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McCain Plans Federal Health Cuts
Wall Street Journal ^ | 10/6/08 | Laura Meckler

Posted on 10/06/2008 7:17:48 AM PDT by steve-b

John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases.

But Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain's senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid. Those government health-care programs serve seniors, poor families and the disabled. Medicare spending for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 is estimated at $457.5 billion....

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: medicaid; medicare; stevebisatroll
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Tough sell in Florida....
1 posted on 10/06/2008 7:17:49 AM PDT by steve-b
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To: steve-b

They have McCain in a box. Tell the Truth. Lose the election. I say tell the truth and re-group. We have to hold the line for at least 2 years.


2 posted on 10/06/2008 7:21:21 AM PDT by screaminsunshine
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To: steve-b

The future of health care is going to change no matter who the President is. The industry is going to force a change in how payments are made. This will especially be true in Medicare. Reimbursements will change as a result of new payments systems. The President will only need to fall in line with what Medicare is already planning on doing. There are new reimbursement systems that will be piloted throughout 2009 and results will be in 2010. At that point, the data will drive the health care machine. Like it or not, change is coming....to all health care systems.


3 posted on 10/06/2008 7:21:36 AM PDT by truthingod
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To: steve-b
the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid

Sigh.

I like honesty. I like straight talk. But Obama would never, ever say anything like this -- which is why the people will flock to Obama. The Democrats promise the moon, and make no attempt to say how they will achieve it. You can buy a lot of votes with empty promises.

Republicans, on the other hand, tend to campaign in a different fashion.

4 posted on 10/06/2008 7:21:49 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (I ain't gonna quit until I'm laid in my tomb and even then they better shut it tight.)
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To: steve-b

Hey Steve-b, do you ever post any good news about McCain-Palin? Just askin...


5 posted on 10/06/2008 7:24:12 AM PDT by frogjerk (VOTE NO!)
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To: steve-b

If it’s true, good. Federal spending on health care is insane. Fully-deductible medical savings accounts for all. Private pay or private charity.


6 posted on 10/06/2008 7:26:35 AM PDT by Tax-chick (This is embarassing! Have a Guinness and pull yourselves together!)
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To: steve-b
the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid

I'd bet that savings will be created from making those programs run more efficiently and cutting down on any graft. If so, why doesn't the MSM report that?

7 posted on 10/06/2008 7:31:14 AM PDT by MSSC6644 (Defeat Satan. Pray the Rosary)
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To: steve-b

We’re probably talking a “D.C.” cut here. In D.C.-speak a “cut” means a reduction in the rate of increase...

NOBODY in Washington actually has the guts do a “real” cut in Federal spending.


8 posted on 10/06/2008 7:31:58 AM PDT by Little Ray (I'm a Conservative. But I can vote for John McCain. If I have to. I guess.)
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To: steve-b
Cut into a proven health plan system to help a new, unproven health plan, great strategy McCain. Those voters over 64 will be just overjoyed to hear about this.

At the bottom of the health care financial problems is the very same gremlin that was at the heart of the financial system crisis, GREED. Doctors that "earn" 3k - 5k for an hour's work running a snake up somebody's butt, (colonoscopy). Tylenol tablets in nursing homes and hospitals that cost the patients up to $8.00 each. Nursing home owners charging patients about $115,000.00 per year, (base charge), for the dreadful elder care. Doctors forcing patients to unnecessarily visit them for prescription renewals. Greedy, vote-pandering politicians raping the tax payers through "free" health care for illegals. Greed, greed, greed, greed, greed; we are drowning in it.

9 posted on 10/06/2008 7:38:22 AM PDT by rangeryder (If a man says something in the woods, is he still wrong?)
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To: steve-b

OMG. I live in Florida. I am one of the blue hairs and I know the old folks down here will only hear those first few words.....and believe McCain will cut out their Medicare-Medicaid benefits. Florida has a heavy aging population and most rely on those benefits. Anything that remotely sounds like taking away on Medciare, Medicaid, and Social Security scares them right back into the waiting arms of the Demosocialist party.


10 posted on 10/06/2008 7:38:54 AM PDT by imfrmdixie
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To: truthingod

The future of health care is going to change no matter who the President is
Agree people fail to remember what the congress and senate do.


