Okay let’s change up our thinking. I’m done with politics for today. I want to rant about something else, and that something else is all the dam Medicare commercials. I mean if I have to see Joe Namath’s face one more time I am going to lose it!
There he is talking about “getting what you are entitled too, maybe at no cost to you.” over and over again. Yeah right I say, at no cost! What makes him the expert? Just because he is old like the rest of us does not make him the one I want to advise me on insurance. Football yes, insurance no.
I wonder how much per commercial he makes because as many times as I have seen his pretty face on television he’s probably added millions to his tax bracket. His medicare commercials started several years ago so tally it up.
In case you have missed all these commercials or you are lucky enough to have cable, I know that doesn’t usually go with lucky, but in this case it does. I only have an antenna so I am stuck with what the local television shoves in my face. Right now it is all about medicare. Oh, and life insurance in case you want that too. No Joe Namath for those commercials yet.
Now I love the old shows, reruns of everything I loved about the seventies, eighties, and nineties that keep playing night after night. How nostalgic. Wow, who would have thought they would rise from the dead! Anyway I have an antenna, and I stream with my Roku. I have saved thousands of dollars. Literally, but I am stuck with thousands of commercials about medicare, and renewing ” your benefits, maybe at no cost to you.”
Now I love good old Joe, he was a hunk in his younger days. And not too bad as an old man. Great with a football, but the mute button has become my new best friend. I have pressed it so many times that the little speaker icon has disappeared. No worries I know right where it is. The sad part of this is that I can now read Joe’s lips I have seen those dam commercials so many times. Bad right?
As soon as I see his face I hit MUTE. You can too. Anytime something comes on that upsets you or you are tired of hearing about, just hit the mute. The silence is wonderful. What a great option. Lips move but the words are gone. You can even make up your own dialog, like ” kiss my grits, give me the money” or something like that.
And if you are really getting upset your controller has an off button too. Yep right on top somewhere. I know where that one is without looking as well, in case I am really annoyed.
Now I know insurance is important, but before you let some star lead you astray look up the cost, and the benefits. As senior citizens we can not refuse medicare part A. If we do they will take away our social security that we paid into, and make us pay back all that they have paid us so far. Really, look it up. You can not refuse medicare part A even if you already have a great insurance provider once you retire from your job. Your primary provider then becomes your secondary provider even if you don’t like that idea. Medicare part A becomes your primary hospital benefit provider rather you like it or not. Check it out.
And if you have to use medicare part A to go into the hospital you have to pay $1483 up front before any other charges or care can be given. This amount changes yearly. First comes the $1483, then your benefits. I should mention it reads ” the allowable benefits” make sure your care is allowable. That was an eye opener for me when I had surgery.
So, back to commercials. The health care industry is bombarding us with commercials because it is time to see if we need extra coverage, and who will provide those benefits. And the companies that consult with us, ” at no charge to you” get a kick back for all the people they send to the companies listed that they refer too, so don’t think they aren’t getting paid for what they are ” doing at no charge to you” (for you) because they are.
I have come to hate commercials. I hate the way words are twisted or presented as they try to fool us into thinking ” their” product is the greatest. And the stars have come out in flocks to do commercials as that is the new money maker for them. I’ve seen good old Tom Selleck one too many times already. He is peddling reverse mortgages.
Just because we are older doesn’t mean we have lost our thinking facilities. We can understand their jargon even if it is coming from good old Joe or Tom. Take your time and look things up. Read the fine print, or have someone your love and trust do it for you so that you can get the best care you can afford because that is really what it is all about. What we can afford when we can no longer work and must live on our retirement. Choose wisely. Do not let someone’s pretty face sway you. And for today, have a great day today, you and I deserve it.
