Health Care: H.R. 3962 Government's Assault on Seniors?

This past week the House released its version of the national health care legislation.   Democratic leaders in the House warned members that debate on the floor may stretch through the weekend and into next week so the House can vote on the bill before the Nov. 11 Veterans Day holiday.

You can read all 1990 pages here:

http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf

The latest version sets up 111 new federal bureaucracies, boards, commissions and programs. 

Medicare Cuts

It is estimated that the H.R. 3962’s provisions would cut $229 billion from Medicare payments to doctors (other than for “primary care) over 10 years, as well as cutting $170 billion from the Medicare Advantage program.  But every year since 2003, Congress has acted to prevent cuts in Medicare spending which were mandated in 1997.  And less than two weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attempted to pass a bill freezing Medicare cuts for 10 years.  

Beyond the first ten years, the CBO assumes those Medicare savings will increase faster (in percentage terms) than the cost of expanding coverage. If you’re like me, you laughed when you read that. The CBO’s analysis of Medicare and Medicaid savings is the economic equivalent of predicting that the sun will rise in the west.

Republicans are preparing to unveil their own health bill in the next few days. Republican Congresmen indicated  that the plan wouldn't seek to prevent health-insurance companies from denying sick people insurance -- a key plank of the Democrats' legislation.

Instead, the bill would allow insurance firms to sell policies across state lines, permit small businesses to pool their risks to bring down costs, change medical-malpractice laws and give state governments more flexibility to pursue rule changes.

Immigrants & Health Care

While those immigrants wouldn't have access to government subsidies to buy insurance, the bill leaves open the possibility that they could participate in the public health-insurance plan if they paid the premiums out of their own pockets.

It is one area where the House bill contrasts with what the White House is seeking in the health-care overhaul. President Barack Obama has pledged that the health overhaul won't apply to people who are in the U.S. illegally.

Vendor Machines

If you own or operate 20 or more vending machines, then you have to put up a sign that says how many calories are in each item sold in the machines if the user can’t read the Snickers bar labels)

Comments

[Nancy Mehegan]

Thanks Rita. This Bill is so complex, the more I read, it -- the more confused I get.

[Rita@Goldivas]

It is my understanding that the cuts are to reduce increases in reimbursements, not to cut reimbursements. Big difference.

The subsidies to the Medicare Advantage providers were a pork-barrel gift that should be cut as well.

Here is a clarification of the effects on Medicare:
http://www.medicarerights.org/pdf/Fact-Sheet-Health-Reform-and-Medicare.pdf