Yep, we’re all gonna die. It’s the same trick the banks pull on a willing Congress — keep the bailouts and spending coming, otherwise the destruction will be unimaginable.
We’re not buying it any more. Let’s just see if federal agencies can somehow manage on 100% of their 2012 “budget” plus “only” some fraction of the increase to the 2013 “budget”.
Has America become so weak and so dependent on government? A good portion of my diet consists of fish/game/seafood and things from my garden that have never seen a food inspector. Styrofoam trays and plastic wrap must lead to liberalism.
VA Gov McDonnell claims it will throw VA into a recession, Arne “Donut Hole” Duncan claims it will cost 40k teaching jobs, doctors claim ...
BS. None of these clowns went to stop the gravy train.
The tit will grow by a bit even with sequester.
THERE.
ARE.
NO.
CUTS!!!!!!
A direct hit!!!
This article is pure unadulterated horse manure.
The whiners (spenders) pissed and moaned the same bulls**t when CO passed TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights).
For about four decades give or take, the medical profession, which is now referred to as the all encompassing and more wholesome sounding “healthcare” industry, been in the sack with big government, sometimes by coersion, sometimes willingly, and now they’re screaming bloody murder over pennies on the dollar they won’t get to feed the incestuous machine with 100% job security and perks.
Older docs or multiple generation docs like myself, will recall when insurance, private or public, would pay whatever they wanted, but doctors could bill "the balance" of whatever they wanted to charge to the patients. A free market determined how high those charges were, not some government or insurance company. What a strange concept! Removing that limitation wouldn't cost the government a cent. It actually would save them money as the Law of Supply and Demand will reduce demand for services if their costs to patients rises. Freedom works better than free stuff.
Leaving the ban in balance billing in place, while continuing to reduce allowable fees, isn't a baseline budgeting game, these are real cuts to doctors' incomes. At some level economic realities affect doctors like everyone else. Their only response can be to reduce the quantity and quality of services provided, either partially or completely by taking early retirement. Hospitals and ERs are REQUIRED to provide care regardless of the ability to pay. That also should end as it violates the 13th. Charity should be encouraged, but by definition it is not charity when mandatory.
There used to be a LOT of free care given by doctors, hospitals, etc. This I know as a fourth generation physician. Admittedly 'free' was a lot cheaper to provide then, with less paperwork and regulations. Those then dependent on charity were encouraged to act in ways that made others feel charitable towards them. If you were down on your luck for reasons beyond your control, and in spite of your best efforts, you'd likely receive help. If you were known to be wasting your money on booze, too lazy to work, etc. you were less likely. That feedback produced laudable effects on society.
Charity to the poor shouldn't be encouraged for just medical providers. Some say health care is a special case because it is so essential. Yet big government types push loads of their products as "essential." If I, as a dermatologist, am expected to be providing free care for someone's acne, shouldn't the the supermarket (and its wholesalers) be providing them with free food and medicine, the mall be providing them with free shoes and clothing, their teachers be taking zero salary for their education, the social workers coordinating their freebies be working gratis, the government be waving gasoline taxes so they can get to all of these, etc.
There are no FREAKING cuts! We are still spending more than last year. Give me control of the budget and I will give you some real cuts! 10% across the board to start and I will balance the budget in 48 hours!