Obama 'Ready To Sign' Boehner-Pelosi Deal To Overhaul Medicare

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

WASHINGTON — A major deal struck between House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to overhaul Medicare appeared to win President Barack Obama's endorsement on Wednesday.

"As we speak Congress is working to fix the Medicare-physician payment system. I've got my pen ready to sign a good bipartisan bill, which would be really exciting," he said in a speech about Obamacare at the White House. "I love when Congress passes bipartisan bills that I can sign. It's always very encouraging."

The presidential endorsement could sway enough Senate Democrats, who have emerged as a potential obstacle, to support the agreement.

"We're just looking at it now," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said moments before Obama's remarks Wednesday. "We'll see where we come out."

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/obama-backs-medicare-deal

[ananda]

1. I worry about this bill.

..

[still_one]

4. I agree, it is a bad bill, throwing the expense on those who are least able to afford it.

[Veilex]

18. I presume you have access to the details of the agreement?

Could you share a link to them?

[still_one]

35. no. my impression is based on a call I received from AARP saying that the costs that will go up for

Mddi-Gap will impact people who cannot afford it, and urging to contact your respective legislators and tell them to vote no on it if the burden is placed on the beneficiaries

[Veilex]

38. Hmmm... would be nice to see some hard numbers on this one.

If it targets those who're well-to-do, then it would be reasonable. But without seeing actual numbers, it becomes a guessing game.

[still_one]

40. I agree

[snooper2]

34. Is there a link or summary of the text?

[wordpix]

28. anything Boner wants is suspect & why have we heard NOTHING about it ahead of time?

[PoliticAverse]

2. What is he trying to do - derail this compromise by endorsing it?... n/t

[truthisfreedom]

3. Haha.

[DJ13]

5. The part about reduced Medigap spending sounds bad

[rurallib]

6. fuck I wish we could depend on deomocrats to have our backs

[still_one]

7. I called Senator Feinstein's office, one of my Senators, and was told the way the bill stands now

she would vote against it. Which if find encouraging.

I couldn't get through to Senator Boxer, but left a message

[rurallib]

9. I called my reps office (I have no real senators - Grassley / Ernst)

And I was told that the congressman is studying it very closely, since he wants to be assured that no medicare recipient will be hurt.

[still_one]

13. You should still call them and voice your opposition. I was originally from Iowa. It used to be

reliable blue state. What happened?

[rurallib]

19. eastern Iowa is still blue but subject

to some of the worst negative campaign practices in the country which discourages voters. In short, this is where the assholes come to practice their venomous campaigns and dump a shitload of money.

Think I will call their offices.

[still_one]

36. I was from Sioux City, the other side of the state. Thanks for the insight, it has been a while I

have been there

[left-of-center2012]

31. I agree

I'd like more info on that (reduced Medigap spending) but Google didn't help.

[barbtries]

8. my bet is that

boehner won't get the republicans to go for it. i mean if it is a reasonable bill.

eta which it appears it is not. i love DU

[PoliticAverse]

12. That's why it has to be bi-partisan, many of the Republicans in the house will vote against it. n/t

[left-of-center2012]

32. boehner won't get the republicans to go for it.

They'll probably demand another Benghazi hearing, to see if there's a connection.

[ProudProg2u]

10. Something just does not smell right about this...

Doctors already don't like taking new medicare patients..And I know about what I speak...!!! Every-time I read another article like this I think about George Carlin..."These rich cocksuckers don't care about you at-all...,at-all,... at-all...!!!"

[PoliticAverse]

15. The issue is every year the 'temporary' increased payments to Doctors for Medicare expires

and has to be renewed else payments get cut greatly.

[vi5]

11. So if it's "bipartisan"

I'm guessing we're screwed in some way? The only way Republicans sign on to anything is if it screws over Democrats.

I wish I could trust that Democrats would have our backs but that's a big "if" at this point.

[PoliticAverse]

14. Obviously something will have to be given away in compromise. n/t

[vi5]

25. Exactly. And it's always from our side.

Dems give away things that affect actual large groups of citizens. Republicans "compromises" are giving away things that affect a fringe group of lunatics. And even then those things likely don't actually affect any of them, it's just things that will piss them off.

That's what compromise means in our modern political climate.

[awoke_in_2003]

39. Bipartisan means...

both parties are fucking you

[bigdarryl]

16. Obama still caving into rethugs demands

Why I'm I not surprise.All I got to say hurry up 2017

[OKNancy]

17. what is in the bill...

