Obama Spells Out Specifics for Funding Healthcare Reform
This was announced yesterday afternoon. It's pretty interesting that Obama is taking the insurance companies at their word and calculating in the savings they claim they can find, using that as a go-ahead to cut Medicare reimbursement. It's a bold move and I don't see any downside, although of course the industry will be screaming:
President Obama [...] proposed to rein in spending on federal health programs for the elderly and the poor by an additional $313 billion over the next decade, bringing his total proposed savings to nearly $950 billion -- enough to cover most of the cost of sweeping health reform, a top adviser said.
In his weekly radio address, Obama proposed limiting the growth of Medicare fee-for-service payments, taking hospitals and other health providers at their word that they will reduce costs. Obama also proposed slashing subsidies to hospitals that treat uninsured patients, on the theory that very few uninsured patients will remain in the wake of reform.
Obama also suggested reducing payments to drug companies that serve Medicare recipients. Advisers declined to release details, saying the idea was still under discussion.
"These savings will come from commonsense changes," Obama said. "For example -- if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance. If the drug makers pay their fair share, we can cut government spending on prescription drugs. And if doctors have incentives to provide the best care instead of more care, we can help Americans avoid the unnecessary hospital stays, treatments, and tests that drive up costs."
By requiring cuts in federal payments to health providers, the measures would go a long way toward ensuring that untested innovations in health delivery actually produce savings for the federal government and restrain runaway growth in spending on Medicare and Medicaid. Congressional budget analysts agree that the approach will save money, and the Senate Finance Committee included two of Obama's biggest money-saving ideas on a list of financing options released last month.
"There is no doubt that Medicare and Medicaid need reform, but serious changes should not be rushed through Congress as part of a new government-run program that will raise taxes and make health care more expensive, costing middle-class families even more," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio).
But like other parts of Obama's plan to pay for health reform, the measures announced today are likely to be met with skepticism on Capitol Hill. Many lawmakers are not enthusiastic about slashing payments to hospitals and other providers back home without clear evidence that the cuts will not hurt patients. Even small cuts on the Senate Finance Committee list have provoked widespread grumbling.
Aides in Senate Finance and House Ways and Means, whose members are now working furiously to draft health reform financing plans, predicted today that Obama's new proposals would "raise some hackles" and spur "some pushback."
It was also unclear whether $950 billion would indeed be enough to cover the full cost of reform. Some outside analysts have said that Congress may have to spend $1.5 trillion or more over the next decade to expand coverage to the nearly 47 million Americans who currently lack insurance.
[...] In February, Obama's budget request set aside $635 billion for health care reform, about half in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and half in new taxes. With today's address, Obama added $313 billion more to the pot, offering what Orszag called an "unprecedented" effort to "put down in such clarity how reform will be financed."
In addition to saving money in the short term, the newly proposed cuts would "spur productivity in a way that does not exist under current law," Orszag said, helping to prevent an increase in health costs that threatens to bankrupt the federal government. They would also save Medicare patients money -- as much as $43 billion in reduced premiums for prescription drug coverage over the next 10 years.
"'There is no doubt that Medicare and Medicaid need reform, but serious changes should not be rushed through Congress as part of a new government-run program that will raise taxes and make health care more expensive, costing middle-class families even more,' said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio)."
Like Boehner is concerned about middle-class families. If he does not deliver for the insurance companies, it won't be middle-class families that will be paying.
"Many lawmakers are not enthusiastic about slashing payments to hospitals and other providers back home without clear evidence that the cuts will not hurt patients." Allow me to make the same point about this statement. Hurting patients. Do they really believe that anyone who can think and read will believe this? They are SO out of touch. And, I want names.
and the rest of the GOP caucus are not only motivated by the money they get from the lobbies in this matter but are also exercizing a bit of superiority over the rest of us unwashed masses. After all, don't they and not we deserve the sweet government run health care deal they have? When will just one traditional media figure suggest that Boehner or Cantor or McConnell or any of these others give up their government funded health care? After all, if what Obama is proposing is indeed the diabolical "socialized medicine" then their government run, single payer plan certainly is. They are HUGE hypocrites for denying it to us while keeping it for themselves and nobody asks the obvious question in this debate.
Barack Obama: Change we can only imagine
Get ready for the 'compromise".
