NYT: Bush to Propose Vast Cost Savings (cuts) in Medicare Plan

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush to Propose Vast Cost Savings in Medicare Plan
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: February 4, 2006


WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 — In his budget next week, President Bush will propose substantial savings in Medicare, stepping up his efforts to rein in the growing costs of social insurance programs, administration officials and health care lobbyists said Friday.

For the first time since taking office five years ago, they said, Mr. Bush will try to reduce projected Medicare payments to hospitals and other health care providers by billions of dollars over the next five years. In addition, they said, Mr. Bush intends to seek further increases in Medicare premiums for high-income people, beyond those already scheduled to take effect next year.

Despite the failure of his plan to overhaul Social Security last year, Mr. Bush has signaled that he intends to curb rapid increases in federal spending linked to the aging of the population. "The retirement of the baby boom generation will put unprecedented strains on the federal government," Mr. Bush said in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Administration officials, Congressional aides and lobbyists said the president was contemplating a package of proposals that would cut the projected growth in Medicare spending by $30 billion to $35 billion in the next five years. That represents less than 1.5 percent of total Medicare spending in those years. But whether Congress has the appetite to trim popular benefit programs in an election year is unclear.

The House passed another deficit-reduction bill this week by just two votes, underscoring the qualms among moderate Republicans about how far to go in limiting the growth of domestic programs at a time when the administration continues to push tax cuts....


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/04/politics/04budget.html?hp&ex=1139029200&en=c22a0a893debc9b1&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Mojorabbit]

1. First a report come out today saying

that we are running short of primary care physicians and now this. If they keep cutting payments no doc will be able to see medicare patients and stay in business.

[DELUSIONAL]

4. Yet if you have a terminal disease and want to check out

on your own terms (assisted suicide) -- these same idiots are trying to keep the suffering on going. Plus the end of life care is often very expensive.

There are so many contradictions --

In another article posted at DU -- there is a warning about a coming crisis with primary care doctors. Too many patients and not enough time and too much paper work.

[DeepModem Mom]

23. That is an interesting, and valid, point, D. nt

[0007]

18. Now we know why junior never mentioned "Health Care" or

the "Prescription Drug Program" in his Sate Of The Union speech last Monday. He would have been run out of the building by outraged Democratic Senators.

The chicken shit wanted to let the New York Times break the news.

[high density]

2. Anything to cut $$$ to doctors while giving $$$$$$ to pharma

I hate these people.

[Coastie for Truth]

3. I have had it with Bush

Medicare may be my Fort Sumter.



<>

Judah Phillip Benjamin - US and later Confederate Senator from New Orleans, LA.

Confederate Secretary of State and Confederate Attorney General

[fearnobush]

5. Say goodbye to Medicare. And NYT's get your headlines correct

Bush to Propose Vast Cost Savings in Medicare Plan - this headline implies a cost savings to medicare recipients, but its really a cost savings to the GOVT and big Pharma etc.

What it ought to read:

Bush to Propose Vast Cuts in Medicare Plan.

NYT's - go fuck your selves with a 10 foot hot poker.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. You're right. I edited the headline to reflect the point you make...

adding "cuts" in parentheses.

[0007]

17. Hitler had a way and does junior.

Administration officials, Congressional aides and lobbyists said the president was contemplating a package of proposals that would cut the projected growth in Medicare spending by $30 billion to $35 billion in the next five years. That represents less than 1.5 percent of total Medicare spending in those years. But whether Congress has the appetite to trim popular benefit programs in an election year is unclear.

[daleo]

7. But Bush got another $60 billion for the Iraq war

That would buy $1000 worth of medications for 60 million people.

[Erika]

12. But W has his priorities

We are also paying 100% of the cost for Israeli's to have universal health care, and now the Iraqis.

[TankLV]

8. Oh, oh - we KNOW this is NO GOOD!

Everything this fucker has touched has turned to shit in a hurry.

[pinto]

9. They want to end Medicare. Dismantle it piece by piece. It's always been

the long term agenda, I think. It may sound good to a lot of folks - especially when couched in the "big government taking your money" fear rhetoric they tout in regards to social programs.

They play a different tune when it comes to big and bigger government military/intelligence programs.

So, basically we are to fear the government when it comes to our health care but trust the government when it comes to our civil liberties.

And we can't trust spending our tax dollars for one and can't question spending our tax dollars on the other.

Glad they clarified that.

[Erika]

11. It's GOP insanity

I pay over a $1,000 a year in Medicare charges and won't retire for years. I pay about $3,500 in SS. and 6% of my income went to a forced retirement pension program. I pay almost $9,000 a year in federal taxes and another $3,500 in state taxes.

Now we get into income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, gas taxes, etc.

But lets give those millionaires tax relief. It's enough to make the middle income people barf.

[pinto]

13. I don't mind paying taxes. I mind paying those taxes to Halliburton, et al

[rodeodance]

15. yes-piece by piece.

[kineneb]

22. and park granny out in the street to die

like that poor woman in New Orleans...:cry:

[Mnemosyne]

10. * cost savings = don't fund it at all. n/t

[geomon666]

14. Savings my ass.

You know these pigs are talking about cutting programs to save money, to help with the deficit. $30 billion saved...but then they pass $70 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy. You people are monsters!

