Friday, May 2, 2014

My View: A skunk in the GOP woodpile | SkyHiDailyNews.com

My View: A skunk in the GOP woodpile | SkyHiDailyNews.com carried in an on line edition May 1 2014 and in print: 5/16/2014

“Did you hear that Obamacare is taking away billions from Medicare?” my husband exclaimed, with a tinge of  panic in his voice.
“Where have you been? I have heard that one repeated every year since Obamacare was proposed”, I, the family consumer advocate,  retorted. “Look, I said, we both are one of 28% on Medicare Advantage   that combines Medicare and Medigap.   But most likely we will see no change, Medicare Advantage will continue. At least that is what a survey made by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found. Regardless, our Medicare benefits will not change, either.”
“ Won’t our Medicare Advantage premiums go up?”  he countered.
“  I am not sure because as KFF reported, there are many elements that go into determining costs.They only went up a tiny bit this year, like in past years..  What I am sure of is that the Medicare Advantage insurance providers had been raking in more from the government  than it cost for government  to administer Medicare . Those excessive subsidies were cut . Even Rep. Paul Ryan, the GOP House guru on budgets, kept cuts to Medicare Advantage in his  2012 planning. Besides, did you notice you had lower co-pays  for your prescriptions, and no copays for  checkups and cancer screenings? That was one of the Obamacare  benefits to seniors, closing the donut hole,  and repeal would put us back to where we were before.
“  Medicare patients were getting charged for   repeat tests and unnecessary readmissions .  Now hospitals have to share test records electronically and since 2012 they  had to pay penalties for excessive readmissions.  Readmission rates have taken a dive.   That  cuts costs to Medicare.
“In fact,  Congress’ own independent  Congressional Budget Office predicted  all of these measures will add a decade of life to Medicare. Those who want to repeal Obamacare  will just be making the time sooner  when we must do something to prop Medicare up.
Hubby: “So what happens when Medicare goes broke…shouldn’t we make some changes now? What about privatizing Medicare and making people pay more for premiums, giving them money to go buy their own insurance, and cut out government administration?
“ There’s a skunk in that woodpile”, I answered.  “Ryan’s  newest plan (passed by the House this April); DOA in the Senate) would have given seniors of a choice between keeping Medicare and vouchers (premium support) and not guarantee any of that would keep up with inflating medical costs, increase the retirement age, and the wealthy would not qualify for benefits.  We know from Obamacare, even private insurance had sticker shock. Health insurance companies  are allowed  by law to collude to set prices and benefits, making free market competition  no guarantee of lower prices. Ryan claims savings (meaning cuts) to Medicare would be $129 billion over 10 years.
“Privatizing Medicare is  not the only way to go. Simpson Bowles deficit reduction  Commission proposed keeping Obamacare and  government provided Medicare that would keep up with costs. Like Ryan’s, though, they would increase the retirement age and not provide benefits to the wealthy.
“ Don’t worry, though, no politician would ever make changes affecting those already having Medicare or near retirement age; they want your vote”.
Sources tapped for the column in post on this site. Apologies for the formatting problem.

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