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

Skip to comments.

Obama’s new healthcare dilemma
the hill ^ | 6 Apr 14 | Jonathan Easley

Posted on 04/06/2014 3:36:03 AM PDT by SkyPilot

Democrats are battling the White House over proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage, creating a new divide on healthcare just as the party had begun to rally around ObamaCare’s 7.1 million enrollees.

The issue threatens the newfound momentum Democrats have on healthcare after a late surge of ObamaCare enrollees surprised and electrified a party that had been beaten down after months of bad news associated with the healthcare law’s rollout. It’s particularly sensitive during an election year, as both parties court senior voters, who make up a disproportionate percentage of the voting population in midterm elections.

The issue creates another talking point for Republican candidates in a year when the party hopes to gain control of the Senate.

Dozens of Democrats have joined Republicans in calling on the administration to keep Medicare Advantage rates flat to avoid cutting benefits for seniors.

The program has been championed by Republicans as a private market alternative to Medicare. Under the program, seniors can enroll in a plan offered by a private insurer, and the federal government pays the insurer directly.

Support for the program is a reversal for many Democrats, who have historically lampooned the alternative to government health insurance as receiving outsized federal support in comparison to Medicare. The Democratic-led Congress that passed the Affordable Care Act partially paid for it by enacting $200 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage over 10 years.

The administration will announce 2015 rates for Medicare Advantage on Monday.

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


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: medicare; medicareadvantage; obamacare; seniors
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last
To: EBH

Perfect.


21 posted on 04/06/2014 5:37:10 AM PDT by savedbygrace (But God!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

“The issue threatens the newfound momentum Democrats have on healthcare....”

Delusion.


22 posted on 04/06/2014 6:05:23 AM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gen.Blather
Destroying Medicare would be doing this country a huge favor. It is a massive, bloated entitlement program that simply cannot be sustained in a country with a demographic profile like ours.

When you see Republicans trying to "save" a monstrosity like this, you know the country isn't serious about facing these problems head-on.

23 posted on 04/06/2014 6:23:54 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("I've never seen such a conclave of minstrels in my life.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

“Destroying Medicare would be doing this country a huge favor. It is a massive, bloated entitlement program that simply cannot be sustained in a country with a demographic profile like ours. “

You’re right. I was pointing out that even their proposed bill of not-cutting Medicare is the same as cutting it because of inflation. So, even if it isn’t “cut” fewer doctors will accept it. Medicare will eventually exist in name only. Our politicians are gutless.

Medicare will be like Obamacare, a very expensive but non-functional program that’s worse than not having “insurance” at all. Incidentally, Congress recently passed a bill to interdict medications coming into the country from outside “for safety” reasons. This is an effort to force those of us going insurance-commando into buying Obamacare. The article on this stated that enforcement before the 2014 elections was unlikely.


24 posted on 04/06/2014 6:40:46 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot
the newfound momentum Democrats have on healthcare after a late surge of ObamaCare enrollees surprised and electrified a party

How awful the media have become.


25 posted on 04/06/2014 6:52:24 AM PDT by Jim Noble (When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot
The Democratic-led Congress that passed the Affordable Care Act partially paid for it by enacting $200 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage over 10 years.

Wasn't it $500 Billion in 10 years....?

Like most of Obamacare accounting....they hired some ethnic minorities for the job....

Australian Aborigines....who count 1...2...3 ....many.

26 posted on 04/06/2014 7:25:12 AM PDT by spokeshave (OMG.......Schadenfreude overload is not covered under Obamacare :-()
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ronnie raygun

They didn’t “need” those retirement assets and it isn’t fair that they saved that money in the first place./sarc


27 posted on 04/06/2014 7:27:17 AM PDT by Rusty0604
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: clearcarbon
"a late surge of ObamaCare enrollees surprised and electrified ...

Electrified eh....I want to see them Shellacked...and Electroplated.....

28 posted on 04/06/2014 7:28:38 AM PDT by spokeshave (OMG.......Schadenfreude overload is not covered under Obamacare :-()
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: spokeshave
Mike Haridopolos: "Obamacare cuts $500 billion in future ... - PolitiFact www.politifact.com/.../mike-haridopolos-takes-health-care...‎ PolitiFact.com

Jun 9, 2011 - "Obamacare cuts $500 billion in future Medicare funding in order to fund the new ... Strip aside the derisive references to Obamacare and you have an ... Or they enroll in Medicare Advantage programs (they include drug ...

Obamacare strips $500 Billion from Medicare. When you listen to the... ragingbull.com/forum/topic/945606‎ RagingBull.com

May 19, 2012 - 3 posts - ‎3 authors Obamacare strips $500 Billion from Medicare. ... For example, the plan phases out payments to the Medicare Advantage program, an optional ... More Cuts In Store For Medicare Plans -- Here Are The Options That ...

www.forbes.com/.../more-cuts-in-store-for-medicare-plans-heres-t...‎ Forbes

Jan 6, 2014 - Even after facing steep cuts under Obamacare, the Advantage plans are now ... discrepancy, cutting more than $150 billion from these plans. ... More than 1.5 million seniors were covered by about 500 of these plans in 2013. .... and to strip away our freedom of choice (eg Medicare Advantage, to buy or not ...

29 posted on 04/06/2014 7:41:31 AM PDT by spokeshave (OMG.......Schadenfreude overload is not covered under Obamacare :-()
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Jim Noble

You posted a graphic with no explanation in a language most FReepers cannot read. And it’s a 2000 x 2323 pixel gif, way larger than most screens. Why?


30 posted on 04/06/2014 8:51:09 AM PDT by upchuck (Support ABLE, the Anybody But Lindsey Effort. Yes, we are the ABLE!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: upchuck

Sorry about the .gif size answer to your question “why” is that I’m a dope.

Answer to why the image - because the propaganda regime we have now is as bad as Volkischer Beobachter - not necessary that you read German to get the point.


31 posted on 04/06/2014 9:01:58 AM PDT by Jim Noble (When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
Destroying Medicare would be doing this country a huge favor.

Imposing socialized medicine will eliminate Medicare and Medicaid real quick. Are you sure you want this?

32 posted on 04/06/2014 9:34:41 AM PDT by Mike Darancette (Do The Math)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace

One last thought to add to that Meeker quote and the ACA...

Consider the death panels I mentioned, but also consider the insistence on birth control and abortions...

Pretty astounding stuff when you take the time to speak with these educated type liberals, it is about elimination of the breed...


33 posted on 04/06/2014 10:21:54 AM PDT by EBH (And the head wound was healed, and Gog became man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Mike Darancette
Dude:

Medicare and Medicaid ARE socialized medicine.

34 posted on 04/06/2014 1:39:37 PM PDT by Alberta's Child ("I've never seen such a conclave of minstrels in my life.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last

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