He says he is no longer taking any Medicare cases because they pay 1/10th of what normal health insurance pays and its just not worth it anymore for the low payments and the higher risks associated with surgeries on elderly.

When I was a poor student with my wife and a newborn we were on Medicaid and literally had to go shop around for weeks to find doctors who would take that insurance.

My point is simply if you are really in need of coverage its better to have it than have nothing, but I would much rather get a Christian health minstry plan instead of getting medicaid if I could afford both. Which is what the OP seems to suggest.