Should medicare pay for "scooters"

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Wow, it's amazing how cold hearted some of you can be. Personally, I try to think of the other person, and gladly give a couple extra bucks in taxes to help medicare, social programs, education, etc.

Why don't you just give a couple extra bucks to your mother and buy her a scooter and pay her medical bills? I always love the "I'm so charitable I'll gladly have someone else (who isn't me!) pay your bills" types.

And nice of you to judge other people you've never even met. I wouldn't be afraid to match my charitable contributions against yours, and I also contribute time as well as money to worthy causes. I've volunteered for veterans outreach programs, coached youth sports (unpaid), worked on food drives for the local food bank, and I've taken my kids on some of these projects to teach them the value of helping others. Thanks to my spouse being a first-generation Asian-American, I regularly send care packages and money to in-laws I've never even met! And yet, according to you, I'm 'cold-hearted'. :roll:

 

[dyna]

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti

Originally posted by: alchemize
I have yet to see anyone but lard-asses riding those around. Non-lard asses use a walker.

Wow, that's insightful, my dad's 84 years old, about 5'10" and weighs around 175, he's having both knees replaced, will need a scooter to get around, lives in a very rural town, and the scooter could take him to the grocery store and back.
Do you think a 5'10" 175lb man is a lardass? Really?
And some of these lard asses as you so delicately put it, have health issues that lead to their weight issues. Not all, but some.
It's a broad brush you paint your canvas with.

How much do these things cost? Is the govt. going to pay 100% or 50%?

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Wow, it's amazing how cold hearted some of you can be. Personally, I try to think of the other person, and gladly give a couple extra bucks in taxes to help medicare, social programs, education, etc. I'd rather it go to the elderly than some bullshit war based on lies, deception and stupidity. And if you read the whole post, it said clearly that I feel that ALL vets who serve in wartime should recieve benefits, so yes, your mother should be getting care.
Goddamn there are some cold hearted selfish bastards floating around. No wonder assholes like dumbya can sleaze their way into the highest office in the country. It's sickening.

You think its because its coldheartedness?

Those damn scooters will cause more health problems than they will ever cure.

And you bring the Iraq war into it....shows how weak your position must be.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Like I said, we won't see eye to eye on this. I never said I was charitable, I said I would like my taxes to be spent on more social issues than innane wars. Sorry I brought Iraq into it, but it's like ignoring the elephant in the living room. And this is one big goddamned elephant. How much is spent there monthly or daily or hourly? What if we never went in? How would we have spent that half a TRILLION dollars? Wasn't someone fired for stating that the war would exceed 300 billion before it was over?
And what's your proof about health problems caused by scooters? I don't think the govt should pay the whole tab, not at all, they run anywhere from 1200.00 on up.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
I don't have any hard numbers to work with, but I would think that the cost of the scooter would be a lot cheaper than the medical costs that could/would be incurred if they (those that need) didn't have scooters.

Kind of like health care for children. If we would spend the money upfront to ensure that every child has healthcare access, how much would we save once they become adults? It is usually a lot cheaper to prevent illness than it is to treat is reactively.

How do you figure?

Which part?

If you mean the former, I would say that an older person's knees, hips or other joints would take the majority of the shock associated with walking. If they are to the point that a scooter is a possibility, then their joints are probably deteriorated pretty badly. Hence, the wear and tear saved by the purchase of a scooter would cost less than the surgery to repair said joints in the event of a total collapse of them.

If you mean the latter, vaccinating and other preventive maintenance medicine (regular physicals, routine lab work and dental checkups) can pinpoint issues that could become bigger problems in the future and save a ton over the cost of treatment of said bigger problems.

 

[Hacp]

Giving free scooters away is a great way to bankrupt medicare.

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti

Originally posted by: alchemize
I have yet to see anyone but lard-asses riding those around. Non-lard asses use a walker.

