Medicare premiums to rise 17 percent

[Gunit_Sangh]

Posted 9/3/2004 3:54 PM Updated 9/3/2004 4:09 PM

Medicare premiums to rise 17 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare premiums for doctor visits will rise 17% next year, the largest increase in the program's 40-year history, the Bush administration said Friday.

Monthly payments for Part B of the government health care program — doctor visits and most other non-hospital expenses — will jump to $78.20 from $66.60.

The premiums are updated annually under a formula set by law. The federal government picks up about 75% of the cost of Part B benefits and beneficiaries pay the rest.

The increase reflects rapidly rising health costs and last year's Medicare overhaul, said Dr. Mark McClellan, administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Rest of story
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-09-03-medicare_x.htm

[LizW]

1. Ah, it must be Friday afternoon (n/t)

[tridim]

2. Didn't * say healhcare is now more affordable

about 12 hours ago?

[tandot]

3. Thanks, Bush

for screwing the poor...again...

[happynewyear]

4. I wonder how much the SS cost-of-living increase will be?

It is supposed to always be more than the increase for Medicare supposedly. Of course as we've seen, this has not been the case.

I believe is was >2% last year; this year even less?

:dem: :kick:

[loudsue]

5. Yep! Here comes the Friday afternoon bad-news dump.

It's bush's TYPICAL modus operendi: Tell everyone in a big speech what a GREAT guy you are, and how repukes "help" everyone, and the next day, screw 'em as best you can....and run like hell!

Remember that childhood rhyme?

Georgie Porgie puddin' and pie
Kissed the girls & made 'em cry:
When the BOYS came out to play
Georgie Porgie ran away!!

When Babs read that poem to him as a child, shrub must'a thought she was trying to teach him how it's supposed to be! He sure "learned good".

:kick::kick:

[Moderator]

6. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x799982