Monday, October 06, 2003
MEDICARE STUFF...
Seems as if the .."means testing" effort is picking up some steam....
With unexpected support from some Democrats, Republican negotiators from the House and the Senate say they are seriously considering a change in Medicare that would require elderly people with high incomes to pay higher premiums than other beneficiaries.
Quite a difference from just a few months before....
Only a short time before, the Senate came perilously close to a meltdown of its own. On a procedural vote, senators indicated they would approve an amendment to provide less of a government subsidy for affluent Medicare recipients in paying for doctor visits and other medical services. This prompted a furious response from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who adamantly opposes such means-testing of Medicare.
As 20 or more senators huddled in the well of the chamber, Kennedy returned to his seat and hauled out charts and a lectern -- signaling he had every intention to filibuster the bill until he got his way. The proposal's sponsors finally backed down and the provision was jettisoned by voice vote.
I posted about this several months ago. While I think the government gets too much of our money anway, I believe this is a good option to sustain Medicare. It sure beats cutting reimbursements again. |
Seems as if the .."means testing" effort is picking up some steam....
With unexpected support from some Democrats, Republican negotiators from the House and the Senate say they are seriously considering a change in Medicare that would require elderly people with high incomes to pay higher premiums than other beneficiaries.
Quite a difference from just a few months before....
Only a short time before, the Senate came perilously close to a meltdown of its own. On a procedural vote, senators indicated they would approve an amendment to provide less of a government subsidy for affluent Medicare recipients in paying for doctor visits and other medical services. This prompted a furious response from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who adamantly opposes such means-testing of Medicare.
As 20 or more senators huddled in the well of the chamber, Kennedy returned to his seat and hauled out charts and a lectern -- signaling he had every intention to filibuster the bill until he got his way. The proposal's sponsors finally backed down and the provision was jettisoned by voice vote.
I posted about this several months ago. While I think the government gets too much of our money anway, I believe this is a good option to sustain Medicare. It sure beats cutting reimbursements again. |
