Don McCanne MD, Physicians for a National Health Programhe deficit reduction agreement will likely result in an automatic two percent reduction in Medicare payments. The only way that can be prevented is by an agreement of a special twelve member bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to find alternative methods of reducing the deficit, and then to have their recommendations approved by an up-or-down vote of both current houses of Congress.
The probability of reaching a complex and controversial agreement that leaves Medicare totally unscathed is almost zero in this dysfunctional Congress. President Obama has already demonstrated that he is quite willing to capitulate to the demands of the right-wing obstructionists in Congress. This next time it will be much easier since the terms of the extortion have already been included in this legislation. Since Medicare remains a prime target for the reactionaries, it is very unlikely that it can clear this hurdle without further reductions.
Medicare payment rates have not been increasing at the same level as private insurance rates, understandably creating considerable uneasiness amongst the providers of health care. The Affordable Care Act will further reduce some Medicare payments, and now the Budget Control Act of 2011 will reduce them even further.
These trends will motivate the wealthy owners of Congress to seek private options such as Paul Ryan’s premium support (voucher) proposal, while diminishing their support of Medicare as an egalitarian system of social insurance. With reductions in funding and departure of the healthy and wealthy, Medicare would inevitably transition into a welfare program.
Other victims
Grad student loan subsidies
100 state parks
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