a lie propagated by Blue Dogs and neo cons:

[ensho]

that Medicare is going under.

this is a lie and they should be called on it hard.

[Jakes Progress]

1. Agreed.

And occasionally tossed out here on DU. THe newcon propaganda machine is powerful.

[godai]

2. US total healthcare costs are 17% of GDP...unsustainable.

Medicare is part of these costs and part of the problem. Do you have specifics regarding how Medicare costs are not a problem?

http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml


In 2008, total national health expenditures were expected to rise 6.9 percent -- two times the rate of inflation. Total spending was $2.4 TRILLION in 2007, or $7900 per person. Total health care spending represented 17 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

U.S. health care spending is expected to increase at similar levels for the next decade reaching $4.3 TRILLION in 2017, or 20 percent of GDP.

In 2008, employer health insurance premiums increased by 5.0 percent – two times the rate of inflation. The annual premium for an employer health plan covering a family of four averaged nearly $12,700. The annual premium for single coverage averaged over $4,700.2

Experts agree that our health care system is riddled with inefficiencies, excessive administrative expenses, inflated prices, poor management, and inappropriate care, waste and fraud. These problems significantly increase the cost of medical care and health insurance for employers and workers and affect the security of families.

[ensho]

3. it is an easily fixable problem but it isn't going down

nt

[Lasher]

4. We are paying more per capita than other countries mostly due to administrative costs.

Other countries manage to provide universal healthcare while spending less per capita percentages of their GDP. We spend more and still can't cover everyone. Private insurance companies' indefensibly high administrative costs are a main reason this is so. And therefore in this respect, since these expenses in Medicare/Medicaid are relatively low, they are not part of this problem.

Here are specifics to support my assertion.

[BolivarianHero]

5. But but...

Isn't public administration supposed to be bloated, slow, and inefficient?

[applegrove]

6. Administrative costs and profit. That is why you are paying more.

[dflprincess]

7. And why we are going to continue to pay more

the bill coming out the house does not do much to address this.