Medicare Actuary Doubts Health Care Law Will Hold Down Costs

[rushmc 23]

Hate to say it but

told you so....

Now is it time to totally repeal?

Quote

WASHINGTON -- Two of the central promises of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law are unlikely to be fulfilled, Medicare's independent economic expert told Congress on Wednesday.

The landmark legislation probably won't hold costs down, and it won't let everybody keep their current health insurance if they like it, Chief Actuary Richard Foster told the House Budget Committee. His office is responsible for independent long-range cost estimates.

Foster's assessment came a day after Obama in his State of the Union message told lawmakers that he's open to improvements in the law, but unwilling to rehash the health care debate of the past two years. Republicans want to repeal the landmark legislation that provides coverage to more than 30 million people now uninsured, but lack the votes.

Foster was asked by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., for a simple true or false response on two of the main assertions made by supporters of the law: that it will bring down unsustainable medical costs and will let people keep their current health insurance if they like it.

On the costs issue, "I would say false, more so than true," Foster responded.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=Medicare+Actuary+Doubts+Health+Care+Law+Will+Hold+Down+Costs&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 3,078]

Progress! Initially the GOP was claiming the healthcare plan will bankrupt America. Now they're just "doubting it will hold down costs." Pretty soon they'll be saying "savings will not be as great as Obama claims."

If Romnney does secure the GOP nomination for president, I have a feeling that suddenly conservatives will suddenly decide that healthcare plans like Romneycare/Obamacare actually _do_ work.

[rushmc 23]

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Progress! Initially the GOP was claiming the healthcare plan will bankrupt America. Now they're just "doubting it will hold down costs." Pretty soon they'll be saying "savings will not be as great as Obama claims."

If Romnney does secure the GOP nomination for president, I have a feeling that suddenly conservatives will suddenly decide that healthcare plans like Romneycare/Obamacare actually _do_ work.

Intersting take on this lie I will give you that

Also stated in the articles is the point that many will NOT be able to keep the plans they have if they want to

Another lie by Obama and the Dems

And I hope Romney does NOT get the nod
He would be another McCain
But then that is what you like

So
It will still kill job creation

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kelpdiver 2]

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If Romnney does secure the GOP nomination for president, I have a feeling that suddenly conservatives will suddenly decide that healthcare plans like Romneycare/Obamacare actually _do_ work.

He won't, so this what-if scenario will not come to pass.

so long as the First Lady is the only one making any serious attempt at cost reduction, the premise that savings won't come remains the most probable.

[billvon 3,078]

>He won't, so this what-if scenario will not come to pass.

Perhaps not, but he's currently leading both in polls and in money raised by his PAC. He has also distanced himself from the Tea Partyers, which will improve his standing among moderates.

[mirage62 0]

Bill,

Was Romney really the intent of the thread?

The point seems to be that now the real information seems to be that the plan is not going to do what we were told it would do.

When it sounds like we like (It will save us moeny) it's great. When the information says it won't - well then you can't trust that source.

Or you devert the entire thread with a Romney comment

Does ANYONE trust the numbers that the goverment comes up with in these large programs?

Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

[billvon 3,078]

>Was Romney really the intent of the thread?

Nope. Topic has drifted a bit.

>The point seems to be that now the real information seems to be that the
>plan is not going to do what we were told it would do.

The right wing has been saying far worse for the past six months. Now their outlook is improving. If this trend continues, sounds like both sides will be happy. Surely that's a good thing.

>Does ANYONE trust the numbers that the goverment comes up with in these large
>programs?

Nope, not completely. I do tend to trust the CBO a bit more than I trust GOP (or democratic) talking heads, though.

[DanG 1]

Which numbers you believe depends on your preconceived notions. If you want the health reform bill to be bad, believe the Medicare Actuary. If you want it to be good, believe the CBO. Both are independent accounting bodies.

The fact is that all the numbers coming out are projections. They are estimates of what may happen in the future. They are subject to change. This report is no different that any of the other projections, but the OP siezed on it because it supports his position.

- Dan G

[rushmc 23]

Quote

>Was Romney really the intent of the thread?

Nope. Topic has drifted a bit.

>The point seems to be that now the real information seems to be that the
>plan is not going to do what we were told it would do.

The right wing has been saying far worse for the past six months. Now their outlook is improving. If this trend continues, sounds like both sides will be happy. Surely that's a good thing.

>Does ANYONE trust the numbers that the goverment comes up with in these large
>programs?

Nope, not completely. I do tend to trust the CBO a bit more than I trust GOP (or democratic) talking heads, though.

the GOP is closer than Obama or the Dems for sure

More about this Obamination has been coming out for months
The Dems, Obama and the media just ignore the reports or what is being found in the bill, like any business who spends more than 899.99 with a contractor for material or sevices MUST issue a 1099 for what ever. Got any idea why or what that cost will be?

If is a drain on the economy and jobs if it get implimented

It will not do what we were told it would do (and any thinking person has known that since the begining)

So your attempt to mis-characterize what is being said is the same tactic you constantly use
And people do see that

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[DanG 1]

Quote

the GOP is closer than Obama or the Dems for sure

What makes you think that?

Quote

The Dems, Obama and the media just ignore the reports or what is being found in the bill, like any business who spends more than 899.99 with a contractor for material or sevices MUST issue a 1099 for what ever. Got any idea why or what that cost will be?

I agree that is a stupid provision. Obama recently stated he would be okay if that were removed. You must have missed that.

