As you mature in age, your body will go through more wear and tear than in your youthful age. Wear and tear include failing organs, psychological issues, and a deteriorating immune system. During this period, you will have frequent visits to the hospital and with that, an increase in hospital bills. To help in this, the federal insurance program developed the Medicare system to help you and those with particular chronic health issues. Its creation was to help manage the human welfare predicament that tears at the socio-economic situation of society.
Healthcare Costs
If you were a sick senior citizen living in America before the introduction of the program, it would have been difficult to access quality healthcare. You would have to rely on your savings, welfare, or others for assistance. This healthcare system helps you to receive quality healthcare that you may have previously been unable to afford.
Prospective Payment Methods
This healthcare system has the title of being the largest procurer of medical care in the U.S. The program has since its inception introduced several payment systems to cut costs. The two main ones are the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) and diagnosis-related group (DRG). These payment methods have since then substituted previous billing practices.
Reduction of Poverty
If you are not in business at 65 years of age or older, you are most likely retired. This means that you do not have an adequate source of income and need to watch your expenditure. This would have been your predicament before the introduction of Medicare. Since then, the number of poor senior citizens in America has gone down by 50 percent.
Efficiency
In comparison to private insurance, the administrative costs associated with this system are low. Statistics show that the healthcare system’s spending is increasing at a slower rate in contrast to previous decades.
Inclusion of Others
A great advantage of this system is its inclusion of millions of disabled individuals who would have otherwise been uninsurable. If you are in this category, all you need is an approval from social security that you have been in that condition for two years. This means that persons under the age of 65 can benefit from the program.
Additional Services
Currently, this health program has added some perks to its portfolio. You can now benefit from precautionary screenings and services free of charge. Part B of this program offers some free services to women, such as annual checkups and screenings for cardiovascular sicknesses among others. Men can benefit from free screenings for diabetes, depression, and prostate cancer.
Treatment of Other Diseases
If you need lifesaving treatment for a disease such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), this program is ideal for you. The inclusion of ESRD into the program has since helped countless people. It has also had a significant effect on clinical medicine. Without Medicare, your costs for ESRD treatment would be unbearable.
Advantage to All
There is ongoing legislation to improve the coordination and quality of healthcare for all who need it. The program is also advocating for the prevention of hospital readmissions and infections caught therein. The program also offers end-of-life care at the comfort of your own home.