The deal would end the perennial "doc fix" problem by replacing a formula that imposes steep annual cuts to Medicare physician payments. The package would also cut Medicare benefits for higher-income seniors and reduce spending on supplemental "Medigap" plans. It would extend the Children's Health Insurance Program for two years.

[Veilex]

21. I'm curious as to what constitutes "higher-income seniors".

And how much of a cut are we talking about?

[OKNancy]

23. Sounds reasonable

—Recipients' costs: Individuals earning at least $134,000 annually and couples making at least $267,000 would pay higher premiums for Medicare medical and prescription drug coverage. Individuals making at least $85,000 and couples earning $170,000 already pay larger premiums. Starting in 2020, people buying new Medigap policies, which cover costs Medicare does not insure, would pay at least $147 annually out-of-pocket, compared to some policies today with no out-of-pocket expenses.

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/297438561.html

[Veilex]

24. That does sound reasonable. Thanks.

[bread_and_roses]

26. So do low-income seniors pay more for Medigap?

"Starting in 2020, people buying new Medigap policies, which cover costs Medicare does not insure, would pay at least $147 annually out-of-pocket, compared to some policies today with no out-of-pocket expenses."

?

I don't know why I bother .... nothing is or ever will be "fair" about health care in the US as long as we have a for-profit system.

[OKNancy]

27. I already pay the $147. minimum per year.

but actually I've never paid it because the only time I've been to the doctor since I've been on it is for the basic things that are free under Obamacare/Medicare

[wordpix]

29. this could be a problem " imposes steep annual cuts to Medicare physician payments"

not that I feel sorry for high income physicians but do all of them take Medicare patients?

Many docs don't take Medicaid patients, which reduces drastically the no. of docs you can see with that insurance. I just would not like to see the same for seniors. If docs' paymts are cut, some may no longer treat these patients unless they have to.

[PoliticAverse]

33. You missed the rest of the sentence, this bill would eliminate those steep annual cuts.

The deal would end the perennial "doc fix" problem by replacing a formula that imposes steep annual cuts to Medicare physician payments.

[mpcamb]

41. Which means drop outs

from the high pay end-orthopedists, and other specialists and subspecialists. They'll quit the program if it mean loss of a boat payment.

[FairWinds]

20. I wonder if the Dems in Congress could take the trouble . .

to read this legislation before they vote for it?

A number of Congressional Dems say they were unaware in 2006
that In 2006, the [Jim Hightower] Postal Accountability and Enhancement
Act — an incredible piece of ugliness requiring the agency to PRE-PAY the
health care benefits not only of current employees, but also of all employees
who'll retire during the next 75 years. Yes, that includes employees
who're not yet born!

[OKNancy]

22. More details here:

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/297438561.html

—Medicare doctors' fees: Abolishes 1997 formula linking reimbursements to overall economic growth, which in recent years has threatened deep payment cuts that Congress has blocked. Replaced with 0.5 percent annual increases for five years and economic incentives for doctors to bill for care quality, not quantity of services.

—Community health centers: $7.2 billion over two years. Keeps funding at centers at same level as past five years under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Without extra money, funding drops to around $1.5 billion annually. About 1,300 centers nationwide serve millions of low-income people.

—Children's Health Insurance Program: Around $5 billion for two more years of funding for popular program serving about 8 million low-income children and pregnant women annually. Money otherwise expires Oct. 1.

—Health aid to poor: Makes two programs permanent. One helps low-income seniors from paying Medicare medical premiums. The other lets poor families keep Medicaid coverage for a year as they look for work.

MORE at the link

[wordpix]

30. how financed: add to fed deficits, $70B split between recipients & providers

How financed: About two-thirds would be paid for by adding to federal deficits over coming decade. Remaining roughly $70 billion split roughly between Medicare recipients and providers.

so just go more into debt and charge higher Medicare premiums/copays for recipients. Providers having to pay more will just pass costs on to patients.

Some parts of this bill look great but these details are troubling

[Doctor_J]

37. Medicare will be profitized soon. If you look around du, the fan club now believes that

Heritage Care is actually better than single payer. When Medicare gets profitized, you won't have to go to Fox nation to see the cheering mobs. There will be plenty of rejoicing right here, as long as Obama or Hillary signs it into law.