The Romney campaign tries to sell its Medicare privatization scheme to seniors by arguingthat the controversial premium support structure would only affect future retirees and preserve existing benefits for Americans over the age of 55. But while today’s elderly population would remain in traditional fee-for-service Medicare under the Ryan proposal, they too could be affected by Ryan’s ambitious restructuring scheme. Here is why:As soon as private insurers start offering coverage to future retirees in 2023, they’ll do exactly what private plans are already doing in the Medicare Advantage program: cherry pick the healthiest applicants and leave sicker, more expensive beneficiaries in traditional Medicare. Mechanisms that prevent companies from skimming from the top — what wonks call “risk adjustment” — are imperfect, and so it’s likely that traditional Medicare would have to raise premiums to make up the difference.This is where things can spiral out of control. Higher premiums encourage healthier beneficiaries who are still in traditional Medicare to opt into the private coverage, increasing costs even higher. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ (CBPP) Paul Van de Water observes, “over time, traditional Medicare would become less financially viable and could unravel — not because it was less efficient than the private plans, but because it was competing on an unlevel playing field in which private plans captured the healthier beneficiaries and incurred lower costs as a result.”
those seniors who have been misled by the right, do yourself a favor first ask has the right ever done anything for you and your generation? it is a known fact that they favor the rich and not you. we also know they have lied and distorted your view of healthcare every since this admin. has proposed more for you on the insurance co. dime that they have overcharged,denied you of since their inception, you have done nothing but insure their wealth and ability to buy your candidates away from you, more than they have insured you of health financing.
As the size of the Medicare population shrinks, “administrative costs would rise relative to benefit payments, traditional Medicare’s power to demand lower payment rates from providers would erode, and providers would have less incentive to participate in the program. As a result, people now age 55 and older might well face higher premiums and cost sharing for traditional Medicare, a more limited choice of providers, or both.”
they know what they are doing, do you really think that the big corporations are pouring money on them to help you have better healthcare, less pollution, lower rates for housing, credit cards safe food free of pollutants? if so reaccess your position on the totem pole of right wing priorities. recognize
