President Obama Outlines More than $300 Billion in new Medicare and Medicaid Savings

WHITEHOUSE.GOV ^ | June 13, 2009 | n/a

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Weekly-Address-and-Fact-Sheet-New-Savings-Announcement/

THE BRIEFING ROOM

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________________________________ EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, June 13, 2009

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Outlines More than $300 Billion in new Medicare and Medicaid Savings

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama announced new Medicare and Medicaid savings proposals that will contribute more than $300 billion over 10 years to paying for health care reform, beyond the historic $635 billion down payment included in his FY 2010 Budget. The President stressed in the address that the health reform effort must be deficit neutral and that reform is a fundamental part of the solution to our long-term fiscal problems.

Please find attached a fact sheet detailing the new savings proposed by President Obama today.

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, June 13, 2009

Last week, I spoke to you about my commitment to work with Congress to pass health care reform this year. Today, I’d like to speak about how that effort is essential to restoring fiscal responsibility.

When it comes to the cost of health care, this much is clear: the status quo is unsustainable for families, businesses, and government. America spends nearly 50 percent more per person on health care than any other country. Health care premiums have doubled over the last decade, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs have skyrocketed, and many with preexisting conditions are denied coverage. More and more, Americans are being priced out of the care they need.

These costs are also hurting business, as some big businesses are at a competitive disadvantage with their foreign counterparts, and some small businesses are forced to cut benefits, drop coverage, or even lay off workers. Meanwhile, Medicare and Medicaid pose one of the greatest threats to our federal deficit, and could leave our children with a mountain of debt that they cannot pay.

We cannot continue down this path. I do not accept a future where Americans forego health care because they can’t pay for it, and more and more families go without coverage at all. And I don’t accept a future where American business is hurt and our government goes broke. We have a responsibility to act, and to act now. That is why I’m working with Congress to pass reform that lowers costs, improves quality and coverage, and protects consumer health care choices.

I know some question whether we can afford to act this year. But the unmistakable truth is that it would be irresponsible to not act. We can’t keep shifting a growing burden to future generations. With each passing year, health care costs consume a larger share of our nation’s spending, and contribute to yawning deficits that we cannot control. So let me be clear: health care reform is not part of the problem when it comes to our fiscal future, it is a fundamental part of the solution.

Real reform will mean reductions in our long term budget. And I have made a firm commitment that health care reform will not add to the federal deficit over the next decade. To keep that commitment, my Administration has already identified how to pay for the historic $635 billion down payment on reform detailed in our budget. This includes over $300 billion that we will save through changes like reducing Medicare overpayments to private insurers, and rooting out waste in Medicare and Medicaid.

However, any honest accounting must prepare for the fact that health care reform will require additional costs in the short term in order to reduce spending in the long-term. So today, I am announcing an additional $313 billion in savings that will rein in unnecessary spending, and increase efficiency and the quality of care – savings that will ensure that we have nearly $950 billion set aside to offset the cost of health care reform over the next ten years.

These savings will come from commonsense changes. For example – if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance. If the drug makers pay their fair share, we can cut government spending on prescription drugs. And if doctors have incentives to provide the best care instead of more care, we can help Americans avoid the unnecessary hospital stays, treatments, and tests that drive up costs. For more details about these and other savings, you can visit our website: www.whitehouse.gov.

These savings underscore the fact that securing quality, affordable health care for the American people is tied directly to insisting upon fiscal responsibility. And these savings are rooted in the same principle that must guide our broader approach to reform: we will fix what’s broken, while building upon what works. If you like your plan and your doctor, you can keep them – the only changes that you’ll see are lower costs and better health care.

For too long, we have stood by while our health care system has frayed at the seams. While there has been excuse after excuse to delay reform, the price of care has gone up for individuals, for business, and for the government. This time must be different. This is the moment when we must reform health care so that we can build a new foundation for our economy to grow; for our people to thrive; and for our country to pursue a responsible and sustainable path. Thank you.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

MALPRACTICE INSURANCE DRIVES UP COSTS

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You have hit the nail on the head. Start at the root of the problem and work out.