On the plus side there's not much room left on our backs for another knife.
Obama's Big Failure: there can be no "healthcare reform" without the complete elimination of health insurance companies. Aside from their profit (based on denial of care) and administrative overhead (designed to minimize or eliminate payment for services), it costs doctors over $30 billion a year in administrative expenses just to deal with private insurers. These wasted funds along with existing health insurance premiums provide far more than enough money to fund HR676 and provide every American citizen with full health care services without restriction on providers.
Competition should be between doctors based on quality of services rather than insurance companies based on price or "network" (a euphemism for denying care).
The idea that we have to somehow maintain the insurance companies that are the very cause of the crisis is idiotic and dooms any health care system that does not eliminate them to failure. It should be noted that the very congressmen who cry "Socialism" and "bureaucracy" in order to defeat a public health care system enjoy full PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE provided by the US government courtesy of the US taxpayer.
From the American Journal of Medicene: "In 2007, medical problems contributed to 62.1 percent of all bankruptcies. Between 2001 and 2007, the proportion of all bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by about 50 percent."
From MSNBC: "Most of those seeking court protection from creditors had health insurance, with more than three-quarters reporting they had coverage at the start of the illness that triggered bankruptcy. The study said 38 percent had lost coverage at least temporarily by the time they filed for bankruptcy, with illness frequently leading to the loss of both a job and insurance.
Out-of-pocket medical expenses covering co-payments, deductibles and uncovered health services averaged $13,460 for bankruptcy filers who had private insurance at the onset of illness, compared with $10,893 for those without coverage. Those who initially had private coverage but lost it during their illness faced the highest cost, an average of $18,005."
that allows those who ran Wall Street into a ditch to get Tarp funds and continue to drive.
Thanks Noah - It's time to get rid of private health insurance companies.
... Obama gave enough of a shit about the American People to have somebody like you as one of his healthcare advisors. It would make for a nice dose of reality. The guy is shutting himself off in a bubble.
This is a rip off, they get your info. for the shipping on their Kit, and bill you over and over. This is far from free, hidden costs, hidden fees. Please people, do not waist your money.
47 million uninsured?
No doubt that's the Insurance Industry's focus. Leave no buck behind.
in this country who are more concerned with propping up their "wealth" and assets then they are serving their country.
excepted, care about their patients first and foremost. I do not believe the majority of them went into the profession with the intent of just getting rich.
With a few exceptions, they are the most self entitled group I've ever been exposed to. But to qualify, I live in SoCal.
The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith
Even the studies of the AMA show that the primary motivation for medical students is MONEY, you freak show.
I know many physicians in my rural community who are working 70 hours a week, they drive late model autos, live in modest homes and they rarely see their kids.
AND I know several physicians who are in favor of socialized medicine. So don't group them all together. There's a huge difference between a southern cal plastic surgeon and a rural family medicine doc serving low income patients.
http://www.loanmine.com/xsites/Mortgage/loanm...
We should all be asking our representatives and the president why thy can have what they have but we can't.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWbXNUbUj0A
The only way to reduce health care costs is to take as much of it as possible out of the hands of corporate America. Someone(I'm not sure who)said "If you think health care is expensive now wait until it's free". They should have continued "and run by corporate America". Out of control healthcare costs are another problem caused by too many mergers and acquisitions on Wall St. Many hospitals in this country were non-profit community hospitals. Now they are for profit. And owned by too few companies.
funding of current government plans, and increasing taxes, is what kind of reform exactly? If the changes are going to be more cosmetic vote getting crapola, then why even bother? The money can already be budgeted by chopping War Machine funding. Axing existing programs and increasing taxes smells very Rapepublican. What happened to this attention grabbing, awe inspiring, agent of change since he came to Washington? Either he's turned into an insider playing Washinton politics as usual, or he is as big a liar as Bushie 1 and 2. Which is it?
I make my living from insurance billing and by far the most reliable and consistent payor I deal with is Medicare. Some HMO's are OK. The privates (PPO's) are the worst. I'm not talking amounts. I'm talking paperwork. M/C averages 6 weeks to pay claims. United HC, about 4 months. They deny claims all the time until you appeal and this creates an enormous amount of extra cost to the system. Don't get me started on Blue Cross/Blue Shield. They are truly criminals.
