[rshoffer]

Originally Posted by Boomer BeBack

Last night. A little late. For me anyway. I came back into this thread with the intention of continuing my purposeless rant about how somebody needs to solve this healthcare mess. I view the whole healthcare coverage meltdown as a big picture. I have never been good at worrying about just myself.

So anyway, I was in here, trying to climb back on my soapbox to do a little addendum to yesterday morning's tirade. Well something happened and I lost it. Not my temper. My thought provoking addition to my post.

I told you in some other thread recently about my Folgerian slip when I spilled coffee all over my keyboard. I don't think I managed to resuscitate this thing completely and the keys stick sometimes. I really need to confess to Mr. Boomer so that he produces a new one for me from his basement computer components museum. But I digress.

Anyway, here is what I think about sometimes:

Why can't somebody figure out how to do an early Medicare buy in for early retirees?

It would cost the early retirees some money, but the access to a good plan would be there, without all the roadblocks that catch so many who are of an age.

And I know I harp on hating ridiculous taxation, and I know a subsidy to such a buy in for early retirees would probably have to add a little tax to everybody. Maybe? Maybe not? Better than subsidizing a bridge to nowhere, at least in my book.

And did you notice I said BUY IN?

It seems to me that this would be a big picture solution for a few across-the-board reasons:

1. People would not try to hold on to jobs when they really want to retire. Holding on for healthcare insurance can be pretty miserable.

2. If an early BUY IN to Medicare were available to all, can you imagine the stress related illnesses that could be headed off at the pass. It seems like that would be a no-brainer good thing for the overall healthcare system.

3. And just think of how what's left of American jobs that could open to our kids and our grandchildren, too.

OK. So maybe make this buy in available starting at 55. Well, I guess I will let them negotiate me up to 58. That seems to be an age where a lot of people I know want out. But at 58, you still have all that 7-Year Itchin' to do until 65. But being able to buy in to the system for those years would sure help a lot of people who are out there trying to navigate those shark-infested waters of the individual plans.

Why wouldn't business like such a plan?

Oh, and TV could sell even more houses.

I really do not know why business would not approve, but I am sure there are many reasons that somebody can haul out.

And besides, like I always say, Boomer is but a bumpkin anyway. A bumpkin who thinks too much.

So, gimme that soapbox, "Aaannnnddddd, if I am elected. . ."

Boomer the Bumpkin

This idea is way too logical and makes way too much sense to be a gov't program