Paul Ryan’s plan to phase out Medicare is just what Democrats need

[boutons_deux]

I don't know, in 2012 Ryan was talking about how we made promises to the baby boomers already and have to honor those, so no vouchers for them. Only vouchers for everyone else.

Repugs will "sell" the voucher plan as exact equivalent to Medicare. EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY is on the table. It will be brutal.

My guess is the nastiest stuff will be sprung after the 2018 midterms

[boutons_deux]

GOP Senators From Medicaid Expansion States Feel Pressure With ACA Repeal

As the GOP confronts the complexity of repealing Obamacare, Senate Republicans hailing from states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act are feeling an extra layer of pressure.

Altogether, there will likely be 20 Republican senators from Medicaid expansion states next term.

Many come from so-called “Trump country,” the industrial and rust belt states like Pennsylvania and Ohio that were critical to Trump’s win.

Working class whites in general have been among the top beneficiaries of Medicaid expansion.
"I'm from a state that has an expanded Medicaid population that I am very concerned about," said Sen. S ey Moore Capito (R-WV) this week.

"I don't want to throw them off into the cold, and I don't think that's a strategy that I want to see. It's too many people. That's over 200,000 people in my state. So we need a transition. I think we'll repeal and then we'll work during the transition period for the replacement vehicle."

Millions of the Americans who have been able to enroll in Medicaid due to the expansion live in states represented by Republicans in the Senate.

According to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data, in December 2015, the most recent monthly report available, more than 2.5 million people in GOP-represented states were enrolled in Medicaid through the expanded eligibility.

That doesn't include the enrollees in the red states that have expanded more recently, Louisiana and Montana. (Colorado, Nevada and North Dakota -- all states with GOP senators -- were also not included in the CMS data set due to reporting issues.)

Medicaid expansion in Capito’s state -- which voted for Trump overwhelmingly -- was implemented by Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin in 2013 without the approval of its legislature.

Other GOP senators live in purple states where Democratic state legislatures expanded Medicaid, while the states of some members -- like Iowa Sens. Joni Ernst (R) and Chuck Grassley (R) -- only expanded Medicaid once their Republican governors were able to work out a deal with the Obama administration to expand in a moderated form.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/gop-...+%28TPMNews%29




That's just Medicaid expansion, which Tom Price want's to CANCEL IMMEDIATELY.

Now, add in tiny little vouchers to replace Medicare, sending seniors into the very complex, confusing "individual market" to buy insurance, WITHOUT subsidies from repealed ACA. Higher out of pocket, copays, and higher premiums.

Investing? how about in companies that produce "pill splitters"?

Then add in the recalc of of SS CoL adjustments that will hurt CURRENT retirees, as they get poorer on reduced SS over the years.

[boutons_deux]

by preserving it in full for baby boomers

nope, tiny little vouchers, higher copays will be IMMEDIATE for all Medicare beneficiaries, as will Tom Price immediately cancelling all Medicaid expansion under ACA.

Repug sociopathic, blind ideology requires the everybody get ed as much and as soon as possible.

[baseline bum]

I have to give Trump credit. He ran as a moderate to con people into putting him in office so he could implement a far right agenda. It's what Romney should have done.

[boutons_deux]

boutons, traditional Medicare only pays for 80% of Part B (medical insurance). There are no limits to the Part B 20% co-pays so some seniors buy MediGap to cover. Medicare Advantage is just another way to cover - gives you more choices - either way (MediGap or Medicare Advantage) you pay to cover that 20%.

Medicare Advantage is nothing but a Repug gift to BigInsurance, shifting taxpayer $Bs to BigInsurance.

Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers 10%+ more than standard Medicare.

[Nbadan]

I have to give Trump credit. He ran as a moderate to con people into putting him in office so he could implement an alt-right agenda.

fifu

[boutons_deux]

Republicans have the solution for the post-Obamacare repeal crisis: Bailouts!

Faced with the problem of a giant crater in the health insurance marketplace, the GOP wants to throw money into it

Republicans are be determined to pass an Obamacare repeal bill as soon as Donald Trump becomes president in January, but after that, everything seems to be up in the air.

And so, in true free-market fashion, they’re prepared to give the health insurance industry a massive bailout to counter the problems they’re going to create.

Republicans in congress are talking to health insurance companies, The Hill reported Thursday, hoping that they can prevent a collapse of the insurance market if and when they repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The idea is for the Trump administration to pay any insurance companies that suffer heavy losses as a result of Obamacare’s repeal.

