REFORM EXPENSIVE FOR SENIORS

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SENIORS, OPEN YOUR WALLETS

Medicare costs 13% of the federal budget ($391 billion). Because Medicare is an entitlement program, there is no way the government can limit to the number of people who qualify.

Once you retire, you receive a public pension to help you through old age. (We call this Medicare). The taxpayers cover the bill for everyone over 65.

CARROT STICK #1

THE COMMUNITY LIVING ASSISTANCE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS ACT, OR CLASS ACT

Congress is desperately trying to keep the costs of their health care reform under $900 billion. To help cover the costs of Medicare, congress now find people under 65 may kick in another $73 billion into the Medicare program.

Everyone working would be able to pay premiums for at least five years before they could qualify for benefits. The premiums would be $123 a month and would be collected while you are working. You would receive a cash benefit of at least $50 a day if you become disabled.

You could use this money to pay a home care attendant, buy some equipment, supplies, or even make home improvements as adding bathroom railings to defray the cost of nursing home care.

Retirees believe that your long-term care needs are going to be covered by Medicare. As you prepare for retirement, and pay for this disability benefit, your initial premium of $123 for the program keeps rising with time making it unattractive for healthy working age people to keep contributing to this plan.
Eventually this program would need a taxpayer bailout. It certainly keeps the long-term-care fund in the black for the first 10 years. But the true cost of expanding medical coverage are masked.

CARROT STICK #2

Ms. Pelosi and House Congress still want a government insurance plan. Going to college now are proposing a “CONSUMER OPTION” that would compete with private insurers. The government insurance plan would negotiate rates with doctors and hospitals like private insurers do. The payments would not be based on Medicare rates, since the Medicare rates so low hospitals could not survive on them--- (rural American hospitals would go out of business).

This new distorted public option if passed, would have the unintended consequence of forcing private health insurance providers out of business.
We all want reforms that would provide subsidies to the poor, and insure that everyone at least got a basic plan. Insurance companies could not deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

YOUR MEDICARE PREMIUMS GOING UP

Your Medicare costs are going over a hundred dollars for the first time. This is a result of the rise in medical costs. About 27% of Medicare beneficiaries will have to pay higher premiums or have someone else pay for the hike.

Many seniors will be shielded from the increase because under federal law their Medicare premiums can't go up more than their increase in Social Security benefits. Because inflation now is extremely low, you may not see an increase in premiums next year. You can also count on Medicare cutting their expenses by $100 billion by eliminating wasteful testing of seniors.

Seniors insist on their own security be protected through any current health care reform. Seniors are also concerned about paying higher insurance premiums than their children. The baby boomers that are between the ages of 50 and 65, who now buy their own insurance, typically pay a much higher premium than anyone else.

In their proposed health reform budget, Congress is using desperate shenanigans to keep the budget under $900 billion. They have shifted money into Medicaid to cover adults for the first time.

Senior Medical Advantage has now been stripped, and federal money is being placed under various other programs to finance this health reform bill under $900 billion. Congress insists there will be no added costs to the Medicare program in the first 10 years. But this overall package is masking the true costs of expanding medical coverage to everyone.

Seniors, help Uncle Sam by opening up your wallets. There is no free lunch.

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