Administration report sees $8B in Medicare savings

[cbdo2007]

Administration report sees $8B in Medicare savings

WASHINGTON – The new health overhaul law will start producing savings for Medicare right away, and over time add 12 years of solvency to the program's giant trust fund for inpatient care, the Obama administration says in a report to be released Monday.

Medicare will save about $8 billion by the end of next year, and $575 billion over the rest of the decade, the report said.

Release of the analysis comes ahead of the official annual financial checkup for Social Security and Medicare from the program's trustees, expected as early as this week. It provides support for the administration's position that the health care law secures and strengthens health care for seniors.

Republicans have argued that spending cuts called for in the law will undermine Medicare, and the government's own nonpartisan analysts have questioned whether some of the reductions are unrealistic. Polls show that seniors are more skeptical of the health overhaul than younger people, a political dilemma for Democrats in the fall congressional elections.

The Obama administration report says Medicare will be stronger as a result of the health care law.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_overhaul_medicare

[WinkyDink]

1. Did they locate the Pentagon's lost $8 billion?

[Triana]

2. Since WHEN do Republicans complain something about 'undermining Medicare"

Undermining Medicare has been their objective since the program existed. You'd think they'd LOVE that! Now they're complaining about it? :crazy:

[SpartanDem]

3. I'm sure this is just part of his double secret plot

to end Medicare

:eyes:

[Scurrilous]

4. Indeed!

:P

[eridani]

5. The Catfood Commission has Medicare in its sights

It is stacked with people who want to end it. That probably won't happen, but they could

1. Means test it. Spend yourself down to destitution, and then you'll be eligible
2. Reduce actuarial value to 50 or 60%.
3. Raise the age of eligibility.

Any of these options would be disastrous.