Wow, that's insightful, my dad's 84 years old, about 5'10" and weighs around 175, he's having both knees replaced, will need a scooter to get around, lives in a very rural town, and the scooter could take him to the grocery store and back.
Do you think a 5'10" 175lb man is a lardass? Really?
And some of these lard asses as you so delicately put it, have health issues that lead to their weight issues. Not all, but some.
It's a broad brush you paint your canvas with.

With a BMI of 25.1 he's overweight. I'm sure shedding about 25 lbs would relieve a lot of stress on his knees.

 

[Kwaipie]

Originally posted by: Hacp
Giving free scooters away is a great way to bankrupt medicare.

Almost as good of an idea as the medicare prescription plan.

I know! Let's tell the pharmaceuticals that we won't ever try to renegotiate pricing! That's a brilliant idea George, I've got a CEO position for you waiting at Merck when you're done playing imperial nationbuilder.

Absolutely these scooters are a great idea, the more they build, the less expensive they become. It also keeps these citizens as active members of their community rather than bedsored pill poppers. I ride mass transit every day to and from work, On the way, I pass by 2 major hospitals, it is a strange day when there isn't at least one scooter rider on the bus going to/from the hospital. This is far far less expensive than someone else having to take them to their appointments and gives them a sense of self-reliance.

 

[Hacp]

Originally posted by: Kwaipie

Originally posted by: Hacp
Giving free scooters away is a great way to bankrupt medicare.

Almost as good of an idea as the medicare prescription plan.

I know! Let's tell the pharmaceuticals that we won't ever try to renegotiate pricing! That's a brilliant idea George, I've got a CEO position for you waiting at Merck when you're done playing imperial nationbuilder.

Yes, Bush's prescription plan is going to bankrupt us. Not negotiating lower prices is pure stupidity.

Absolutely these scooters are a great idea, the more they build, the less expensive they become. It also keeps these citizens as active members of their community rather than bedsored pill poppers. I ride mass transit every day to and from work, On the way, I pass by 2 major hospitals, it is a strange day when there isn't at least one scooter rider on the bus going to/from the hospital. This is far far less expensive than someone else having to take them to their appointments and gives them a sense of self-reliance.

A quick search shows that each scooter costs around 500-600 dollars, and thats just the inexpensive version. If every senior applies for one, we're going to see big deficits.

 

[senseamp]

The very fact that this question is even being asked shows how low morally we've sunk as a society, IMO.

 

[piasabird]

In most cases I say no. There may be some extreme cases I would say yes. I would venture a lot of people that have scooters dont really need them. You can not baby people too much. If you are in good enough shape to get to the toilet you dont need a scooter. If not you should have some kind of live-in Help. You have to be somewhat mobile to use a scooter. A scooter does not solve all the world's problems. If you buy a 400lbs man a scooter, it does not encourage him to lose weight.

Scooters are big and the next thing you will say is all sidewalks must be wide enough for 2 scooters to pass each other.

 

[ahurtt]

Only if it means by doing so they don't have to pay for a permanent live-in nurse or assistant which would certainly be more costly than a scooter.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: MadRat
The local states have a burden to bear here. Why do the feds need to step in for every social injustice?

Read up on Medicare/Medicaid. The feds mandate it and the states bear much of the cost. Here in NC, the state passes it down to the county. I.e., my property taxes pay for much of it.

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Yes, not even a question. My mother could not get around if it weren't for a scooter.

Why should the government pay for it?

I'd have a hard time getting to work without my car, should the government pay for that too?

Why should the government pay for it? Because they are deemed worthy of coverage under the Medicare/Medicaid rules.

I voted for it above, but I think that only those who are incapable of operating a manual wheelchair should receive them.

Fern

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: Fern

Originally posted by: MadRat
The local states have a burden to bear here. Why do the feds need to step in for every social injustice?

Read up on Medicare/Medicaid. The feds mandate it and the states bear much of the cost. Here in NC, the state passes it down to the county. I.e., my property taxes pay for much of it.

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Yes, not even a question. My mother could not get around if it weren't for a scooter.

Why should the government pay for it?

I'd have a hard time getting to work without my car, should the government pay for that too?