11 posted on 10/06/2008 7:39:35 AM PDT by Vaduz (and just think how clean the cities would become again.)
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To: steve-b
So sad but the people are ignorant about health care. There is absolutely no way to have tax-payer socialized medicine and all the care people want and NOW. There will be a “dumbing” down of the health care people get from the .gov. The best people will not go into Medicine when physicians just become a employee of the .gov and your income in totally fixed. I am glad I only have a few more years. But hold on you on the younger end will NOT have as good as health care as we do now. It will be mediocere but hey everyone will have a little.
12 posted on 10/06/2008 7:39:52 AM PDT by therut
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To: rangeryder

I am sorry but you are ignorant. Physicians get about 350.00 for a colonoscopy from Medicare. Maybe 600.00 from a private insurer. And do free-bies all the time that they never get payed for. Get real..


13 posted on 10/06/2008 7:41:44 AM PDT by therut
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To: rangeryder

Medicaid pays a nursing home in Arkansas about 1400 a month to supply 24/7 health care. Not the amount you quote. A private patient will pay about 36,000.


14 posted on 10/06/2008 7:43:13 AM PDT by therut
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To: steve-b
The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

So the McCain camp didn't say they were going to cut Medicare and Medicaid, some analyist said they were, and the WSJ called the McCain campaign and the first dufus that picked up the phone didn't immediately deny.

Gotcha.

15 posted on 10/06/2008 7:43:49 AM PDT by Yo-Yo
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To: rangeryder

The reason you must see us evil physicians every 6 or 12 months for RX refills is because people on Medicine must be monitored. I am NOT willing to be sued for filling your medicine without seeing you. A BIG NO NO and any lawyer will automatically have a winning case.


16 posted on 10/06/2008 7:44:57 AM PDT by therut
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To: steve-b

You just lost Florida, John.


17 posted on 10/06/2008 7:45:20 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Tax-chick

The problem with the United States is that the American Dream has morphed into guarantees from the government. Naturally politicians have figured this out, which is why we see them propose goody after goody every election cycle.

Sadly this is no longer a nation of self-sufficient individuals. It is certainly a nation of individualists, a group of cynics desiring the freedom to express whatever they want and fornicate with whatever they want, without any repercussions, or that nagging matter of responsibility for consequences.

But regarding “economic matters,” it has now become an accepted role of the federal government to guarantee our success. And that will be our undoing. The larger the role of the government in our lives, the more our lives are controlled by the political process, the more we will find ourselves ensnared in the tentacles of the giant octopus currently sitting in DC. Lest we forget the smaller octopi currently residing in the various state capitals across the land.

Friedman (IIRC) once observed that you can’t separate personal freedom from economic freedom. Our personal liberties are indeed threatened when the state expands, even if it is ostensibly done in order to promote personal freedom.

Since McCain allegedly has nothing to lose at this point, perhaps it is time for him to take a stand and point out that we can’t go on like this forever. At some point the government will destroy our health care industry as it stands and we will be subject to severe rationing for our routine health care needs.

Lastly, it is curious that in various European nations, as well in Canada, the people are moving away from failed socialist policies to politicians who are advocating greater economic freedom. Meanwhile, here in the US, we are heading down the path those nations are abandoning. We are back on the Great Society track, back to the 1960s and 1970s, when Democrats wanted to take care of us from cradle to grave.

Of course, one would be remiss if they did not point out that the current occupant of the White House is perhaps the most liberal, “progressive” Republican president ever. The state has expanded greatly under his watch. I don’t believe it is much of a stretch to say that his predecessor was much more conservative than he has been. Yes, Clinton had a Republican Congress to deal with for most of his tenure. So has Bush. Disgusting.


18 posted on 10/06/2008 7:47:21 AM PDT by Harry Wurzbach (Rep. Thaddeus McCotter is my hero.)
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To: steve-b

I don’t think this would have to mean service cuts, for goodness sake he has talked about cutting waste! Does anyone here think that there could not be huge/overwhelming/monumental savings just by running it more efficiently! This is the government we are talking about 2 workers for every job!
It would not be hard for a smart person in McCain’s campaign to show how just streamlining paperwork alone would result in savings!


19 posted on 10/06/2008 7:48:26 AM PDT by nclaurel (No white flags from America in Iraq--hear that Biden!)
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To: therut

You sound like someone who knows what he/she is talking about. What do you think of McCain’s plan?


20 posted on 10/06/2008 7:50:28 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Government that is powerful enough to protect you is only one election away from attacking you.)
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