More Democrats ready to concede on means-testing for Medicare?
Means testing won’t reduce Medicare costs enough for Republicans who want a big deal on entitlements and the idea still outrages some liberal Democrats in the House and Senate who fear that it’s a foot in the door to much deeper cuts to the senior-citizen health care program.
And even though Democrats are open to this one cost cutting move, they are saying no to increasing the eligibility age on Medicare; no to touching Social Security; and no to cutting into Medicaid programs that cover the poor and disabled. Many of these concerns were voiced directly by liberals to White House economic adviser Gene Sperling in a closed-door Senate Democratic lunch on Thursday.
Yet as an olive branch to Republicans, a number of Senate Democrats are ready to drop their long-standing opposition to Medicare means testing if it means the GOP will raise taxes on the top 2 percent of wage earners and if it’s part of a large, deficit reduction plan.
But there is an overwhelming opposition in the Senate and House Democratic caucuses to going any further, showing just how little room President Barack Obama has to maneuver as he tries to reach a deal with House Speaker John Boehner on the fiscal cliff.
Blowback
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There’s already means testing, at least for Part B. And I was never asked if I wished to subscribe to Part B, either. I was simply informed that my Part B was going to cost X, and that I am being charged an additional X, based on information from my 2010 tax return.
Is that, or it is not, means testing?
coppertop on December 14, 2012 at 11:05 AM
It can’t be worse than what Jugears is already doing – reducing the reimbursement rates to doctors. At the rate he’s going, in two years no doctors will be accepting Medicare patients.
platypus on December 14, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Why the heck can’t we scale the welfare state back to just meeting the needs of the truly needy. Why do all Ameicans have to be dragooned into all these darn rograms instead of being allowed to fend for ourselves.
Make participation in Social Security and Medicare voluntary. That will dramatically reduce federal obligations.
On what grounds can the Leftists honestly and openly object?
They can’t admit that these programs are for vote buying, influence peddling, and coercion.
Charlemagne on December 14, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Allow me to try…”THE POINT OF A SOCIAL SAFETY NET IS THAT IT’S THERE IF YOU NEED IT!!111!1″
But, I agree with you. Republicans should come out and say they are now in favor of a public option…out of SS and/or Medicare. Use the Biden line, “What’s wrong with a little competition?”
The Count on December 14, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Of course they are. It moves the program more into their liking. Marxist. From each according to his ability (2.9% for the first $200,000 in income plus 3.8% after to infinity), to each according to their need.
This completely destroys the basis on which the programs were sold.
astonerii on December 14, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Back in my early 20s, when I was making about 19k a year or so, my boss was 70, a multimillionaire, and made use of Medicare. I used to ask the Leftists on campus where was the “social justice” in taking part of my pittance of a wage to pay for the health care of my millionaire boss. None of them could ever give me a straight answer.
JimLennon on December 14, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Means testing is the best thing for people that care about the United States and the freedoms is guarantees for its citizens. Once a significant minority of people are no longer eligible for social welfare programs like Medicare, they will be less likely to support those politicians that expand the social welfare programs at the ballot box.
ramesees on December 14, 2012 at 12:50 PM
I don’t have a problem with paying more. I can afford to do so, and it is simple logic that those who don’t need the help should be responsible for more of their own medical expenses. I do have a problem with Democrats and Republicans acting horrified whenever means testing is suggested, when they are damned well doing it already, whatever they’re calling it.
coppertop on December 14, 2012 at 5:12 PM