From a doctor: An Unsuspecting American With No Medicare Coverage-Me!

http://www.healthaffairs.org/freecontent/v21n6/s30.htm

[Kikumaru]

I had long known that many government (either local or otherwise) were excluded from Social Security and/or Medicare, however, I never realized that their own pension plans were significantly reduced as poited out in this article. Is it possible to buy into government programs, as Social Security or Medicare prior to retiring without getting employment which invests in these programs? If anyone knows I would be interested in hearing.

[oramar]

There are a lot of nurses working for local and state goverment that could fall into this trap. Most of them baby boomers. I am totally opposed to privatizing Social Security for just the reason stated. Lot of Enron employees who thought they would retire with nice nest egg are going to be living on SS.

[oramar]

Make sure you read to end of article and click on link to another related article. It is about a senior citizen who is not recieving benefits for which she is eligible simply because she can't understand the complex system.

[maureeno]

thank-you for posting this article. I have been absolutely dumb-founded at the number of nurses who are willing to assert on these boards our health care system ain't broken, broken, broken!

[sjoe]

One more argument for universal health care, IMHO. Why should citizens have to wade through all these paperwork messes?