Obama accuses McCain of wanting to cut Medicare

[WhiskeyGirl]

Obama accuses McCain of wanting to cut Medicare

By DAVID ESPO – 36 minutes ago

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Republican rival John McCain would cut $882 billion from Medicare over a decade to finance his health care plan and the result would be more costly drugs, diminished services and lower quality care for seniors.

"It's entirely consistent with Sen. McCain's record during his 26 years in Congress where, time and again, he's opposed Medicare," Obama said Friday. "In fact, Sen. McCain has voted against protecting Medicare 40 times."

Campaign officials said the $882 billion estimate was drawn in part from a study by the Center for American Progress, a public policy organization stocked with prominent Democrats.

The McCain campaign had no immediate response.

"It turns out, Sen. McCain would pay for part of his plan by making drastic cuts in Medicare — $882 billion worth, $882 billion in Medicare cuts to pay for an ill-conceived health care plan, even as Medicare already faces a looming shortfall," Obama said.

"It would mean a cut of more than 20 percent in Medicare benefits next year. If you count on Medicare, it would mean fewer places to get care, and less freedom to chose your own doctors," he added.

Obama said his own proposals for Medicare include "eliminating wasteful subsidies to big HMOs in Medicare, and making sure seniors can access home-based care, and letting Medicare negotiate with drug companies for better prices."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5isOFwdbq0tsqatW6vJpkDRTI1gMgD93SDCDO0

The country is broke.  The Social Security and Medicare trust funds disappeared a long time ago.  What did Obama do to make them sound?  What are his accomplishments? 

What does anyone think will happen when Obama eliminates wasteful subsidies to HMO's?  How many choices will seniors or others have?  Did Obama spell out where the waste was?   Are their seniors or others that depend on the programs Obama want's to eliminate? 

Maybe this waste is in the eye of the beholder?  Obama sees 'wasteful' spending/subsidies on seniors?  What about the plan for Congress?

Maybe someone should find out what the exact waste product is, find out who is using/abusing it and ask them how they would feel if this 'waste' was eliminated by Obama or McCain?

Why not one good plan for everyone?  Seniors and Congress and everyone sharing in the same great service?

Maybe Obama's waste is the same as McCain's?

Why not one fair price for drugs for everyone?  One fair price for a hospital stay or doctors visit - everyone standing on the same level ground?

[WhiskeyGirl]

Recent studies show the government pays an estimated $112 for Medicare patients in private coverage for every $100 it spends on the traditional program, and that eliminating the difference could save more than $150 billion over a decade.

Critics say the private alternative is wasteful. Supporters argue it often provides benefits such as vision care that are unavailable in government-run Medicare.

Like Obama, numerous other Democrats favor allowing the agency that runs Medicare negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies, saying that would lead to cheaper prices for prescription medicines.

But the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said last year the change was unlikely to result in lower prices unless the government decided to limit the drug choices available to seniors like the Veterans Administration does.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5isOFwdbq0tsqatW6vJpkDRTI1gMgD93SDCDO0

I wonder if the plan available to members of Congress limits drug choices like the VA?  Or, does it provide a richer benefit?

Why not one program for everyone?  Save on administration costs?  Drug benefit like the frugal VA?

[Slogger]

You mean I might be getting Barack without benefits.

No!  What happened to his grand and glorious UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE?

Things are changing already.  I don't need this, do you?

Let's ask Joe the Plumber what he needs and is going to get.