This approach may prevent premiums from rising and patients from being dropped by their plans (maybe), but it would certainly be viewed as a bailout to insurance companies — one of the very charges Republicans made against President Obama when he was trying to pass the Affordable Care Act.

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/02/repu...isis-bailouts/

Repugs gonna bailout BigInsurance (their paymasters), letting citizens become more impoverished, and stay diseased, suffering, dying.

[baseline bum]

fifu

Killing off Medicare and the ACA seems pretty standard right wing.

[baseline bum]

Repugs will "sell" the voucher plan as exact equivalent to Medicare. EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY is on the table. It will be brutal.

My guess is the nastiest stuff will be sprung after the 2018 midterms

I think preserving Medicare for baby boomers and only applying the vouchers to younger generations might be a "concession" the GOP offers to get Democrat votes for whatever ACA replacement they come up with. With only a 52-48 advantage in the senate the Republicans are going to have a very hard time passing an ACA replacement when their senate ranks are filled with hardliners like Cruz and people afraid of getting primaried in 2018. It would give them a way to over seniors and then blame Democrats for it too.

[johnsmith]

Here's how I understand Obamacare....ever since it existed, my ing premiums have went up about 100%. My deductibles have also shot up. Covering myself, my wife, my two kids, and boutons mom has gotten ing outrageous.

Obamacare! And I know for certain I'm not alone on this overly simple analysis.

Except for the boutons mom thing....that's just a sweet bonus.

[boutons_deux]

Here's how I understand Obamacare....ever since it existed, my ing premiums have went up about 100%. My deductibles have also shot up. Covering myself, my wife, my two kids, and boutons mom has gotten ing outrageous.

Obamacare! And I know for certain I'm not alone on this overly simple analysis.

Except for the boutons mom thing....that's just a sweet bonus.

wonderfully, sweetly, you are one of very few who under ACA who think they are screwed by it. polls show that nearly everybody who obtained, has insurance under ACA likes it and wants to keep it.

[johnsmith]

wonderfully, sweetly, you are one of very few who under ACA who think they are screwed by it. polls show that nearly everybody who obtained, has insurance under ACA likes it and wants to keep it.

No you ing idiot. I'm actually employed and therefore not covered by the "affordable" care act. I'm insured through work and I work for a small business. Our premiums have shot thru the roof year over year.

In fact just this year our insurer raised our premiums another 146% forcing us to hit the market.

I know people with jobs are your mortal enemy, but we are the ones that have gotten ed. Oh, and ask small business owners how they feel about it!

I know this might shock you boutons but not everything you read on the Internet is true.

[Shastafarian]

No you ing idiot. I'm actually employed and therefore not covered by the "affordable" care act. I'm insured through work and I work for a small business. Our premiums have shot thru the roof year over year.

In fact just this year our insurer raised our premiums another 146% forcing us to hit the market.

I know people with jobs are your mortal enemy, but we are the ones that have gotten ed. Oh, and ask small business owners how they feel about it!

I know this might shock you boutons but not everything you read on the Internet is true.

Interesting.

[Th'Pusher]

No you ing idiot. I'm actually employed and therefore not covered by the "affordable" care act. I'm insured through work and I work for a small business. Our premiums have shot thru the roof year over year.

In fact just this year our insurer raised our premiums another 146% forcing us to hit the market.

I know people with jobs are your mortal enemy, but we are the ones that have gotten ed. Oh, and ask small business owners how they feel about it!

I know this might shock you boutons but not everything you read on the Internet is true.

I haven't had the same experience with my employer provided health insurance. Anual premium increases have been in the 8-10% range post ACA which isn't much different than pre ACA.

[johnsmith]

I haven't had the same experience with my employer provided health insurance. Anual premium increases have been in the 8-10% range post ACA which isn't much different than pre ACA.

What size company you work at?

Or rather how many employees....sorry if that wasn't clear.

[johnsmith]

Interesting.

How come you say that? I'm worried I gave something away lol!

[Th'Pusher]

What size company you work at?

Or rather how many employees....sorry if that wasn't clear.

~18k

[johnsmith]

~18k

That right there is the difference. We have 78 right now and at most at any given time, 85. Prior to working for this company I worked somewhere that had 10k and you're absolutely right, it was substantially cheaper. Smaller companies have to pay higher premiums....or at the very least, the employees certainly do because the ownership can't swing the same "pitch in" that larger companies can.

