[TomGuy]

His pharmaceutical program for seniors is a huge step toward federal medicine. Thank goodness it’s not mandatory....

It IS mandatory, sort of. Once one gets on Medicare (mandatory at age 65), they MUST be enrolled in an approved company or Medicare prescription drug plan. If they are not, they get assessed a penalty. That penalty increases every year they are not enrolled. If/when they do enroll, the accumulated penalties are applied to their premiums forever.

Note that the only way to avoid SS/Medicare is to never apply for SS. Then, basically, you forfeit the amounts you and your employers paid in over the years.

[grania]

FWIW, I didn’t sign up for the prescription drug plan and never plan to do so. Thus there’s no penalty. I don’t use prescription drugs.