Why Does ObamaCare Rob Medicare to Create a New Entitlement for Young People?
Avik Roy examines the case for the defense and finds it wanting:
Excuse #1. Paul Ryan’s GOP budget did it too.
Excuse #2. ObamaCare’s Medicare cuts don’t harm seniors’ health benefits.
Excuse #3. ObamaCare cuts wasteful spending from the Medicare Advantage program.
Excuse #4. The Romney plan for Medicare is worse, because it would shift costs to seniors.
The PPACA’s Medicare cuts are coming back to bite the Administration. The claim that a 30% cut in Medicare physician fees will not harm seniors’ access to care is hard to swallow. Every senior knows that it will become even harder to locate doctors willing to treat them if physician reimbursements (that are currently 81% of what private insurers pay) are ratcheted down to about 55% of what private insurers pay. I wonder why the Administration doesn’t just admit that the Medicare cuts were never actually expected to take place. The cuts were merely a facade to make the PPACA appear less costly on paper when the debate was in full swing. Congress has never allowed the RVU system to cut Medicare fees and that is not likely to change.
Devon, they wouldn’t admit that because then it would look like they were unwilling to reveal to the American people what the true costs of their own bill was.
Avik points out that even most Democrats weren’t aware of the cuts. Considering the length, complexity, and fact that (I’m asssuming) most legislators didn’t fully read/understand it.. the whole thing might as well have been written in crayon. It’s absolutely terrifying that we’re still discussing the possible effects.
Obama’s Medicare cuts dollars are meant to reduce payments to doctors and hospitals. Because of this, doctors and hospitals nowadays don’t want to accept Medicare patients as the compensation they receive for offering their services is significantly lower than the actual cost of these treatments.
Many times we have heard how difficult it is for seniors to find doctors who will actually agree to see them and render their services to them as Medicare patients. We are talking about seniors…individuals that at their age start having difficulties even taking care of themselves…and this system just makes it harder on them to at least have a decent healthy lifestyle.
More entitlements are not the answer, regardless of which demographic they go to.
Kyle, that’s because you “have to pass the bill, so we can find out what is in it”, or so I’m told by certain legislators. *Cough* Nancy Pelosi *Cough*
Historically the Medicare cuts have been subject to the “doctor fix”, but if Obama has a second term I do not expect that to be the case. One way or another the administration will impose its will and the reduced compensation will happen. And doctors will be required to see the patients. Either at the state level as Massecutsetts is doing to deal with Romneycare or at the federal level. There are ways.
Besides, have you not read Zeke’s ideas about who gets care? The “panel” will decide who is worthy of medical expenditure and what technology has merit. And once seniors pass on social security liability is reduced(it’s not your money remember) and with the return of the higher estate tax the government gets that, too.
Ain’t it great when a plan comes together?
Dr. Steve is correct. Remember when Obama stated to Joe the Plumber that he wanted to spread the wealth around….he meant it.