For what it's worth, I'm in the construction industry and I'm in sales so I deal with companies that range from 20 people and ones that have 20k. I know several of the smaller companies that have gone under in the last two years due to no longer being able to make money in an industry with tight margins and having to cover every employee because of the ACA act. Laborers just cling to the companies that can pay more of their insurance and smaller guys are getting f'd.

[johnsmith]

Also, I just recently switched companies and have to pay COBRA for a month.....$1,750 for one month. While at the company, they payed $750 and I was hit for $1k. That's ing outrageous.

In the meantime, I have an uncle on my wife's side that has all sorts of wrong with him. He has about four million prescriptions and often "over medicates" himself and ends up in the ER for a week. Honestly, this happens to him about once a quarter. So far, he's payed zero dollars in premiums or co pays or deductibles. the American insurance system!!!!

[johnsmith]

I also realize that this all anecdotal based on my personal experience. But I'm not the only one that struggles with this and thinks of it the same way. It's honestly the main reason I was ok with Trump winning. I can't stand him, but if he fixed this , I'm happy.

[Shastafarian]

How come you say that? I'm worried I gave something away lol!

Because I agree in the sense that ACA is seriously flawed. But the flaws are because of the compromise Obama agreed to that allows insurance companies to dictate prices. Obama and his healthcare act aren't technically the enemies here. The enemy is, and always has been, the insurance companies. Single Payer is the only answer.

[johnsmith]

Because I agree in the sense that ACA is seriously flawed. But the flaws are because of the compromise Obama agreed to that allows insurance companies to dictate prices. Obama and his healthcare act aren't technically the enemies here. The enemy is, and always has been, the insurance companies. Single Payer is the only answer.

I completely agree with your assessment of who the enemy is. My beef is that it all got infinitely worse after the ACA.

[boutons_deux]

I also realize that this all anecdotal based on my personal experience. But I'm not the only one that struggles with this and thinks of it the same way. It's honestly the main reason I was ok with Trump winning. I can't stand him, but if he fixed this , I'm happy.

Trash won't fix , dreamer.

BigInsurance is just one of the many ways BigCorp, BigFinance, etc FLEECE Americans of their wealth.

There's NOTHING to be done.

Human-Americans are completely powerless, disenfranchised opposite Corporate-Americans and the politicians they own.

Trash's CONNED supporters won't be able to do anything when (well actually IF, seeing how ing stupid they are) they realize that Trash, Repug establishment working for the corporatocracy will have screwed them even more by 2020 than now.

[boutons_deux]

Ryan and accomplices LIE that Medicare is a disaster, going bankrupt (ACA pushed that imaginary point into the future by 11 years), now Repugs are going to "save" Medicare

Key House Chairman: GOP will 'Change' Medicare, to 'Save' It



The chairman of a key House committee is pledging that congressional Republicans will change Medicare in order to save it.GOP Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, head of the Ways and Means Committee, insisted Thursday that Republicans won't be deterred by the politics, even though Donald Trump won election as president on promises to protect the popular health care program for older Americans, and Democrats are already warning of a "war on seniors."

"Democrat tactics of 'Mediscare' have been around a long time. They've stopped working," Brady told The Associated Press in an interview in the Capitol. "Voters have figured out Republicans want to save Medicare for the long term, and they know that those who say everything's just fine with it aren't leveling with them."

the party might try to pass "premium support," the controversial approach that would, over time, remake Medicare into a voucher-like program that would force seniors to buy health insurance on the open market.

several Senate Republicans said this week that they would not be eager to make Medicare changes their top priority, especially given their plans to move quickly to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law.

Medicare, in place more than a half-century, is considered the government's flagship health insurance program. It covers about 57 million people, including 48 million seniors and 9 million disabled people. Medicare has strong public support across party lines and generations.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/key-house-chairman-gop-will-change-medicare-to-save-it?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campa ign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+%28TPMNews%29

[johnsmith]

Trash won't fix , dreamer.

BigInsurance is just one of the many ways BigCorp, BigFinance, etc FLEECE Americans of their wealth.

There's NOTHING to be done.

Human-Americans are completely powerless, disenfranchised opposite Corporate-Americans and the politicians they own.

Trash's CONNED supporters won't be able to do anything when (well actually IF, seeing how ing stupid they are) they realize that Trash, Repug establishment working for the corporatocracy will have screwed them even more by 2020 than now.

Wait....so the ACA is a way for big pharm to fleece Americans....you said it, not me.