[salin]

16. Complicit: "House passed another deficit-reduction bill"

How can any writer use that term for a supposed cost cutting bill of 39 billion - when in the same week a vote was taken to increase the deficit by passing a 70 billion tax cut bill. Call it cost cutting - but not deficit reduction... and if use the term 'deficit reduction' (used to make people hit by the cuts believe it was done for the good of the country and the debt problem) - it should ALWAYS mention the size of the tax cut bill passed IN THE SAME WEEK.

[DeepModem Mom]

24. It's outrageous how they are allowed to define the terms...

of national issues -- especially life and death issues.

:grr:

[Vinca]

19. This maniac has to be stopped. Leave Medicare alone.

It's the only access to health care for millions. First he went after their social security, then he went after their drugs . . . and now Medicare. NO, NO, NO!!!

[Coastie for Truth]

20. This may be his Marie Antoinette moment

"Let them eat cake" - the cake of health care savings accounts and social security piratization.

Marie Antoinette and the Romanovs!

[WePurrsevere]

30. And how many Americans will actually read beyond the headline & then....

understand what this could mean to their family, friends and themselves? Now out of that % how many will care enough to take action and not just complain at the dinner table or around the water cooler?

Americans need to wake up and take ACTION before it's too late.

[Coastie for Truth]

31. It's getting a lot more play

You saw who social security Piratization backfired.

This is bigger. If we Dems handle it right - Health Care and Medicare are the winners in 2006 and 2008. I walk precincts - these are the issues that Dems win on.

The only way we can win on "terror" is to turn it around into a Readiness" issue - with another summer of hurricanes -- and Mississippi River floods -- and earthquakes --- and major FEMA screwups. (And, since I live between the San Andreas and Hayward Fault Lines - in the Coyote Creek, Guadalupe River and Alviso Spillway flood plain - I really don;t want that.)

[WePurrsevere]

32. True, it is getting more play but I would love to see more since...

I'm still running into folks, even those who watch and read the MSM "news" quite often, that are not aware of all that's going on. Since my memory isn't always the best it would be nice if there were a small informational packet to hand to those folks.

You're also right about Health Care and Medicare being issues the Dems can really do well with. Add to those isses to the Republican scandals, scew ups and wire tapping and we have an excellent chance of becoming the majority again.

The "readiness" issue would be a very good one as well if it's used to make Americans think about how NOT better prepared we are to handle terrorists and another attack if we can't even handle a hurricane (which was downgraded to a 3 wasn't it?) and it's aftermath well. As for another horrible incident happening to bring his ineptitude back into the limelight... as much as I want Bush and the Repubs OUT I don't want more to die for his lies and "screwups" then already have. :(

The other issue I truly hope for is that the DSM and the newest memo would gain some major legs as well. Although I hold on tight to hope I suppose that may be asking for too big a miracle though.

[kurth]

21. Every Democrat should mention these Medicare CUTS in November!

[wordpix2]

25. cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, progs for poor, but * & Congress get

full health care, full dental, full benefits, free parking, free perks and Boner wants to keep lobbying gifts too.


!:kick: Throw the bums out!

[leesa]

26. Talk about bad timing....people are PISSED about the MediCare fiasco.

[SillyGoose]

27. He mentioned medicare in his speech in Tenn the other day and I've

been waiting for something like this to come down the shoot. He won't be happy until he's gutted each and every program designed to help the poor, the elderly, students, and the disabled.

It amazes me that he gets away with this stuff. He proposes cuts to programs like this while hammering on about permanent tax cuts for the wealthy. Its enough to make your head explode.

The president's 2007 budget also calls for a freeze in Medicare payments to nursing homes and home health agencies, as recommended by the commission. In addition, he proposes to reduce payments for oxygen equipment provided to Medicare beneficiaries.
...
Nursing home operators said it would be absurd to freeze their Medicare payments at a time when patients, their relatives and the Bush administration were demanding improvements in the quality of care. But the staff of the Medicare payment commission said current rates were "more than adequate."

My Mom was in a nursing home last year. It cost over $5000/month. If medicare wouldn't have covered a portion this we would have been in big trouble. This is really heartless since he's cutting medicaid also which will make it even harder for seniors to qualify for nursing home help.

[snippy]

33. Reducing payments for oxygen equipment. How very, very republican.

Feeding tubes good - oxygen tubes bad.

At least Bush is not cutting our bridges to nowhere.

[DeepModem Mom]

28. FYI: This is the lead story in NYT print edition today -- top right. nt

[WePurrsevere]

29. Here's a link to "FYI" Medicare & Social Security info...

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10003.html



My DH and I are both on Medicare and SS due to being disabled. We're paying increasingly more for increasingly less and questioning whether it's worth our staying on Medicare Part B (we're already NOT signing up for the Rx BS).

There is definately a shortage in doctors already.. at least here. We just moved into a new area and away from our regular doctor. We haven't been able to find a doctor yet due to a shortage in this area and the more difficult and less cost efficient the government makes it for the doctors the harder it will become (and I can't really blame them for not wanting the gov red tape hassle). Thank goodness we aren't in dire need since we mostly use Alt Health to treat ourselves (with very good success btw). I was told that if we have a real need for medical care to go to the Emergency room at the local hospital. That would give us an "in" to a local doctor.

We're working on *hopefully* starting an out of home business (actually out of the old barn on the property here) so maybe we can eventually get off of SS and Medicare all together. Between the two of us we're hoping we can find the start up funds and make it work well for us. Quite frankly we both feel deeply concerned (okay we're scared yitless) about the future of even disability benefits if the Republicans remain in charge.