The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith
Talk voodoo economics. He is starting to make McCain and Palin look honest. 300 million Americans and this is the best we can do? Impeach him, I still have a little tiny respect for Joe Biden. War crimes would be appropriate. Hey, Nancy want to drop impeachment back on the table?
It will mean increased costs and poor outcomes.
Take auto insurance for an example.
I lived in Ohio for about a year. Full coverage auto insurance from state farm insurance cost me $120.00 a year. Because they had the ability to escrow money in place of insurance.
I moved to Ky who required you by insurance and it more then doubled to 260.00 a year.
The only thing insurance co's do is make money for nothing.
But with the money they pay our polls makes them vote against our best interests!
Here is a list of elected people taking payoffs to cheat the American people and the amounts of bribes being taken. This is just from health care and insurance.
It is mind boggling to think how much these people are taking from others!
Arlen Specter (R-D- PA- $4,026,933)
Max Baucus (DLC- MT- $2,833,731)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY- $2,758,468)
And when you just go right to Big Insurance, the non-presidential candidates who got the biggest legalized bribes were the 7 senators who have been tasked with the job of killing single-payer:
Ben Nelson (DLC-NE- $1,196,799)
Max Baucus (DLC- MT- $1,184,113)
Joe Lieberman (DLC- CT- $1,036,302)
Arlen Specter (R-D- PA- $1,035,530)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY- $981,400)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY- $929,207)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA- $884,724)
We need to investigate and prosecute these criminals now. Severe jail terms are in order for these criminals!
...I wonder what the cost was to purchase him?
It is Over! Obama has sold out to his Corporate Masters.
WTF???? Cutting reimbursements to Medicare and giving private insurance companies control over costs is the most fucked up idiotic thing I've heard yet. I am SO disappointed. Hospitals and small clinics are suffering from budget shorfalls. Doctors are leaving rural areas and going out of business because they cannot afford to stay in practice! Many clinics in big cities already refuse to accept Medicare and Medicaid patients because of the low reimbursement! Obama has obviously been listening to the private insurance lobby. This plan makes absolutley no sense at all.
Up until today Obama had my unconditional support - but this plan totally sucks. My Obama sticker is coming off my truck tomorrow.
....it is seen for what it is: a scam to cut the legs out from under the "public option", to assure that it fails before it even gets a start. They're rigging the deck. Face it, Obama is a Blue Dog who is owned and operated by the insurance companies, HMO's and drug companies. He is working against the best interests of the People. That's bad enough, but trying to palm off his prostitution, as if he were doing us a favor, is an insult to the lot of us. For me, that's the last straw. I'm shut of him. The man can go fly a kite. Time to start thinking about getting a real Democrat to run in 2012.
seems to be able to talk about nothing but money when it comes to health care. The issue isn't supposed to be money it is supposed to be caring for people who are sick or injured.
This attitude that everything is about the money demonstrates clearly that the people in government from the President down do not understand the purpose and role of government of, by and FOR THE PEOPLE. They have demonstrated to me that they believe that the government of the USA is a government of the rich, for the corporations and by the wealthy elite.
Time for a new revolution, methinks, and maybe we can borrow an unused guillotine or two from a French museum to help weed out the traitors to the common good.
the newly proposed cuts would "spur productivity in a way that does not exist under current law"
Total B.S.
I want to know how, when a government administered single payer system is the least expensive way to go about providing healthcare, Obama can possibly be contemplating an insurance based system. A public "option", probably administered by Blue Cross? Taxpayer dollars going to support obscene profits of insurance companies and for-profit HMO's? Drug companies get to continue charging what the market will bear? There's a word for this approach to taking care of the Public's business: corruption.
I want my vote back. I won't be voting for Obama again.
Well, at least there is nothing these corrupt prostitutes do that cannot be undone once they have been booted from office. Universal, single-payer non-profit healthcare delivery is inevitable, because it's the only thing that is both going to work and be affordable.
HR-676
I found a way to help in this so called "reform" program...
hows about if I go after the tax dodgers one by one, talking about billions of dollars to companys who dont pay into the system,
which funds the social security of many, many aging baby boomers..
go after companys who have "shadow companys" which dont pay taxes, and make billions of dollars while shipping jobs overseas....
Just like this article..
http://www.google.com/search?q=war+profiteeri...
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