I am disabled. I have severe, recurrent major depression. It has been with me over half my life, and I'm still in my 20s. I am on federal disability for this depression, and several other health issues. Because I am on federal disability, I automatically get Medicare. My disability payments are 900 dollars per month, so my medicare is free. I also have state medi-caid (medi-cal, where I live.) But I can only access care that medicare approves because they are apparently my primary insurance company.
Have you ever tried to find mental health services when you are on medi-care/medi-cal? It is not easy. Even the county run program I was in today told me they will no longer be accepting medicare, so I now have to find yet another Psychiatrist. This is why I do not want a medi-care like public option. I want something better.
It is extremely difficult to find primary care doctors who are accepting new medicare/medicaid patients, as well. One of the other reasons I am disabled is some sort of hormonal issue, where apparently I have something producing too much cortisol and humangrowth hormone. I can't find a primary care doctor willing to take new patients with medi/medi, and I can't find a specialist willing to accept me.
So this is why I want a public option that is much, much better than medicare.
Medicare will not conver dental care. I have a painful tooth that keeps getting infected. I order antibiotics from shady mexican pharmacies every time it gets infected, but really I need the tooth fixed. I have medicare so I cannot get dental care.
I hope, for my own sake, and for the sake of everyone on these miserable programs, that those of us who are disabled and on medicare can switch into the public option. I have never heard this suggested, so I assume it will not be an option.
That is too bad. I obviouslly can't afford to purchase that plan, as I subsist on 900 dollars a month. I would like to be able to swap my shitty medicare plan for the upcoming public plan. Has anyone heard if there is a way for those of us on medicare to switch to this new plan, when it finally becomes available?