Quote

So your attempt to mis-characterize what is being said is the same tactic you constantly use
And people do see that

So true, so true.

- Dan G

[billvon 3,078]

>the GOP is closer than Obama or the Dems for sure

The GOP is just as bad as the democrats. Always has been. Which is one of the many downfalls of the two party system; both sides drop to the lowest common denominator.

[MX304 0]

I agree completely that changes in the health care system are needed, but Obama care is so far off the mark it isn't even funny. Anyone involved in activities deemed as dangerous can already have major issues with health coverage. What happens when an insurer will not cover anyone involved in motocross, car racing, skydiving etc? I can see that happening sooner than later. Will we all just have to pay the huge fine for not having insurance even though we can't get it, or will we have to pay out half of our income to afford insurance to cover us? I had a previous employer that funded employees health insurance 100%. Somehow their insurance company found out I raced motocross (even though I never filed a single claim with them) and the insurer dropped me like a hot rock.

[billvon 3,078]

>I had a previous employer that funded employees health insurance 100%.
>Somehow their insurance company found out I raced motocross (even though I
>never filed a single claim with them) and the insurer dropped me like a hot rock.

Were you still racing motocross after they dropped you? Were you later able to get coverage?

[MX304 0]

Yes, at the time I was still racing. I changed jobs shortly after that, but I was told by that insurance company that I would never be able to get coverage through them again. I was basically blacklisted. They said I could not prove I was no longer involved in the sport. I told them they could not prove I ever was involved in the sport. (I never admitted to them I was racing) It did not seem to matter. Luckily no provider since then has given me any problems. I was worried for a while that I would be placed on some sort of list that would flag me every time I tried to get insurance no matter what company it was through.

[jakee 1,564]

Quote

More about this Obamination

Bloody hell!

That one's actually kinda funny

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[tkhayes 348]

hate to agree with ruchmc, but I never believed that the Health Care Bill would do anything for costs. As long as the private sector is involved in paying for it, there will always be an overhead, dictated by them and lobbied for by them.

Given that we already spend more per capita for health care and have 60 million uninsured, there is no doubt that the system is NOT working.

Forcing people to buy it from private insurance companies will not solve the problem. Hopefully after this fails, they will realize that the "Medicare for all" plan would probably be the best and the cheapest option for everyone.

I bet it fails and that the Republicans jump on the "Medicare for all" bandwagon down the road, (probably right before an election), and then claim the idea as their own.....

[rushmc 23]

I bet it fails and that the Republicans jump on the "Medicare for all" bandwagon down the road, (probably right before an election), and then claim the idea as their own.....

[tkhayes 348]

Quote

Mainly means getting the gov out of it

on that we disagree. Without govt oversight, the industry runs amuck
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetnas-ron-williams-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14

That is just ONE executive in one company. His salary alone pays for the same health care plan that I get at $400/month for 60,000 people.

millions and millions of people are denied affordable health insurance because of the greed of these people.

[rushmc 23]

Quote

Quote

Mainly means getting the gov out of it

on that we disagree. Without govt oversight, the industry runs amuck
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetnas-ron-williams-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14

That is just ONE executive in one company. His salary alone pays for the same health care plan that I get at $400/month for 60,000 people.

millions and millions of people are denied affordable health insurance because of the greed of these people.

There will always be a few
and
I do not mean get rid of oversite either but the current regulations, paper work and red tape are causeing increases in costs that could be cut.

On the other hand, gov is running more amuck than any company today

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Quote

Mainly means getting the gov out of it

on that we disagree. Without govt oversight, the industry runs amuck
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetnas-ron-williams-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14

WITH government oversight, twice the number of claims are denied and doctors quit seeing Medicare patients due to payments not covering costs.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[tkhayes 348]

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WITH government oversight, twice the number of claims are denied and doctors quit seeing Medicare patients due to payments not covering costs.

agreed - due to $$ cuts, not bureaucracy and poor govt oversight.

I am actually advocating that we FUND it , not cut it. Eliminate the VA, eliminate Medicaid, eliminate all state and local programs - and there is plenty of funding for Medicare for all.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Quote

WITH government oversight, twice the number of claims are denied and doctors quit seeing Medicare patients due to payments not covering costs.

agreed - due to $$ cuts, not bureaucracy and poor govt oversight.

I am actually advocating that we FUND it , not cut it. Eliminate the VA, eliminate Medicaid, eliminate all state and local programs - and there is plenty of funding for Medicare for all.

I was referring to Medicare, above.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[tkhayes 348]

I know that - and I was suggesting that we FUND it, which would solve that problem, instead of 'cutting it' which would increase that problem - or perhaps you missed that. So I clarified it for you.

[kelpdiver 2]

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I know that - and I was suggesting that we FUND it, which would solve that problem, instead of 'cutting it' which would increase that problem - or perhaps you missed that. So I clarified it for you.

Medicare, in its current form, is seen as the biggest demon in our future debts, measured in the 10s of trillions. So how do you propose to give it even more funding?

[tkhayes 348]

I am not suggesting that it stay in its current form, I am suggesting that it change to cover everyone and then get the funding it needs by removing all the other programs that compete with it (as one, but not the only example)

And Medicare is seen by whom as the biggest demon in our future debts? 'cause I for one do not see it that way. Nor do tens of thousands, if not millions of people in this country. I see the demolition of manufacturing in this country as one of the demons. I see two wars as two of the demons. I see the prison system combined with the 'war on drugs' as one of the demons......