and they call us "Astro turfers"

[CaptainHaplo]

Mookie - valid point. But it then brings up the question of if health care is a right that should be provided by the government. If not, then whether or not millions can access it or not isn't really the question. What your pointing to is that health care should be available to everyone, regardless. Thats a different matter - and my stand on that is that no, I am responsible for my own health care, just as you should be for yours. If you start with health care - where does it end? Does the government also owe you shelter, food, and a playstation 3?

Tribesman - See if you can follow along. I have established that part C and part D are private insurance. However, to use the term "medicare" - they must be APPROVED by the department of Health and Human Services which oversees Medicare. That means that yes - they are involved - only to the point of gaining approval. I could go out and get a private insurance plan that exceeds a standard part c/d plan in every way - but it wouldnt be classified as medicare part c/d because it simply hasn't been put forth for APPROVAL.

Anytime you go to a government agency to use their term, and get their approval, they consider that they own you. If you want to stretch an approval process (which must be renewed regularly) into being the same thing as part A or B, then your really reaching. In the respect of approval - of course they are "part of medicare" - without it - they wouldnt be classified as they are.

Again - if they fell under the defiiniton of original MEDICARE - then why are they even separating the terms? Thats why you didn't dare touch the definition, or the medicare card vs private insurance card.

Of course - you didn't dare link to anything substantiative regarding insurance subsidies either.

Look, I have an open mind. I looked for some verification of what you claimed - and didn't find it. So point some out. I am willing to be educated. I don't know everything - I am ok with admitting that. But you continually refuse to do it. Which - regardless of whether your right or not, makes you LOOK like your talking out your arse. Instead, you want everyone to take everything you say as absolute truth. Life doesn't work that way. Discussions and debates don't either. I have provided quite a few links, because I know where certain data is and don't mind providing substantiative information to people, so they can determine for themselves what they think. Too bad you refuse. Either it takes too much effort - or you are talking out your arse....