Journalist & Author Judah Freed almost died because he initially chose Medicare Advantage. Luckily, he was within 3-days in which he could enroll in Traditional Medicare.
Medicare Advantage almost killed him.
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Judah Freed, a journalist and activist, shared his battle with stage four cancer and the pitfalls of Medicare Advantage plans on Politics Done Right. Freed described how his initial choice of Medicare Advantage almost cost him his life due to coverage denials and bureaucratic hurdles. By a stroke of luck, Freed switched to traditional Medicare in time to receive the life-saving care he needed, sparking his advocacy for universal healthcare.
- Freed was diagnosed with stage four clear cell renal cancer and faced serious obstacles with his Medicare Advantage plan.
- His Medicare Advantage plan denied essential diagnostic coverage, leaving him with substantial unpaid medical bills.
- With only a three-day window to switch to traditional Medicare, Freed narrowly avoided financial and health disasters.
- Freed’s transition allowed him to access critical surgeries and treatments that Medicare Advantage would not have fully covered.
- Freed advocates for universal healthcare, arguing that medical care should prioritize health over profit.
Judah Freed’s story reveals the profound shortcomings of for-profit healthcare in America. Medicare Advantage left him with crippling costs and limited treatment options, underscoring the urgent need for Medicare for All. Freed’s experience is a call to recognize healthcare as a human right, not a profit-making opportunity for corporations.
In a recent edition of Politics Done Right, host Egberto Willies interviewed journalist and activist Judah Freed, who shared a deeply personal and harrowing story about his battle with stage four cancer and the critical failure of his Medicare Advantage plan to cover his life-saving medical care. Freed’s story is both alarming and illuminating, providing a firsthand look into the dangers lurking in America’s privatized healthcare system. At 65, Freed, a Colorado native, found himself in a sudden and severe medical crisis. Diagnosed with stage four clear cell renal cancer, he was not only grappling with a fatal diagnosis but also with a healthcare plan that seemed determined to deny him coverage. His journey from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare underscored the failings of privatized health plans. It highlighted the need for a universal, non-profit-oriented healthcare system in the United States.
Freed’s Fight: A Story of Life and Death Decisions
Freed’s healthcare story began innocuously enough. A healthy individual initially saw no reason to choose traditional Medicare, so he selected a Medicare Advantage plan offering added benefits and lower costs. However, upon being diagnosed, Freed quickly learned the hard truth about Medicare Advantage: while it promises “advantages” like gym memberships and lower premiums, the plan’s main advantage appears to benefit the insurers, not the patients.
Freed faced nearly $5,000 in denied diagnostic charges and unpaid medical bills due to the limitations of his Medicare Advantage plan. His cancer diagnosis and subsequent need for urgent treatment were met with a bureaucratic wall of denials, leaving Freed with mere days to switch to traditional Medicare before his limited transition window closed. Only after switching to traditional Medicare was he able to secure life-saving treatments that totaled nearly $1.5 million. Freed’s message to the audience was clear and urgent: Medicare Advantage plans do not prioritize patient care.
The False Promise of Medicare Advantage
Promoted by private insurers, Medicare Advantage plans sell themselves as cost-effective and comprehensive. However, the reality is that these plans often prioritize corporate profit over patient well-being. According to a recent report by the Commonwealth Fund, Medicare Advantage plans often deny coverage for medically necessary services at higher rates than traditional Medicare. These denials can result in severe health consequences for patients like Freed, who depend on timely access to medical care. Freed’s experience exposes a dark reality: privatized healthcare plans often rely on denial of care to increase profits, leaving patients stranded in their hour of need.
Judah Freed’s plight reflects broader systemic issues within Medicare Advantage. Privatizing Medicare through these plans has substantially profited insurance companies while creating patient barriers. Recent investigative reporting by Kaiser Health News revealed that Medicare Advantage companies frequently engage in tactics to delay or deny care, ensuring that the system works for corporations rather than the individuals it is meant to protect. Freed’s case exemplifies how the current healthcare system commodifies health and endangers lives for profit.
The Impact of Transitioning to Traditional Medicare
Freed’s journey to “real Medicare,” as he calls it, was a lifesaving one. With three days left in his Medicare grace period, he switched to traditional Medicare and obtained a Medigap supplemental plan. This move ensured that Medicare would cover his treatments and Medigap would cover the remaining costs not covered by Medicare, saving him from financial ruin and enabling him to pursue aggressive treatments.
The timing of Freed’s diagnosis and transition to traditional Medicare proved crucial. Freed’s ability to switch was only possible because he acted within the designated enrollment period, which gave him a temporary window to access better coverage. Freed’s story is particularly alarming as it highlights many seniors’ limitations when locked into Medicare Advantage plans. These constraints can have deadly consequences for those who, like Freed, are facing sudden, life-threatening conditions.
Medicare for All: A Solution to a Broken System
Freed’s story highlights the urgent need for systemic reform in American healthcare. His experience demonstrates how profit-driven healthcare systems exploit patients while sacrificing the quality of care. Universal healthcare, also known as Medicare for All, represents a potential solution. A single-payer system would provide healthcare access based on need rather than profit, eliminating the private health insurers acting as gatekeepers.
A single-payer, universal healthcare system would establish healthcare as a right rather than a commodity. This model would ensure that regardless of income, Americans have access to the necessary treatments. Freed’s experience is a testament to the importance of advocating for universal healthcare. Under a single-payer system, Freed would not have had to scramble for coverage or face denied claims; instead, his care would have been provided as a public right.
Recent studies show that Medicare for All would save lives and reduce national healthcare expenditures by up to $650 billion per year. Countries with universal healthcare systems, such as Canada and the UK, have demonstrated that quality, accessible healthcare can be provided without sacrificing the public’s health for profit margins. Freed’s experience illustrates the dangers of privatized healthcare and underscores the necessity of healthcare reform that puts people before profits.
Freed’s Message: Healthcare Should Not Be a Profit Center
Throughout his conversation with Willies, Freed delivered a powerful message: “My body is not someone else’s profit center.” His statement encapsulates the ethos of the healthcare reform movement, advocating for a healthcare system that values human life above corporate earnings. Freed’s story is a warning for those who Medicare Advantage’s marketing tactics may sway. Freed urged listeners to carefully evaluate their healthcare choices, especially considering the potentially life-threatening consequences of inadequate coverage.
The commodification of health in the U.S. has resulted in a system where patients must navigate complex and often opaque healthcare policies. The stakes are incredibly high for seniors, who are more likely to face chronic illnesses requiring consistent and costly care. Freed’s call for healthcare reform is for compassion and a healthcare system that serves as a lifeline rather than a financial burden.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Judah Freed’s experience with Medicare Advantage serves as a wake-up call to Americans. His story illustrates the perils of privatized healthcare and the consequences of prioritizing corporate profits over patient care. Freed’s life was spared because he could switch to traditional Medicare. His advocacy for universal healthcare is rooted in the belief that no one should choose between financial ruin and receiving necessary medical care.
For those interested in learning more, Freed recommended the book End Medical Debt, which sheds light on how the U.S. healthcare system became a profit-driven enterprise. He also highlighted the organization RIP Medical Debt, which has forgiven billions in medical debt and advocates for healthcare reform.
Freed’s journey offers both a warning and a lesson: healthcare should be a human right, not a privilege. His message resonates in a country where millions of Americans remain vulnerable to the failings of a for-profit healthcare system.
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