Revamping Medicare, Medicare For All, Thoughts on Affordable Care

Proposals to Revamp Medicare

From Kaiser Health News:  "Congress is unlikely to consider legislation that would fundamentally restructure Medicare until a new Congress -- and possibly a new president -- are seated in 2013.  But politicians have sought to tackle the growth in Medicare costs several times in the past two years, most notably in the 2010 health care law and, then again, in last year's budget deal."

"The more immediate pressure is to reduce the deficit by the end of this year to stop automatic 2 percent spending cuts from going into effect in 2013, as required by last year's budget agreement.  That will likely entail slowing spending in Medicare, which provides health care to 47 million seniors and disabled people and consumes about 15 percent of the federal budget.  Kaiser Health News answered several frequently-asked questions about the timeline for overhauling Medicare and reducing spending, and the proposals under consideration."

Highly recommended, as is every piece of original work from Kaiser Health News.

Talk About Universal Medicare

"Conservatives and liberals may disagree about the constitutionality of the individual mandate requiring all uninsured Americans to buy health insurance from private companies or pay a penalty to the IRS.  But there is no debate about whether single-payer Medicare For All would be constitutional.  No one -- not even the most hard core, right-wing libertarians -- disputes that the federal government has the constitutional authority to tax all Americans to pay for Medicare-style health insurance for all, as it pays for Medicare for everyone over 65."

Supreme Court and Affordable Care

"Conservative intellectuals are feeling giddy.  Last week they feasted on the veritable mauling of Solicitor General Donald Verrilli by the Supreme Court’s five conservative justices.  (In truth, Verrilli was only questioned by four of the conservatives -- Justice Clarence Thomas, true to form, didn’t speak.)"

"... there is really no question that existing Commerce Clause doctrine squarely supports the law.  If the court wants to redefine Commerce Clause doctrine, five votes can do it.  But it will be an act of judicial activism and require an entire rewriting of our understanding of what powers Congress does and does not have in its arsenal to deal with national economic problems.  Bear in mind, the mandate in this case is conceptually no different from the existing mandate that every employed person pay into the fund that supports Medicare, whether the individual does now, or ever will, benefit from the Medicare system."

Sen. Schumer's Take

"Senator Chuck Schumer is trying to reset the expectations for the Supreme Court's ruling on the president's health care law."  "'If they were to throw out the health care law, things like Medicare, Social Security, food-safety laws could be in jeopardy on the very same grounds,' he said.  'It would be a dramatic, 180-degree turn of the tradition of the Commerce Clause.'"

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2012 On Their Minds, Ryan Budget

Quieter on the national scene with Congress back home.

More About 2012

"Path to prosperity or road to ruin?  That is the question and how it is being defined as the Republicans approved a budget this week in the House.  The budget is literally a blueprint that would dramatically transform Medicare, cut domestic spending to levels not seen in almost 70 years and force a dynamic overhaul of the tax code."

"The plan was passed 228-191 without a single Democratic vote and 10 Republican defectors.  It provided the stage from which the 2012 elections will be fought with fierce determination and a clear choice for voters.  The Democratic side of the argument will attempt to portray the Republican budget plan as punishing the elderly and impoverished (Medicare cuts), while rewarding the GOP's 'base' with further and more lucrative tax cuts."

Yes, yes.  We know more and more about how the 2012 elections might play out.

Ryan Budget

"The Republican Medicare plan, which does indeed end Medicare as we know it (just a little bit slower than the Paul Ryan budget they adopted last year) isn't finding much support outside the party, despite the fact that the 'premium support' Ryan included in the budget is derived partly from a plan he cooked up with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)."

No Allies

"House Republicans are struggling to make the case that their proposed Medicare overhaul has broad support.   The GOP has been ramping up its argument that Democrats have, in the past, supported 'premium support' reforms despite the party's united attacks against the proposal ahead of the November elections.  They are trying to persuade voters that Republicans have a bipartisan plan to save the program from bankruptcy, while painting Democrats as hypocrites out to scare seniors."

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Republican Health Care Hypocrisy, Medicare Toxic for GOP, Social Security, Affordable Care Support

GOP Loves Government-Run Health Care

"There’s always hypocrisy in Washington but past and present Republican presidential candidates have used the debate on healthcare to take it to heights unimaginable even in the nation’s capital. This week the Supreme Court heard arguments on the Affordable Care Act and the GOP tried again to cripple Medicare, the federal health insurance program for seniors."

"All of them say they oppose the Affordable Care Act because they claim it is 'government run healthcare.'  But don’t panic, because they’re wrong.  Since President Obama decided not to fight for a single payer plan or even for the public option, healthcare is still in the deadly clutches of the insurance companies.  Even if the Republicans candidates were right, they have some nerve even making the argument.  While they all criticize government run healthcare and Medicare, as members of Congress they took full advantage of the gold plated healthcare insurance provided by the United States government.  What the Republicans are really saying is that government run healthcare is fine for them but too good for working families."

Can Ryan Plan Destroy the GOP?

"The Paul Ryan-authored budget approved by the House on Thursday has zero chance of being enacted, thanks to Democratic control of the Senate and White House.  But there is a 100 percent chance that it will feature prominently in Democratic campaign ads and talking points from now through the November election."

"This is a potential problem for Republicans, since a major component of the plan is a radical overhaul of Medicare, one of the most popular government programs.  Ryan’s budget also calls for steep tax reductions that would disproportionately benefit the affluent and would potentially cut deeply into the social safety net.  Just like the Medicare voucher plan that Ryan proposed and House Republicans lined up behind last year, it is a document that Democrats are itching to run against this fall, and to which they hope to tie every Republican candidate.  Republicans, obviously, are well aware of this. Many of them don’t care."

It's charming to think that Republicans voting to kill Medicare might simple "have no choice."  I don't buy it!  Get some courage.

AARP & Social Security

"AARP, the most powerful lobby for senior citizens, is committed to keeping Social Security out of any deficit debate going on in Washington, a top official told The Huffington Post.  Three progressive organizations -- Social Security Works, Credo Action and the blog FireDogLake.com -- launched campaigns aimed at pressuring AARP to stand up for Social Security after HuffPost reported that the elderly lobby was planning to host a high-level 'salon-style conversation' with deficit hawks and advocates of cutting Social Security.  Tens of thousands -- including thousands of AARP members -- signed petitions urging AARP not to support benefit cuts."

"[AARP's top lobbyist, Nancy] LeaMond said that the group's recently organized national tour called You've Earned A Say is a way to give members a chance to let AARP know how they feel about Social Security and Medicare."

A Wrinkle

"The individual insurance requirement that the Supreme Court is reviewing isn't the first federal mandate involving health care.  There's a Medicare payroll tax on workers and employers, for example, and a requirement that hospitals provide free emergency services to indigents.  Health care is full of government dictates, some arguably more intrusive than President Barack Obama's overhaul law.  It's a wrinkle that has caught the attention of the justices."

MORE:  Schumer: Don’t Be Fooled By Tough Questions From Justices On ‘Obamacare’

For Your Information

Michele Bachmann Thinks People ‘Choose’ To Not Have Health Insurance, Not Because They Can’t Afford It

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