Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The mother of unfunded mandates: Someone has to pay for health care 'savings'
Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, July 21, 2009 | Editorial

Posted on 07/20/2009 9:52:50 PM PDT by JohnRLott

The Congressional Budget Office delivered a couple of blows to President Obama's health care proposals last week. Fear of the trillion dollar costs and at least $240 billion in increased deficits are chasing away even Democrats. And that's not the worst of it. The price tag is actually much higher than reported because many of the real costs are paid for by others.

The $219 billion of "savings" touted by House Democrats refers to hospital and doctors getting less for their services. This is what the government already does with Medicaid and Medicare, which on average pay 30 percent less for procedures than private insurers. In such instances, hospitals and doctors get less and/or the "savings" are translated into other patients paying more to cover the shortfall. This can more accurately be referred to as "cost shifting," not "savings." . . .

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: healthcare; medicaid; mittcare; obama; obamacare; romneycare; unfundedmandates; washingtontimes

1 posted on 07/20/2009 9:52:51 PM PDT by JohnRLott
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott

When I tell people that (I believe) 40% of the cost of this monstrosity will be on the backs of the elderly and the poor because it is to be paid for by the reduction in Medicare and Medicaid costs.....I get blank stares.

But unless the states pick up the “saved” costs from Med and Med, that;s exactly what will happen.

Those two systems already in place will become even more rationed healthcare systems....and more and more doctors will be unable to financially handle as many Med and Med patients.

Doctors will be punished.
Full fare payers will be punished.
The elderly and the poor will be punished.
At least 80 million who have private health insurance and who do not want the government deathcare - will be FORCED to get it....

All to supposedly pay for “free” healthcare for illegal aliens (Dem Party voting base) and others who do not WANT health insurance.

The small group who truly need health insurance - but who cannot afford it such as the unemployed ....surely there is a way to help this group without damaging ALL the rest!


2 posted on 07/20/2009 10:02:49 PM PDT by Freedom'sWorthIt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott

Thanks for writing this, John.

Say hello to Jason and tell him that he has FReeper support.


3 posted on 07/20/2009 10:04:36 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (FR...Monthly Donors Wanted...I Upped My Monthly. Now, Up Yours.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott

The gov’t skims the money off the top and forces the docs and patients to take it in the shorts.

Very simple, very longstanding business practice in certain fields.

Now, the skimming will include off the bottom, too, so that the elderly and people with more difficult conditions are $#!T out of luck—sayeth the wise wizard of 0badeath.


4 posted on 07/20/2009 10:10:29 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Fili et Spiritus Sancti.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

IOW, you won’t be a problem much longer. Just take this pill. Depressed. Not a problem. Take this little pill. In pain? No worries. Here’s a pill to help that. Yes, you are scheduled to see the heart specialist—in 9 months. No your condition does not fall into your age category. You will only be able to see a doctor in 1 year.

Oh hi, Mr. Bureaucrat Party Member. Yes, the Doctor will see you now. No, not that one, this one over here. Coffee? Green Tea? Pelligrino?


5 posted on 07/20/2009 10:14:09 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Fili et Spiritus Sancti.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott
One word, Paygo. Or is it two words?

We pay, but they don't go. They just stick around and make us pay more. That's it, Paymore!

6 posted on 07/20/2009 10:17:11 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (If Hitler used a TelePrompter, we would all be speaking German...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott; All
The mother of unfunded mandates: Someone has to pay for health care 'savings'

Analysis: House Health Care Bill’s Price Tag Tops $1.6 Trillion
Medicare Took One Year; Reform To Take Decade [Uninsured Must Wait For 2013!]
On health care, Blue Dogs may wag tails
President Obama mixes it up in health care brawl
Stop the Health Care Bill in Committee Tomorrow!
Logic Gets Lost Amid Hysteria About 'Reform'

Mandating Abortion Coverage in Health Care Plan (Jay Sekulow's Trial Notebook)
Obama: August healthcare deadline may 'spill over'
Freep a POll! (AOL. Obozo-care, overall)
ABORTION IS NOT HEALTH CARE (Oregon Action Alert)
Obama Admin Won't Rule Out Abortion Funding in Health Care Bill

Abortion Debate May Complicate Efforts to Overhaul Health Care
Taxpayer Funding for Abortion: Another Sleeper Issue in Health Care Reform?
Rep. Tiahrt: With Tax-Funded Abortions Obama Might Not Have Been Born
National Right to Life: Condition Red, The Obama Abortion Agenda (in Obamacare)
Obama: The Mayo Clinic is a beacon on health care; Mayo Clinic: ObamaCare stinks

Obama's Health Care Desperation
Kristol Tells Republicans to Go for the Kill on Obama Healthcare Reform
FREEP THIS POLL ON HEALTH CARE NOW!
On abortion, don't ask, don't tell
STOP THE ABORTION MANDATE (that got slipped into the Obamacare bill)
Do you support Obama's health care plan?

Why The Getting Obamacare Passed Before The August Recess Is Critically Important to TOTUS
Health Bill Might Direct Tax Money to Abortion
Obama no longer stressing August deadline for passing health reform bill
BLUE DOG DEMS CAN KILL OBAMA HEALTH CARE REFORM (from Laura Ingraham)
The Silent FOCA: Vast Abortion Expansion Slowly Coming to Light in Healthcare Package

7 posted on 07/20/2009 10:34:53 PM PDT by Salvation (With God all things are possible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott

ObamaCare = RAID for seniors.

If you see otherwise, pleae make me wise the the deal.


8 posted on 07/20/2009 11:54:08 PM PDT by ASOC (Who is that fat lady? And why is she singing???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnRLott
unfunded mandates

Such a nice, vaporous euphemism.

9 posted on 07/21/2009 11:43:58 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (WWFUAMLD?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: long hard slogger; FormerACLUmember; Harrius Magnus; hocndoc; parousia; Hydroshock; skippermd; ...


Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

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

**This is a high volume ping list! (sign of the times)**


10 posted on 07/21/2009 1:36:51 PM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: socialismisinsidious
Aaaarrrgh!
11 posted on 07/21/2009 7:20:18 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Color me red, white and blue - I attended a tea party on July 4th.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson