So what is really up with the Medicare stuff?

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

8/15/2012 3:08 PM

I know the Capt. and DMac and some of you others are good? Your over 55, (or are you yea I now over 55 but covered? I hear something about the Ryan plan costing Seniors something like $6,000 per year?) But what about me, still 51 and under the Ryan age limit?

Well and I guess who's plan are we talking about, Gov. Romney's or Congressman Ryan's? How is this really going to work, getting a voucher? Will the doctors have set prices? Or will I actually be shopping for the cheapest doctor? (what's that about getting what I pay for?) How is this different the the current insurance industry now? How will it work with other supplemental insurance I might purchase? Well it help control costs and how? If people decide to use the voucher system and stop contributing to Medicare, how will Medicare continue at least until everyone is off it? What will prop it up? Any other benefits to the Romney/Ryan plan? I can understand that we have to be careful to insure Medicare is there for all, but can't that be done with benefit changes such as age and maybe premiums?

So what is the deal about the President taking $700+million or is it billion? out of medicare for the Affordable Patent Care Act? (Obamacare to those on the right, Romneycare to my son who I have to say is becoming a proud liberal, even way more left then me or his mother, who of course used to be a republican and of course DMac has his own saying). Where is the President taking that $700 million from? I have heard it's from savings in Medicare, I have heard it is tied into the Medicare Advantage program, What is the difference between the $700+ million that the president is cutting from the $700+ million that Ryan would cut? Oh wait, Gov. Romney says he won't cut the $700 million, how will be be paying for that?

I know this one issue isn't going to decide my vote, but who is going to get the check mark from me on this issue? Also what am going to need to do depending on November's outcomes? And don't give me the rhetoric that both campaigns are spewing, how about some facts?

Thanks! Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

Wahlin Scott B

8/15/2012 4:08 PM

It is $700 billion and it is what the CBO thinks "Obamacare" is going to save Medicare over the next 10 years. Medicare will continue to increase in cost to the nation; it will just be $700 billion less than what it would have been. Rush, Sean, Fox, Mitt, Paul, David and Sandy see this as a bad thing.

Ronald Kirkman

42 posts

8/15/2012 6:08 PM

Mel,

Don't know much about Medicare. However, Medicaid now covers about 70 million Americans and would cover an estimated 7 million more in 2014 under the Obama health law's expansion.

Many governors say they will reject the Medicaid expansion under-pinning Obama's health law after the Supreme Court's decision gave states that option. Many of those hurt by the decision are working parents who are poor - but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.

Examples: In South Carolina, a yearly income of $16,900 is too much for Medicaid for a family of three. Florida, $11,000 per year is too much. Mississippi, $8200 per year is too much. In Louisiana & Texas more than $5000 per year makes you ineligible.

Capt. Kirk
Retired Alien
Needham Golf Club
Needham, MA 02492

Wahlin Scott B

8/15/2012 7:08 PM

Just listen to the first 26 seconds of this!

[youtube">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQUvd0r9etE[/youtube">

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

8/15/2012 8:08 PM

Ronald Kirkman said: Mel,

Don't know much about Medicare. However, Medicaid now covers about 70 million Americans and would cover an estimated 7 million more in 2014 under the Obama health law's expansion.

Many governors say they will reject the Medicaid expansion under-pinning Obama's health law after the Supreme Court's decision gave states that option. Many of those hurt by the decision are working parents who are poor - but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.

Examples: In South Carolina, a yearly income of $16,900 is too much for Medicaid for a family of three. Florida, $11,000 per year is too much. Mississippi, $8200 per year is too much. In Louisiana & Texas more than $5000 per year makes you ineligible.

Capt. Kirk
Retired Alien
Needham Golf Club
Needham, MA 02492

Capt. saw an article on our local front page saying the same thing. My question is, aren't we paying for these people's care anyway through our premiums and the cost of our procedure, visits etc.? I wonder if we are paying even more, since in may instances they end up going to the emergency room when it's too late instead of getting preventative or early care that would heal them quicker and probably get them back to work quicker? I think about some of the seasonal on crews I have worked with were probably in that boat.

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

McCallum David K

8/16/2012 6:08 AM

Mel, Mel, Mel...........we know already how you're going to vote.........no need to worry about issues. Spoken like a true, die hard liberal...........no big deal, I cancel your vote, you cancel mine.

Sandy Clark

0 posts

8/16/2012 9:08 AM

Scott, I don't doubt the statement about the savings it is the reality I am concerned about. As several of us have said many times, when has the government ever been able to live up to a financial promise. The savings will never be $700 billion and the money won't go where the say it will. It will be mismanaged and end up in the general fund, just like Gore's lock box on Social Security. How many times do we need to hear the same stupid promises only to find out ten to twenty years later that estimates were off by something like 1000%? Look at the huge spike in disability that is going on right now. It is a scam and will cost us multiple billions. Are that many people suddenly being injured on the job after all these years of OSHA enforcement and fines? Of course not, it is people and probably some unethical doctors scamming the system. Social security stared out quite simple yet expanded into several areas it should not have. Look at the governments track record and ask yourself why you should believe anything promised by a politician. I don't want to have to say I told you so in twenty years because it will mean another government program failure costing us huge dollars but I am convinced that is what will happen!

Albert Kronwall

0 posts

8/16/2012 12:08 PM

Rather than believing the spin of the talking heads I suggest you go to Paul Ryans site on house.gov. You can get the information right from the source and use your brain to objectivly decide. I am including a link for your conveinience. http://paulryan.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=9978#4

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

8/16/2012 3:08 PM

Albert Kronwall said: Rather than believing the spin of the talking heads I suggest you go to Paul Ryans site on house.gov. You can get the information right from the source and use your brain to objectivly decide. I am including a link for your conveinience. http://paulryan.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=9978#4

Thanks Andy for the link,

It said it would save $810 billion but it didn't say how it would achieve those savings.

It will give the power to the states to set up their medicaid programs, I can see where the federal government sometimes can overreach or try to fit everyone into the same box, where it doesn't always work that way, but is there some concerns about states not providing medicare/medicaid programs to meet their citizens needs?

It doesn't explain how by switching to block grants it would save money, would a state ask for less just because it doesn't want to spend what money it has on this issue?

It made the statement that because payments to providers are being cut, the care could be substandard, I can understand that in the long run this might cost us more, because preventive care didn't take care of the issue, but I am just guessing, if it says it will increase payments for providers, how is this saving money?

What is the difference from this plan and the one in the Affordable Patient Care Act? Where the federal government would pay more to the states to cover medicaid patients if they raise the minimum rates to receive it? (This I could see where the states should still have more flexibility as the cost of living is different from state to state)

Could I be getting my Medicare and Medicaid plans and programs confused? (good possibility)

That is just a few questions that I have thought of after reading it straight from Congressman Ryan's webpage, which I will consider his take or "spin" or interpretation of what he thinks, yes I was able to use my brain to decipher it and come up with those questions without answers, and heck I'm not that smart.

I could see if there were some more substance, (I guess I could have clicked on the other links of speeches and such, maybe the answers are there?) to his plan, it might work depending on some other issues, I bet if it was paired with some democratic plan with compromises, (I know the four letter word in Washington) there might be a way it works for everyone.

Just my opinion and again thanks for links.

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

McCallum David K

8/17/2012 9:08 AM

Social security offically moved into red ink in the past year......the prediction of the same thing happening to medicare is REAL! As more people retire and more people jump on the public dole it cannot sustain itself for an estimated decade at the best. If I were 50 or less I would be very worried. I am worried for a son, daughter in law and 2 granddaughters with another on the way.

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

8/17/2012 10:08 AM

Of course we have been trying to compare President Obama's $700 billion cut with Congressman Ryan's $700 billion dollar cut, I guess how does Gov. Romney pay for the $700 billion that the president is cutting that Gov. Romney says he will not cut? I guess that is who we need to listen to, Romney not Ryan since Romney is at the head of the ticket......unless it will be a Chaney/Bush deal?

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

McCallum David K

8/22/2012 1:08 PM

A perfect example of whats wrong with Medicare was the front page news of our local paper. A convicted convict (armed robbery) was paroled in 2000. While serving probation began a scam which earned him millions of dollars until recently convicted. Mr Henry Lamont Jones was found guilty of Medicare fraud that has been going on for years. He bilked the agency out of $ 13,400,000 in the last decade. He was so bold to post on MySpace in 2006 that he had just cleared his first million with many many more to come. He was right on obviously. He was caught under the federal Medicare Strike Force in affect since 2009. Jones received 15 years.

And moving south to New Orleans charges against Sandra Parkman Thompson was convicted and has penalties pending that could send her to jail for 135 years with restitution of $ 3.5 million. She assisted another couple Okoro Nwugo and his wife Beatrice Nwugo Anyanwu which had pleaded guilty to felony charges in this case last week. Also convicted was Dr Anthony Stephen Jase a co conspirator. The charges ranged from falsifying prescriptions to trading (selling) of Medicare numbers and other identifying information. Bilking of the government funds ranged from the low end of $470,000 + to millions of dollars.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated case. Billions of dollars worth of fraud is perpetrated each year and most go undetected and living high off of our money.

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

8/22/2012 1:08 PM

David McCallum said: A perfect example of whats wrong with Medicare was the front page news of our local paper. A convicted convict (armed robbery) was paroled in 2000. While serving probation began a scam which earned him millions of dollars until recently convicted. Mr Henry Lamont Jones was found guilty of Medicare fraud that has been going on for years. He bilked the agency out of $ 13,400,000 in the last decade. He was so bold to post on MySpace in 2006 that he had just cleared his first million with many many more to come. He was right on obviously. He was caught under the federal Medicare Strike Force in affect since 2009. Jones received 15 years.

And moving south to New Orleans charges against Sandra Parkman Thompson was convicted and has penalties pending that could send her to jail for 135 years with restitution of $ 3.5 million. She assisted another couple Okoro Nwugo and his wife Beatrice Nwugo Anyanwu which had pleaded guilty to felony charges in this case last week. Also convicted was Dr Anthony Stephen Jase a co conspirator. The charges ranged from falsifying prescriptions to trading (selling) of Medicare numbers and other identifying information. Bilking of the government funds ranged from the low end of $470,000 + to millions of dollars.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated case. Billions of dollars worth of fraud is perpetrated each year and most go undetected and living high off of our money.

Good points David, if these scams can be stopped, that could really keep both Medicare and Medicaid working the way it was intended. Hopefully government doesn't cut those jobs so they can continue to go after crooks.

Maybe we don't need those vouchers that your friends are talking about?

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

Wahlin Scott B

8/22/2012 2:08 PM

"New Resources to Fight Fraud: The Affordable Care Act provides an additional $350 million over the next ten years to help fight fraud through the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account (HCFAC) from FY 2011 through 2020. The Act also allows these funds to support the hiring of new officials and agents that can help prevent and identify fraud."

http://www.healthreform.gov/affordablecareact_summary.html

Keith Lamb

3 posts

8/22/2012 2:08 PM

Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: "New Resources to Fight Fraud: The Affordable Care Act provides an additional $350 million over the next ten years to help fight fraud through the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account (HCFAC) from FY 2011 through 2020. The Act also allows these funds to support the hiring of new officials and agents that can help prevent and identify fraud."

http://www.healthreform.gov/affordablecareact_summary.html

All that means is more big government. It's easier to complain about the fraud.

Peter Bowman

11 posts

8/22/2012 8:08 PM

Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: "New Resources to Fight Fraud: The Affordable Care Act provides an additional $350 million over the next ten years to help fight fraud through the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account (HCFAC) from FY 2011 through 2020. The Act also allows these funds to support the hiring of new officials and agents that can help prevent and identify fraud."

http://www.healthreform.gov/affordablecareact_summary.html

Laughable, if not unbelievable. They really expect us to believe that?

"...The Act also allows these funds to support the hiring of new officials and agents that can help prevent and identify fraud." ....and vote for Democrats the rest of their lives. They forgot that part.

McCallum David K

8/23/2012 11:08 AM

If they allow the justice department to do their jobs they do not need another $350 million from Obamdon'tcare. This was all done under the auspices of our local US Attorney, a democrat and former congressman from my district. He was appointed under Bush and has done a good job. Just allow these guys to do their jobs and they can bring the bad guys to justice.

Wahlin Scott B

8/23/2012 1:08 PM

I forgot. All these government agencies are flush with money!

McCallum David K

8/24/2012 9:08 AM

And the $350 million they will be given to weed out fraud comes from where?............oh yeah the US Mint.....hey Barry print us another billion or so

James Schmid

1 posts

8/24/2012 10:08 AM

David McCallum said: And the $350 million they will be given to weed out fraud comes from where?............oh yeah the US Mint.....hey Barry print us another billion or so

I suppose if fraud is as rampant as we are assuming it is, the detection and prevention of fraud should pay for itself. If you can catch crooks at a couple million a pop, it won't take long to reach $350 MM.

Wahlin Scott B

8/24/2012 10:08 AM

David McCallum said: And the $350 million they will be given to weed out fraud comes from where?............oh yeah the US Mint.....hey Barry print us another billion or so

We have a whiner!

Wahlin Scott B

8/24/2012 10:08 AM

James Schmid said: I suppose if fraud is as rampant as we are assuming it is, the detection and prevention of fraud should pay for itself. If you can catch crooks at a couple million a pop, it won't take long to reach $350 MM.

We have a winner!

McCallum David K

8/26/2012 2:08 PM

I have no idea how prevalent it is but apparently its a nice gig for those want to perpetuate fraud against American taxpayers. I read enough about it in the papers that it appears to be happening in lots of places. Politicians sure like to complain about it. As a taxpayer you might be concerned, if not, dont sweat it.

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