[Yaelle]

I have been fighting since JANUARY my insurance company about the amount of migraine meds I can receive each month. They've lowered it. And now I have a WRITTEN LETTER from the head of their pharmacy department saying literally that I cannot have the amount I requested, 12 a month, because my insurance will ONLY COVER 18 a month. (So they are only giving me 9 a month!!) And I am never able to respond to their insanity because they send me on one phone goose chase after another.

This is just one insurance company's bureaucratic mess. IMAGINE this kind of red tape for everyone, over everything.

[Girlene]

Good analysis.

[SunkenCiv]

Hospitals Resist Obama’s Proposed Medicare Cuts
Fox News Online | June 13, 2009
Posted on 06/13/2009 2:04:37 PM PDT by pleikumud
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2271228/posts

Mass. cardinal: No abortions at Catholic hospitals
Associated Press | Thursday June 11, 2009 | Steve Leblanc
Posted on 06/12/2009 10:39:57 AM PDT by presidio9
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2270534/posts

[rodguy911]

This is just more rat speak dem talk new speak,something for the DBM to pick up for the Sunday shows.
Sounds really good the duds will think Ozero is cutting costs!
Once again up to us to reveal the truth. If we don't no one else will.
Great job Polarik you get the job done one more time.We all owe you big time.

[Kimberly GG]

“What else are they going to cut?”

They’ll cut the amount of $$ that doctors get paid to see patients with Medicaid or Medicare.
As a result, more and more doctors/hospitals will stop accepting any kind of Medicaid or Medicare and those folks who have no other insurance, will have a heck of a time finding a doctor/hospital.
At least... until Obama’s socialized medicine kicks in ... then EVERY doctor will be employed by the government, taking government wage. That’s why Obama keeps touting in all his speeches that you won’t have to change doctors, you can keep the same one.
Won’t he appear to be the hero then. /s off

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Well put. Oh look - I just found $300 billion. Well, I’ll be darned.

[dsutah]

Oh crap, that’s what I’m afraid of! For the sake of these family members and other people in their situations, I hope it doesn’ happen! I don’t like the direction this is going in!

[Brad from Tennessee]

Dear Mr. President:

It’s about the economy, stupid!

[Dustbunny]

I really have a hard time understanding how these people can tell such bald faced lines.

[Rome2000]

If you like your plan and your doctor, you can keep them.

Gee thanks you jug eared muzzie MF.

Thats mighty white of you.

[Rome2000]

THIS IS THE COMMUNIST WHO IS WROTE THIS BS

Politicians and strategists praise Patrick Gaspard highly, although he stays away from the limelight.

"Patrick is the best political mind of his generation in New York and maybe the nation," says Kevin Sheekey, who as Michael Bloomberg's right-hand-man has frequently worked and battled with Gaspard.

"I wouldn't dispute that," said David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist and Gaspard's cohort on the campaign trail. When reminded that such a title could be bestowed on Axelrod himself, the strategist said he was "happy to cede that" to Gaspard.

The Washington Post, among others, has announced that a longtime labor operative of Barack Obama's, Patrick Gaspard, will be named Obama's White House political director.

Gaspard served as national political director for much of Obama's general election campaign and was named deputy director of personnel for the transition effort. Prior to his work with Obama, Gaspard was the lead political operative for the 1199 branch of the Service Employees International Union, a huge and hugely influential union representing health care workers in New York. He spent the 2004 general election as the national field director for America Coming Together.

Gaspard was featured prominently in Ryan Lizza's recent New Yorker piece detailing how Obama won. Of his job interview with the Illinois Senator, Gaspard recalled Obama saying: "I think that I'm a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I'll tell you right now that I'm gonna think I'm a better political director than my political director."

