Over the years, most of our elderly citizens have gone through thick and thin. In the context of every form of modernity that can be offered today, they are nonetheless still facing one or two difficulties. Fifty nine years ago, the then United States President; John F. Kennedy made it clear that there was no other soaring cost than what it required to take care of one's health. He admitted the fact that the increment in prices at that time was severely felt by older citizens more than any other class of citizens. He made a bequest which is today the basis for the provision of health insurance in California to every elderly citizen.
It should be noted that the comments of the President Kennedy was particularly taken note of at that time. Five year after he made this comment, Congress implemented the Medicare program of public health care with the aim of assisting elderly citizen of age sixty and above. This was also in response to the latest developments in the field of medicine which had the principal aim of increasing the lifespan of every citizen. In 1973, this program extended its arms to take care of people below the age of sixty suffering from serious medical problems. In 1988, Congress again implemented that the program should be extended to prescription medications and tragic diseases. However, this law was abolished in 1989 because the program was solely to be funded by taxing the income of elderly citizens above the age of sixty five.
About five years ago and precisely in 2003, the program was for a second time transformed and it was extended to include prescription medications. A bill was passed to modify the program and this took into account a bigger payment made to those who had as main aim of providing healthcare services, financial assistance to those working so that they could carry on with health insurance even after they had stopped working. A set of rules and regulations was also brought in to evaluate how financial assistance to the program could be efficient.
To all intents and purposes, when this program was being developed, it was aimed to make some basic requirements of health care and some openings were also made. All these were done with the intention of making health care available to all those who were open to benefit from it.
Under the program, a discount card with value of $30 was issued at the start and there was a subsequent reduction of about 75% on prescription medications and this was financially supported by the government. If you were under the program and you opted to pay for an added private health insurance scheme to add to the program, you were provided additional financial support. However, for one reason or another, if someone was found to be unable to take part in the program as provided, these provisions were put aside and there was no provision in the coverage.
What Was The Duty Of The States?
As soon as the program was established, the central administration gave orders to all state administrations to put into practice their own health programs. But any of the state's health programs was to be based under what was set out by Congress. Although each state has its individual program and these individual programs have their special provisions, there is one thing in common to all. There is a good health care insurance for the elderly. It should be noted that the state of California is not left behind in making this provision to its citizens. According to what obtains in California, some benefactors of the Medicare program will be obliged to contribute more than others. But the extra amount that they contribute is minimal. Therefore, every elderly person in California ends up receiving health insurance without a charge.
However, the openings in the coverage program means that the price for obtaining private health insurance is still on the rise and this is detrimental to the elderly in California. Remember that this soaring cost of private insurance in California is what is found to have a direct relation with low income.
If we have to take a closer look at prescription medications, we will realise that the elderly are those that benefit more than every other citizen. If the cost of private health insurance will have to constantly increase, those seeking for additional health care coverage will have to turn to something else.