Why should the government pay for it? Because they are deemed worthy of coverage under the Medicare/Medicaid rules.

I voted for it above, but I think that only those who are incapable of operating a manual wheelchair should receive them.

Fern

You do realize that scooters are not for people who can't walk?

 

[senseamp]

You guys make it sound as if seniors want to get around on scooters if they can help it. My grandma's back and legs are pretty bad, and she could get a scooter, but she refuses to move in any way other than on her own, or even get a walker or a cane.
And secondly, how much of the cost of these scooters is pure profit margin for the manufacturer/distributor? Don't tell me it costs more than $1K to make an electric scooter in China.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo


You do realize that scooters are not for people who can't walk?

No. The commercials themselves make clear that one must somehow qualify under medicare/medicaid to get a "free" scooter. I confess that I haven't researched those qualifications, but expect them to made available only to people who can't walk for some reason.

If the qualificiations are too "liberal", tighten them up.

I did have a client in that very business. The paperwork for Medicare/Medicaid reimbursment is a royal b!tch.

Fern

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Yes, not even a question. My mother could not get around if it weren't for a scooter.

Why should the government pay for it?

I'd have a hard time getting to work without my car, should the government pay for that too?

same could be said about health insurance.

why shouldnt the governenment pay for it when medicare is a benifit. or do you propose that SS and medicare should be abolished?

 

[OutHouse]

Fern:
Read up on Medicare/Medicaid. The feds mandate it and the states bear much of the cost. Here in NC, the state passes it down to the county. I.e., my property taxes pay for much of it.


medicare is fed and is a benift from SS (65 and older). Medicaide is welfare and is regulated by your county/state there is no age limit for medicaide.

 

[Balt]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Yes, not even a question. My mother could not get around if it weren't for a scooter.

Why should the government pay for it?

I'd have a hard time getting to work without my car, should the government pay for that too?

So we should abolish public transportation too?

 

[vi edit]

I just want to watch out for the scope creep on the deal.

Okay we gave you a scooter. Now do we need to pay to retrofit your van so that you can port it around? What about paying for renovations to your home so that you can get around with it there? What about ongoing maintenance/repairs?

Just how deep does the golden pocket of gratuity go?

 

[feralkid]

There is no way the American taxpayer should be paying for scooter's medicare.
It's bad enough the president commuted his sentence, the man belongs in jail.

 

[Isla]

Originally posted by: senseamp
The very fact that this question is even being asked shows how low morally we've sunk as a society, IMO.

Something about, you can judge a society by how they treat its weakest members, right?

Of course we don't want to see fraud and waste. But to not want to help the infirm and elderly out of fear they might not deserve it is just insane.

 

[Isla]

Originally posted by: senseamp
You guys make it sound as if seniors want to get around on scooters if they can help it. My grandma's back and legs are pretty bad, and she could get a scooter, but she refuses to move in any way other than on her own, or even get a walker or a cane.
And secondly, how much of the cost of these scooters is pure profit margin for the manufacturer/distributor? Don't tell me it costs more than $1K to make an electric scooter in China.

My Abuelita was the same way. She walked on her own until she was 99 years and 10 months old. She died at 99 years and 11 months old. And if she was still around she would very quietly and sweetly rip many heads off around here.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I just want to watch out for the scope creep on the deal.

Okay we gave you a scooter. Now do we need to pay to retrofit your van so that you can port it around? What about paying for renovations to your home so that you can get around with it there? What about ongoing maintenance/repairs?

Just how deep does the golden pocket of gratuity go?

And that is a very valid concern, and so is abuse.

The point about why medicare (which shouldn't exist in the first place, but let's stick to it's cause) should pay is...

1) mobile person, self sustaining and not leaching other homehealth services
2) allows primary care givers (kids) to keep giving back to society

So it's a form of preventative care. Both mentally and physically.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

It will be abused because it's a whole shitload of fun to wander around with one of them? YAY, walking slowly leaning of one of those is loads of fun.

Why is this even a question?

Sometimes... man... I'd get banned if i said what i really think.