Republicans have been trying to destroy Medicare for years. They already have the payments for services so low that many doctors refuse to accept or care for elderly Medicare patients. Now it looks like some of them want to make it even worse.
There is a scheduled cut in Medicare that will be around 10%, and is supposed to start around July 1st. The cut is forced because the government has been spending too much. Even though Bush claims to be a conservative, he has caused the biggest jumps in spending of any president and forced the national debt to record levels.
But none of this new spending has gone to help Medicare patients or improve the Medicare system. Medicare is hurt by the new spending, and when Medicare is hurt then the elderly are hurt. If this new cut in what Medicare will pay goes into effect, then even more doctors will refuse to accept elderly patients. I guess the Republicans won't be happy until all doctors refuse to treat the elderly.
Congress had a chance to amend the law and stop the cuts. The amended law would not have improved our broken Medicare system, but would have just kept payments at current levels. But the bill could not clear the Senate. It fell one vote short of the sixty votes needed.
One of those who voted to let Medicare be cut again was our own junior senator from Texas -- Big Bad Box-Turtle John Cornyn. His vote could have kept the program as it is, but he decided to vote against care for the elderly (just like he voted against insurance for children). Once again he proves that he cares only for his rich friends. We must redouble our efforts to replace this fool, and sent Rick Noriega to Washington.
It is ridiculous to even be talking about further cuts in the Medicare program. Doctors are not able to even cover their costs at the current level, and prices rise every year. It is time to raise Medicare benefits, so that doctors can once again afford to care for the elderly.
It is a sad commentary when a society will not even care for its elderly or its children, but that is the legacy the Republicans have left us. There is only one way to fix this problem. We must elect enough Democrats in Congress to save Medicare and adequately cover America's children. Then we must put a Democrat in the White House to sign the bills to fix our system.
We cannot afford to wait another four years, and our youngest and oldest citizens certainly can't afford to wait. Their health is on the line.
Of course the waves of illegals, the dems allow in, who use medical facilties that get paid for by medicare has nothing to do with it.
ReplyDeleteYou must be confused. Medicare only pays for medical bills of citizens over 65.
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