I have researched this several times, as I am approaching that age. I found a citation at one point that indicated that Clinton succeeded in linking Social Security and Medicare such that you could not receive payments on the former unless you signed up for the latter. This quote was in context of 4 or 5 people who were trying to take this to the Supreme Court for judgement - but I have not subsequently been able to find that information. (I think this is a key word problem, not that the info is not there.)

I too do not want to sign up for MCare but I resent that I will not see any return on the money I have been forced to invest in MCare and SS if I do not sign up for both. I want my money back!

I too do not intend to retire, which sounds boring and fraught with peril, so I will continue to have my work insurance - but apparently I am not allowed to not let MCare interfere with me medical life.

If you find additional info, please post it. I will look again to see if I can find the mandatory MC-SS requirement and post the link if I do.

Jan

Cheaper and more responsible in the long run without the complications; but, then again, they don't want us to live long and prosper.

That sucks...

Have no problem with those that do dangerous jobs for us...it's the worthless, pain in the arse ones that brag.

Hmmm, don't remember that discussion...was that in the movie? or just the book...

Not bothered by germs, pathogens nor viruses, just worried about stupid accidents or what ever unknowns government has concocted.
I'm the kind of human where if cut, I'll put a piece of duct tape on it and in the morning you'd never know anything happened there.

I do know that if you are still working and your employer provides health insurance you do not have to sign up for medicare. My wife and I made the mistake of assuming, even though both of us were retired, that since she got health ins. from her former employer, we didn't need to sign on to medicare. Wrong! You have to still be working. We had a penalty of 25% added to our medicare payments because of our assumption.

In this country, no one should be forced to sign on to any program, especially a govt. program. For over 3 years, The Convention of States Project has been trying to get States to sign on to a Constitutional Article 5 convention of states in order to propose amendments to rein in the scope and power of the Federal Govt., limit spending and taxes, curtail unconstitutional executive orders, redefine the public welfare and commerce clauses, limit regulations from unelected bureaucrats that have the force of legislation, limit terms of legislators and judges and give States the final say on Supreme Court decisions. There are 8 States that have signed on and many more with proposals in their legislatures. Learn more at conventionosstates.com and sign the petition.

I feel your pain, my wife and I are childless and over the age of changing that. Every year we pay property taxes, every portion of the sales tax and endless "fees" that are aimed toward education (including the beyond bloated DOE cartel) are taken from us, with no benefit for money taken...if you find a way out of your version of that, be sure to pass it on. (edit) I forgot to mention, because we are both employed and must purchase health insurance on the open market, as I refuse to be involved in o/care, we pay extra high premiums and laughably high deductibles, Aint prog / commies grand?

i also use a natropath...pay cash...

Personal experience: I am seventy years old with a spouse and fourteen year old daughter (being an older Dad is great). When I was forced to leave Blue Care Network and take on Medicare my finanicial risk climber to $32,000 / year - remember there are copays and payments that must be met before insurance takes over. My rates for my family went up because I am no longer on the plan. To get any level of insurance at all one must sign up for Part D to qualify for the supplimental insurance. The real rub is that seniors are not allowed to have a HSA once on Medicare. I wrote several Congressmen about this but got zero response.
My physician crabs about his level of reimbursement and the insane expenses his group must pay to remain compliant. The greater the complinace with government regulations the greater the reimbursement. The whole system is a diaster unless, of course, you can't pay then you get a free ride. And we pay for it.

Ain't bragging~just telling.
But to that I would say, go work in a maximum security for 21 years. Someone has to do it.
Maybe some day robots will be used with zapper devices.

One of the "charges" that Ayn Rand's current crop of enemies have against her is that she accepted Social Security payments in spite of being totally opposed to the SS program.Well as you mention (1) she could not legally refuse and (2) she had already paid into SS. Rearden has a similar discussion with Ragnar.

If you are 65, you've already paid a sizeable amount into it. Medicare pays 80% of most medical bills, and with your VA taking up the rest, you can afford to get all sorts of exotic diseases.
The Germ
A mighty creature is the germ,
Though smaller than a pachyderm.
It's foolish pride it often pleases,
By giving people strange diseases.
Do you dear reader feel infirm?
You probably contain a germ.
-----Ogden Nash

When my state working friends brag about their pensions, I say to them...your welcome,but everyone is not taking care of me like we are for you.

We just have to look across the pond to see the death panels...it's the wave of the socialist overpopulated future.

I watched the neflix show called: "The 100"...really gives you a sense of where we might find ourselves at some point...the greater good is bantered about a lot...although it does show the dichotomies involved.

I understand, but you do realize that the money has already been stolen from you every payday.

And that's the problem...the cost is ridiculous.
I see a chiropractor from time to time...managing an ancient injury very nicely. I pay cash, which is cheaper than the copay was when I had ins. form work.

Remember when Reagan tried to refuse Social Security payments? His staff had the uncomfortable task of informing him that since he'd reached age 70, it was a Federal offense not to take SS. He then made sure he added his SS check to his charitable contributions account.

What I'm waking up to is the fact that I've passed the 70 year point and have been informed that Medicare isn't going to pay for most of the preventive care that they've been pushing me to get. But of course all of those stories about "death panels" are just conspiracy theories, right?

Me dino signed up for Medicare five years ago at age 65 shortly before I first heard of Ayn Rand by way of AS1.
Guess I was going along baa baa thinking this is what you do.
At the same time got supplemental health insurance with Colonial Penn. It's pretty good.
Shortly thereafter I picked up dental insurance with Physicians Mutual that really helped out due to problems now solved.
I'm now collecting money paid into Social Security since I started working jobs since age 14.
More of a monthly income comes from the Alabama Retirement Systems because I used to be a state worker.
Y'all can throw rocks if ya want. At age 70 I'm not gonna stop taking that income.

Laughing...but that really goes against the grain...someone's got to halt the forces of entropy.

stop working and get rid of all monies that you have as in becoming indigent. then you will be getting medicare for free.

was in the same age boat as you 3 years ago...furious like you...didn't want to be forced into it...had a friend go thru a heart electrical reset of his heart...outpatient procedure...with medicare...$180..without medicare...$93,000...they have made medical costs insane...

i have become vegan and grow my own food trying to stay away from socialized medicine...so far so good, but i will never get any younger...i wish you the best, but be prepared for the worst...

Thanks for the info. What gets me is, I don't want any part of it...there should be a choice somewhere that is cost effective and doesn't burden everyone else...you know?

Social security payments are the carrot, paying you back a fraction of the tax you paid with your own money. Everything else is the stick, enslaving you to the politics of the socialist-fascist government. This was the plan from the beginning in 1913 with the fed bankster cartel and the income tax, with you and your descendants as security to the banksters for socialist government borrowing.
The answer? Stop voting for evil. Stop buying corrupt corporatocracy products made with chinese (et al) slaves.

Thanks for the info.