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The New York Times today has a very good editorial that points out the irony of Republicans trying to portray themselves as the saviors of Medicare, as well as an excellent description of what's going on with the Medicare Advantage plans.
"It has been frustrating to watch Republican leaders posture as the vigilant protectors of Medicare against health care reforms designed to make the system better and more equitable. This is the same party that in the past tried to pare back Medicare and has repeatedly denounced the kind of single-payer system that is at the heart of Medicare and its popularity."
That's the truth and no lie.
Much has been made of what cuts to Medicare are being proposed, but little has been said (or maybe, little has been heard) about the additional benefits to Medicare that are also being proposed.
"But far from harming elderly Americans, the various reform bills now pending should actually make Medicare better for most beneficiaries — by enhancing their drug coverage, reducing the premiums they pay for drugs and medical care, eliminating co-payments for preventive services and helping keep Medicare solvent, among other benefits.
"What the Republicans aren’t saying — and what the Democrats clearly aren’t saying enough — is that in important ways, coverage for a vast majority of Medicare recipients, those in traditional Medicare, should actually improve under health care reform."
I am retired and have a Medicare Advantage plan. The susidies given to Ins. Companies for the Advantage plans, more than compensate them for the expense of coverage. What I don't understand is how can my Advantage Ins Company be able to return my $96/month to Soc Security and hence to me, while other Ins. Companies can't, or won't? Humana, for one, does not return the premium paid by the Soc Sec recipient. I was with Humana but switched to another that provides equal, if not better coverage. I now have NO deductions for Medicare. I am glad of that, but do not think it's fair. There are several Ins Cos. that do that. I don't understand why so many on Soc Sec still stay with the Ins Cos that wants to keep the subsidies, as well as the premiums. Is it any wonder why Humana and others are so active in spreading fear about reforming the Medicare process? The Medicare system needs substantial reform. Millions, if not billions, could be realized. Even though the result may be that I would have to pay the premium for the Insurance, I think it should be done.
I think the editorial does a nice job of describing some of the history and circumstances of the Medicare Advantage program:
Medicare Advantage is a program that approximately 10 million people participate in;
it is a collection of private plans that supplement Medicare coverage;
under the health care reform plans currently under discussion, Medicare Advantage participants would see a reduction or elimination of specific benefits that they get but regular Medicare recipients do not currently get;
when Medicare Advantage plans first started, Congress approved large overpayments (in effect, subsidies) so that the plans could hold down the cost of the plans to their participants as well as offer additional benefits;
budget cuts in the '90s forced some plans within Medicare Advantage to withdraw from the program, prompting Congress to begin to steadily increase federal payments to Medicare Advantage companies;
current Medicare recipients pay approximately $43 extra per year to help subsidize companies offering Medicare Advantage plans;
federal taxpayers - through the payments from Congress - heavily subsidize companies offering Medicare Advantage plans;
on average, Medicare today pays the private companies in Medicare Advantage approximately 14% more than the same services would cost in traditional Medicare;
these various subsidizes are what the health care reform bills are targeting for approximately $100 billion in cuts over 10 years;
and even with these cuts, CBO has estimated that almost all of the current Medicare Advantage plans will continue to operate, that almost all current enrollees will stay enrolled, and that over the next 10 years enrollment in Medicare Advantage would increase by 200,000.
I think the editorial does a nice job of describing some of the history and circumstances of the Medicare Advantage program:
Medicare Advantage is a program that approximately 10 million people participate in;
it is a collection of private plans that supplement Medicare coverage;
under the health care reform plans currently under discussion, Medicare Advantage participants would see a reduction or elimination of specific benefits that they get but regular Medicare recipients do not currently get;
when Medicare Advantage plans first started, Congress approved large overpayments (in effect, subsidies) so that the plans could hold down the cost of the plans to their participants as well as offer additional benefits;
budget cuts in the '90s forced some plans within Medicare Advantage to withdraw from the program, prompting Congress to begin to steadily increase federal payments to Medicare Advantage companies;
current Medicare recipients pay approximately $43 extra per year to help subsidize companies offering Medicare Advantage plans;
federal taxpayers - through the payments from Congress - heavily subsidize companies offering Medicare Advantage plans;
on average, Medicare today pays the private companies in Medicare Advantage approximately 14% more than the same services would cost in traditional Medicare;
these various subsidizes are what the health care reform bills are targeting for approximately $100 billion in cuts over 10 years;
and even with these cuts, CBO has estimated that almost all of the current Medicare Advantage plans will continue to operate, that almost all current enrollees will stay enrolled, and that over the next 10 years enrollment in Medicare Advantage would increase by 200,000.
Of course, if you are a principled Republican, you'd be opposed to Medicare and everything it stands for. You'd want it abolished. That's what Reagan, Goldwater, Dole etc did when Medicare was first established in the 1960s. They called it "socialized medicine". Today, the Republicans will say anything to get re-elected....so they now pretend to be the saviors of Medicare. They are accusing Obama of "cutting Medicare benefits". How's that for hypocrisy?
Of course, if you are a principled Republican, you'd be opposed to Medicare and everything it stands for. You'd want it abolished. That's what Reagan, Goldwater, Dole etc did when Medicare was first established in the 1960s. They called it "socialized medicine". Today, the Republicans will say anything to get re-elected....so they now pretend to be the saviors of Medicare. They are accusing Obama of "cutting Medicare benefits". How's that for hypocrisy?
The Congressional Budget Office said it will cut Medicare benefits.
This is just one more example of the self-serving hypocrisy of the GOP. Another is the stink they are raising about the mandate. Liberals hate the idea of the mandate. It was added just to mollify the insurance companies, and it was the GOP who supported that addition. Now that they think they can get their base riled up, they are denouncing it.
The GOP leadership has no integrity.
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