Hope Continues To Fade... 'As Predicted, Medicaid On Chopping Block in Debt Limit Deal' - FDL

[WillyT]

As Predicted, Medicaid On Chopping Block in Debt Limit Deal
By: David Dayen
Thursday June 16, 2011 9:21 am

<snip>

Well, here we go. The debt limit deal is rounding around to entitlement cuts, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, Medicaid has become the target.

The Medicaid program for the poor is facing significant cuts in an emerging bipartisan budget deal as Republicans seek to shrink entitlements and Democrats protect other priorities <...>

Officials familiar with the talks in both parties say they expect Medicaid to be the biggest source of cuts in federal entitlement programs in whatever compromise emerges. Social Security, the government’s largest entitlement, is not expected to be cut at all and Democrats’ top priority in the budget talks has been to limit cuts to Medicare, the program that provides health care for seniors.

Republicans have proposed turning the Medicaid program into a block grant to states, with few strings attached. That idea is seen as a non-starter in the face of opposition from the White House, which is fighting cuts to Medicaid rolls.

There are signs of bipartisan support among lawmakers for less drastic changes, such as legislation to give states more flexibility to cut the number of people who can use the program.

What could happen is a loosening of “maintenance of effort” requirements. States have certain obligations on enrollment and benefits that they have to maintain or they risk losing federal funding, and under these new laws, those requirements will be removed, allowing states “flexibility,” which is a euphemism for throwing people off Medicaid. When 41 Senate Democrats vowed never to block grant Medicaid by capping federal expenditures, they pointedly did not talk about maintenance of effort. Any flim-flam about how block granting is unacceptable but MOE is fine should not be considered credible.

This would be brutal for the poor, particularly in Republican states, but even in blue ones. Governors are champing at the bit to cut enrollment and increase cost sharing. State budgets are still strained, and Medicaid is among the highest expenditures. Much of Medicaid spending goes to keep poor seniors in nursing homes, so a lot of the cuts would get targeted there. Which means that you can call this the “Force Your Mother-in-Law to Move In With You Act.”

<snip>

More: http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/06/16/as-predicted-medicaid-on-chopping-block-in-debt-limit-deal/

:kick:

[MannyGoldstein]

1. I'm proud of our Serious Adult President

and you should be, too.

Poor people suck - everyone knows that. If they didn't suck, they would be bankers.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. At the risk of sounding stupid, I have some questions:

1) Why is Medicare provided to everyone across the board, including to people who are mega-rich? Why not just to those who NEED it? That would save an incredible amount of Medicare money. I don't understand.

2) Why do the people of the U.S. not defend themselves? Why are they so easily guided by the media, into thinking that they've got it good, when they're actually suffering? It's a mirage. I've never seen people so delusional. Don't they wonder how they're going to manage without Medicare? Are Americans that stupid?

[WinkyDink]

3. Perhaps you've seen Syria lately? Well, the US govt has better weapons.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. Are you saying...

... that we're supporting in grand style the CEOs, upper management and large stockholders of corporations manufacturing weapons of mass destruction? If that's it, then yes, we are.

[badtoworse]

5. Maybe the fact that Medicare recipients have paid into the system has something to do with it.

The OP was talking about Medicaid - different program

[Sarah Ibarruri]

8. We all pay a lot into 'the system' for things we will never use or get benefit from

For example, we pay a lot of taxes so giant corporations don't have to.

[badtoworse]

9. So people should pay the Medicare premiums and not use the program?

Why?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

11. Because it should be insurance in the event someone gets to that age and has very little money

It's like I said, we all pay taxes for things we will never be able to take advantage of. Let me repeat that. We all pay taxes for things we will never be able to take advantage of. That's why. If we should not pay into the govt. whatever we can't take advantage of, I want all my money back for anything I paid in, that was ever given to corporations.

Now it's your turn. Why in hell should a rich man receive Medicare? And don't tell me the bs of 'he paid into the system' because, as I have shown you, I've paid taxes through my ears for sh*t I never was able to take advantage of.

[badtoworse]

12. You haven't shown me squat. You've given your opinion about how things should be,...

but that is not how the program was set up. Medicare was set with everyone paying a certain percent of the salary into the system and being eligible for the same benefit. There is no ceiling on Medicare payments (as there is with Social Security where you stop paying after you reach the max salary for that year). A high salary worker pays more in than a lower salaried worker, but both are eligible for the same benefits. For that reason, it is more than fair that a rich person is eligible for Medicare.

What have you paid taxes for that you weren't able to take advantage of? Lots of programs have eligibility requirements - there's nothing wrong with that.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

13. I'm not an accountant. I'm merely telling you that with debts and deficits....

Keeping Medicare as a program that is given to the mega-rich and multi-millionaires is bullshit. You might not like my answer, but that's your problem, not mine. Go watch some Fox News. I'm sure they'll agree with you.

[dgibby]

10. Re: question #2

We've been fed the concept of American Exceptionalism since we were in our cradles, and we've bought off on the propaganda.

[FLAprogressive]

6. And we'll hear about how "this had to be done" and what a "tough choice" it was....

[WillyT]

7. Oh Yes We Will...

And I will be vomiting the entire time.

:shrug:

:hi:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. Of course. Heaven forbid we tax the mega-wealthy again, as used to be the case pre-Reagan. nt

[QC]

16. And the Republicans would have let even more people die for lack of care!

Notice how we are always having to do what the Republicans demand in order to avoid having to do what the Republicans demand, or something.

[RandiFan1290]

15. Cue the theme song!

Sweet Georgia Brown!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b15F-_3bdj0