worker coverage, veteran's coverage, as well as smaller options like Indian Health Services.
Before teaching Mammano worked in various health care service providers around Rochester, dealing frequently with many of these government options.
The most commonly used forms of government health care are Medicare and Medicaid.
"Medicare is care for the elderly and the disabled. As long as individuals are working, they can receive Medicare benefits when they retire and turn 65," Mammano said.
Medicare is funded through taxes on our individual paystubs. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), was a part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Social Security Act of 1935.
FICA deductions will cap eventually. After you reach a certain dollar amount you have paid, they don't take anymore out of your pay, but Medicare payments continue no matter how much you earn. Like many insurance plans, Medicare deductibles vary based on what services are necessary.
"If you were in the hospital, you would pay x amount of dollars for 60 days, then if you're in longer, you would pay a daily deductible for the next 30 days," Mammano said.
The Medicaid option is similar to Medicare but it is intended to benefit the needy. Individuals must qualify for Medicaid, and the stipulations differ by state and county.
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Bill Brown
posted 3/13/10 @ 9:35 AM EST
This article covers the basics to the various health care programs now in existence. It does not attempt to discuss the effect it has on everyone's paycheck. (Continued…)
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