Posts
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Washington, DC
Forty-five years ago, we made a solemn compact as a nation that senior citizens would not go without the health care they need. This is the promise we made when Medicare was born. And it’s the responsibility of each generation to keep that promise. That’s why a report issued this week by the Trustees who oversee Medicare was such good news. According to this report, the steps we took this year to reform the health care system have put Medicare on a sounder financial footing. Reform has actually added at least a dozen years to the solvency of Medicare – the single longest extension in history – while helping to preserve Medicare for generations to come. We’ve made Medicare more solvent by going after waste, fraud, and abuse – not by changing seniors’ guaranteed benefits. In fact, seniors are starting to see that because of health reform, their benefits are getting better all the time. [What I'm not telling you: Here we are in the eighteenth month of what some pundits like to call "the obama regime." I still have great difficulty in fathoming how a charismatic personality with a pleasing voice and absolutely no substantive message can mesmerize millions of people! During my last "Campaign of Fluff," I had legions of 20 and 30-somethings hanging on my every word; no matter that those words were hollow-absolutely no information or firm solutions to the everyday problems of Americans. These young folks are the future of the country; thank Allah, they're not the least-bit inquisitive as to the meaning of words and phrases; ask few if any, questions of real value!
Medicare came about during the Johnson Administration, not so much to fund senior citizens' health care, but to insure their votes in future elections. The system's "financial footing" would have needed NO shoring up by this regime or any other if the congress could find in itself to actually put the collected taxes and fees in investments rather into the budget's general fund, to be pissed away on any whim they dream up! With conservative investment, the funds' solvency would have been reasonably assured ad infinitum. To admit the existence of waste, fraud and abuse is to acknowledge that these are allowed to exist. The admission indicates that the offenders are not only in the medical community but in the government workforce at all levels.]
Seniors who fall into the “doughnut hole” – the gap in Medicare Part D drug coverage – are eligible right now for a $250 rebate to help cover the cost of their prescriptions. Now, I know for people facing drug costs far higher than that, they need more help. That’s why we negotiated a better deal with the pharmaceutical companies for seniors. So starting next year, if you fall in the doughnut hole, you’ll get a 50-percent discount on the brand-name medicine you need. And in the coming years, this law will close the doughnut hole completely once and for all. Already, we have put insurance companies on notice that we have the authority to review and reject unreasonable rate increases for Medicare Advantage plans. And we’ve made it clear to the insurers that we won’t hesitate to use this authority to protect seniors. Beginning next year, preventive care – including annual physicals, wellness exams, and tests like mammograms – will be free for seniors as well. That will make it easier for folks to stay healthy. But it will also mean that doctors can catch things earlier, so treatment may be less invasive and less expensive. And as reform ramps up in the coming years, we expect seniors to save an average of $200 per year in premiums and more than $200 each year in out of pocket costs, too.
[What I'm not telling you: To start, let's define what "the donut hole" actually is--
The Medicare donut hole is the difference of the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic coverage threshold, as described in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program administered by the federal government. After a Medicare beneficiary surpasses the prescription drug coverage limit (true out-of-pocket expenses: $750-$3,600), the Medicare beneficiary is financially responsible for the entire cost of prescription drugs until the expense reaches the catastrophic coverage threshold.
While obamaCare DOES provide for a negotiated 50% discount on brand-name drugs; these drugs can be several hundred dollars per perscription! This negotiated discount actually favors the 'big pharma' drug makers rather than the Medicare participant-generic drugs are not covered in this discount; we all know that the co-pay for generics can be as low as $5-$15 per perscription. The 'dirty-little-secret' you don't hear about is that the taxpayer pays several years' taxes PRIOR to any obamaCare benefits kicking in. So essentially, the American consumer continues to get screwed by dealing with the federal government rather than their individual health and perscription insurance companies...... and...... we've added another layer of bureaucracy to administer this screwing!! Like advice, ANYTHING free is usually worth exactly what one pays for it!! How can a patient reasonably expect ANY FREE medical advice, exams, tests, etc., have even a modicum of quality in the procedure. Granted, the vast majority of medical professionals will give their best in any procedure, but..... what if YOU get one of those who is 'dollar-minded' and gives you (or YOUR WIFE)just a minimal exam for.....say...... breast cancer?? Is that what you expect from YOUR OBAMA REGIME?? Well, get used to it!! The primary way to cut expenses is to forgo any required level of competency or expertise.]
This is possible in part through reforms that target waste and abuse and redirect those resources to where they’re supposed to go: our seniors. We’re already on track to cut improper payments in half – including money that goes to criminals who steal taxpayer dollars by setting up insurance scams and other frauds. And we won’t stop there. Because by preventing the loss of these tax dollars, we can both address the runaway costs of Medicare and improve the quality of care seniors receive – and we can crack down on those who prey on seniors and take advantage of people. So we are no longer accepting business as usual. We’re making tough decisions to meet the challenges of our time. And as a result, Medicare is stronger and more secure. That’s important. Because Medicare isn’t just a program. It’s a commitment to America’s seniors – that after working your whole life, you’ve earned the security of quality health care you can afford. As long as I am President, that’s a commitment this country is going to keep.
[What I'm not telling you: The obama regime "......is on track to cut improper payments in half-......." Well, DUH!!!!! Why not cut 'improper payments' COMPLETELY?!?! Right here is a clear indicator that high levels of education do not necessarily translate to high levels of intelligence!! This regime has made commitment-after-commitment, both during the "Campaign of Fluff" and on into the early months of the regime..... remember that 'Plug' biden promised that by this time the regime would be creating 500,000 jobs, A MONTH!! Remember that one?? We commit to anything, everything-all the time; they're just so many words to us-you wanted to hear it so we said it!! We usually forget what the commitment was even before we step away from the teleprompter!!]
No comments:
Post a Comment