NYT: Bush Seeks Big (more than $70 billion) Medicare and Medicaid Saving

[Bozita]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/washington/02budget.html?hp&ex=1170478800&en=8ac1990ffcd863d3&ei=5094&partner=homepage

February 2, 2007


Bush Seeks Big Medicare and Medicaid Saving
By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 — President Bush will ask Congress in his budget next week to squeeze more than $70 billion of savings from Medicare and Medicaid over the next five years, administration officials and health care lobbyists said Thursday.

The proposals, part of a White House plan to balance the budget by 2012, set the stage for a battle with Congress over entitlement spending. Even some administration officials say they cannot imagine approval of such large cutbacks in a Congress now controlled by Democrats.

Mr. Bush is also expected to propose changes in the Children’s Health Insurance Program to sharpen its focus on low-income families. The changes could reduce federal payments to states that cover children with family incomes exceeding twice the poverty level. Under federal guidelines, a family of four is considered poor if its annual income is less than $20,650.

The child health proposal, like those for Medicare and Medicaid, is likely to touch off a fight on Capitol Hill. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and other Democrats are seeking major expansions of the children’s health program, though they have not said how they would pay for the changes.

more...

[babylonsister]

1. Keep your hands off that, dimson. Everything you touch turns to shit;

don't go near Medicaid/Medicare. :grr:

[OKNancy]

2. $100 billion more requested for Iraq for ONE YEAR!

One year in Iraq is $170 billion and the bastard wants to trim $70 billion over five years from the most successful government progam ever.

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will request slightly more than $100 billion to cover war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of this year and an even larger amount for fiscal 2008 that begins on Oct. 1, congressional sources said on Thursday.

<snip>

Including other items, the request will total "a little over $100 billion," according to the Senate aide. That would come on top of $70 billion Congress already approved for the wars this year.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N01494663.htm

[Kagemusha]

5. More like for one half-year

since $70 was PREVIOUSLY approved for this year.

[OKNancy]

6. Uh, yes, that is what I posted

[Kagemusha]

8. Sorry. My reading was insufficient.

That is what you posted, apologies.

[OKNancy]

10. No problem

I probably shouldn't have even responded. Just reading the article made me testy. You got the brunt of it. :hi:

[C_U_L8R]

3. Savings? More like robbery !

George Bush hates old people.

[sutz12]

4. As usual, cuts first....tax increases from the wealthy .....never... [sigh] nt

[eShirl]

7. now now, we have to fund those taxcuts for the rich somehow

[donco6]

9. Well, my nephew's meds will be changed again . . .

Everytime this happens, they review his case and jack up his medications again in some lame attempt to save money. Then we get to deal with him hearing voices in the garage and going off on store clerks because he thinks they said something mean to him.

Will this nightmare never end?

[Warren Stupidity]

11. War or Healthcare: the choice is clear.

100s of billions for war, or decent healthcare for senior citizens and the poor. Will our new Democratic majority frame the debate correctly? Or will they fail to connect the dots, refuse to acknowledge that these are the choices?

[Captain Hilts]

12. Let's get it from the Estate Tax or Iraq War spending instead. nt

[rodeodance]

13. so his plan is to Diss the kids of the poor------to pay for HIS WAR

...The changes could reduce federal payments to states that cover children with family incomes exceeding twice the poverty level. Under federal guidelines, a family of four is considered poor if its annual income is less than $20,650.

[rodeodance]

14. non caring WH.

[LynnTheDem]

15. Taking $ from medicare to give to bush's invasions.

And if Americans allow this, then they deserve where bush is taking us.

[kineneb]

16. better: "Bush Seeks to Cut Healthcare for Poor"

subtitle: They Don't Vote for Us Anyway, So Let the Buggers Die Off"

"Let them eat cake."
Do we remember what happened after that?

[Doctor_J]

17. Yup, take money from the old & infirm

they don't vote and no one listens when they complain, so theres no downside to this.

[Zorra]

18. Bu*h should be stripped of his wealth and possessions

and be forced to live out on the streets for the rest of his natural life with a big red "POS" tatooed on his forehead.

That fascist pig is the ugliest human being on the planet.

[damntexdem]

19. "Savings!" Cuts to sorely-needed services are "savings."

And, of course, torture is "encouragement."

[Vinca]

20. Damn, he might as well line the poor and the aged up

alongside pits and have them shot. Why is there money for war, but no money for health?