The BIG lie...

Yesterday, the New York Times quoted President Obama as saying " Nobody is talking about cutting Medicare benefits." The President has a penchant for absolute statements that borders on being disingenuous. He also says, according to the New York Times, that "he can cut bloated Medicare payments to inefficient health care providers without adversely affecting any beneficiaries." Huh?

LIke the $50,000 reimbursement to doctors for amputations, this just flunks the reality test. The Medicare reimbursement rates have nothing to do with efficiency. Medicare sets rates for reimbursement for procedures, and services. If the provider is inefficient, he/she simply doesn't make any money. But it has nothing to do with the "bloated" Medicare payments. In fact, Medicare payments are well under the reimbursement rate provided by private insurance companies. So it is hard to see what is bloated about them.

You can test this yourself. Ask your Doctor how he/she feels about Medicare's reimbursement rates. Or...did you ever wonder why waiting rooms are so crowded? Why do you have to wait all day to see the doctor? Did you wonder why you only spend 15 minutes with your doctor? Contrary to the President's bald assertion, Medicare reimbursement rates are creating incentives for doctors to see as many patients as possible in each hour. You can do your own market research, just ask your doctor if his/her income has increased or decreased in the last 10 years.

Except for the AARP, every senior is or should be nervous about the future of Medicare. The President talks about cutting the cost of Medicare but not the benefits. The President says he is going to cut waste, but then says that Medicare is far more efficient than private insurers citing its 4% cost of administration. Of course, one solution dearly loved by every President is the old fraud, waste and inefficiency. If you believe that one, please send me your email address so that I can forward the mail I get from Nigerian banks that want to send me money.