[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[dsutah]

Yes, we are in Utah. I’m wondering if it could be Medicare that is doing this! I don’t know. I’ll have to ask her which one it is. She has IHC for medical/hospital, and it’s helped her a lot with tests and doctor appointments. She does have a prescription plan. That right there helps a lot, because some of her medicines are expensive!

You see, she has Crohn’s disease. She’s turning 32; and ten years ago, she was diagnosed with it. She had problems with pain and bloating for years, but her doctor had it under control until about 4 years ago. He had warned her about fistulas that burrow through the intestinal walls and get infected. Well, that’s exactly what happened!

She had one develop about 4 years ago, and the infection got into the abdominal cavity. She almost died from it! The surgeons operated, she did survive. However, they took out a small portion of the infected area(incidentally the part that had bothered her for years).

She had a ostomy bag on for about 4 months, then she went in to ‘take down’ the bag and to close one of the original wounds. She had a complication come up where it got inflamed on the original surgical site. It had mostly recovered, but had gotten inflamed again. They kept her in the hospital until they were sure the infammation had stopped!

We applied for Soc. Sec. disability for her, because although her work insurance paid quite a lot of her original surgery, she couldn’t go back to work again to gain more insurance benefits! The hospital and the doctors/surgeons were really great about cutting a lot of her costs out. That helped a lot!

They did again the second time. But it didn’t take out all her bills. She still needed care for awhile (wound dressings, skin grafts, medicines, tests, etc...). She’ll need that for a long time. This talk about cutting Medicare/Medicaid is worrisome, as well as this talk of rationing! It is maddening because of on top of above problems, she has depression and anxiety issues! Sometimes I want to box the ears of some people in Washington!

She’ll try to go back to school, if possible. She wants to gain skills for a new line of work. She probably won’t be able to get anything involving a lot of physical work, or one that involves a lot of sitting due to the areas where she had the surgeries. She probably won’t be able to get a job that will give her enough medical insurance. I don’t know!

[Badabing Badablonde]

I see...so she is what we call a dual-eligible, which means that she qualifies for Medicaid because of low-income, and also qualifies for Medicare because she is disabled. The two programs, in most states, are designed to work together, although the States have more flexibility in what they cover than Medicare, which is a plan that is the same in every State. I don’t know much about Utah’s state plan, except what I know from the regs, that every state has minimal requirements on what they must cover. She should be getting her dental benefits thru Medicaid, and the majority of States, since the inception of ARRA and CHIPRA, are seeking state legislative approval to increase what they can pay for dental. Even Texas is doing this, and they are the most conservative of all when it comes to State funds (long story there). Anyway, I would find your local Medicaid office first, and ask them to clarify her benefits for you, and ask what legislation is currently in place that could possibly increase her benefits in the future. This just does not sound right to me, but not working in that region, I can’t say for sure.

[dsutah]

Thanks! I’ll keep this in mind; so I can tell her about this. It didn’t sound right. I’ll have to read the letter myself, so I’ll understand it better. She might only be getting the coverage reduced, or something; not losing all the benefit.

[N. Theknow]

Savings?

Government.....SAVINGS?

Any government savings is the same as a person gets that spends $1000 at a 10% off sale and talks about "saving" $100.

[N. Theknow]

Savings?

Government.....SAVINGS?

Any government savings is the same as a person gets that spends $1000 at a 10% off sale and talks about "saving" $100.

[Mr Rogers]

I rather liked this line:

“For example – if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance.”

So if we pay for patients via insurance, we can save on payments that help those without insurance - except, of course, we are swapping one payment for another, and the new payment will be greater than the one it replaces.

[SatinDoll]

In the town in which I live is a hospital with doctor’s offices in one wing. I will not use those doctor’s services.

Why? Because I pay cash, and am fed up with the $145 hospital charge everytime I see a doctor there. So an $95 doctor’s fee balloons to over $200 just because of a sprained thumb. It is outrageous!

I know what is going on: I’m paying for the deadbeats who use the hospital’s ER/services and then don’t pay. The one time I had to use the ER (and paid cash) the waiting room was filled with people who spoke only Spanish.