Thank you so much for the kindness. I have offended some with this story. My descriptions of patients leaving radiation are Z's. I have not been to radiation. I have no real experience to counter her take on anything. But I think if she were being told what she wants to hear, that it's nothing, that it can be cured with the right diet and good thoughts, they would be guilty of malpractice. They are sure it's cancer, but can't tell her exactly what kind of cancer. So in her mind they know nothing. Nor can they tell her how long she has to live. They cannot give her radiation treatments unless she stops taking the supplements she lives on since the supliments contain trace elements of certain metals. She fights them at every turn and will not participate with the team of doctors who want to help her. She just does not believe that they are right. It isn't cancer. It's a cyst she says. I can't argue with her. Otherwise she will no longer confide in me.

My friend's cancer might not be as bad as was first thought. But without Medicare she would not have been able to get the PET scan or the MRI of her brain to rule out a metastasized cancer. So it is cancer but seems to be located at the top of her left lung and partially in her major bronchi. Her breathing is labored and she sounds scary, but it might be treatable, curable, if only she will cooperate. She is not a "believer" in Western Medicine. She prefers "alternate modalities." So she's a difficult patient for her oncologists.

Medicare is less restrictive than any private plan I've ever had. I'd like specific examples of how it's restrictive and complicated. Once you're on Medicare all you need is a medicare card and you're good to go. Medicare has even covered some of my eye exams. That was until last year when congress put further restrictions on what Medicare can cover. This is a result of lobbying done by the big Insurance cos and the big Pharma. It is in their interests to restrict Medicare's coverage so we will have to purchase "supplemental insurance." Since all supplemental insurance is private. It's just pigs at the trough.

Nice job James. Very powerful. Did you see Naj's translation of Mousavi's speech yesterday? Her blog is called Neo Resistance. I posted her translation of that speech at my place as well.

I have a new post up here on my old saw, Medicare and the Insurance Companies. Not as thrilling or immediate as this powerful piece and the revolution going on in Iran, but about to be on our legislative plate.

James, it is a Federal program with a specific agenda to pay medical costs for the disabled and retired. But I'm pretty sure the States run the program with their own special take on whether or not you are deserving of disability. I know that the Feds have guidelines but still, when you fund something through the state it can be used for things the Feds never intended. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's how it's run. It's funny that the only research I've done is on my own behalf. It is exhausting and confusing to jump through the disability hoops when you can't get out of bed. The day I had to go before a disability judge I was wearing clothes I'd been sleeping in for days. I was so depressed I could barely speak. Thank god the judge was a Los Vegas judge filling in for a Utah judge who was on vacation. So, maybe it's a regional program. I'm rambling, sorry.

SelfMade, to have written anything that explains an issue through my personal experience and to have you say it was an eye opener is a pretty good birthday present. I'm glad you stopped by to read.

Thanks James. Yes it is. But I have a problem that medicare does not cover. I'm having a dental emergency. Maybe that's the next think I'll write about.

Tomorrow's my birthday and I just hope to hell I can find someone who does dental emergencies. My dentist's office isn't open on Fridays. I'm going to need a prescription for an antibiotic to make it through the weekend. I feel so incredibly pathetic.

It's money comes from the federal government and the state allocates it as the need arises.

Very nicely done. Like Border Explorer, I like the balance in your reporting.

Sherrill, since medicare is managed by each state, it is probably Utah's policy to automatically reject first time applications for social security disability. You are fortunate your state is more liberal, more compassionate for the disabled and poor than mine.

Well, allvoices will not let me post the link to MoveOn.org so google it to get to the healthcare debate, then tell your story. We need all the voices we can get to speak out on this issue.

will get you to a window where you can tell your healthcare story for congress. Please by the activist we need. Add your voice to the healthcare debate.

Please read this and enter you own healthcare story for congress to receive as they consider our healthcare fate:

I tweeted this story the moment I heard it. What will it take to make us wake-up to the necessity of gun control legislation? How do we break the strangle-hold the NRA has on this country? And how the hell did this man get a SHOTGUN into the museum? That is not an easy gun to conceal.

Slydog, thanks for the comment. For a long time I've been thinking of selling what I can to make the move to Canada for better, cheaper healthcare coverage. This is the number one issue that will either make or bread our economy. And we are just starting to really debate it.

slydog, thanks for taking the time to comment. I have thought about selling my property and moving to Canada, just for the healthcare coverage. It is appalling that we are still buying into the lie that the private sector will give us more choice and better care than the public sector. I often wonder just how dumb we are that we swallow that lie.

I'm having a little difficulty finding my way around this forum, but I'll keep trying.

I so glad we're writing on this issue. I got an email form My Obama this morning that asked for my personal story. I'll try to find a way to get that link to you so you can post your story too. Then you can pass it on. We need to be heard.

Thanks for your encouragement and support, James.

Anyone reading this should go to this article for another perspective:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3418052-insurance-profits-make-them-sick-iowa-activists-take-to-the-streets

This is the link to the article I posted on this issue
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3417781-medicare-explained-by-one-who-know

This is the link to the article I posted on this issue
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3417781-medicare-explained-by-one-who-know