The Reformers Get a Head Start

What's new in health care reform? I've got some info that's utterly delightful. First a review:

The Democrats would have us believe that they can cut $500 billion from Medicare spending over the next 10 years without anyone getting less of anything. They are going to save that money, the president says, by eliminating "fraud, waste, and abuse."

Again I ask, can we can trust a government that created hundreds of billions of dollars in waste to find and to eliminate said waste?

Yes we can!

Congress now has an ingenious and foolproof plan. The Senate Finance Committee assures us that there will be a 21% across-the-board reduction in what Medicare pays health care providers. This $200 billion cut is scheduled under current law and is not even part of the health care bill, but most observers had expected Congress to defer those cuts, as they have every single year since 2001.

But Democrats insist that this time they WILL have the courage to follow through with the scheduled cuts. In fact, they're so confident, they've already taken the money to the bank.

Senator Pat Roberts calls this a "big shell game." I agree, but I'm feeling charitable. So, sure...if they actually follow through with it, we'll count the previously scheduled reimbursement adjustment as a reform-related cut and let Congress take credit for saving some money.

Just remember, almost half of all doctors have said that if these cuts go into effect, they'd just as soon go into early retirement. Think Congress can stand up to that kind of pressure? I don't. I say within a year or less, they'll back away from the 21% cut. What's your guess?

Oh...wait...look! Here it is:

The Senate is poised to take action on a costly bill to hike Medicare payments to physicians just weeks before bringing a sweeping healthcare overhaul to the floor.

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday morning quietly set in motion legislation that could cost more than $200 billion over 10 years — without cuts or revenue to offset the spending — on a separate track from a larger healthcare bill that President Barack Obama and Senate Democratic leaders have vowed would not add to the budget deficit.

Amazing! Congress is already taking steps undermine their audacious claims regarding the "savings" that would result from their takeover of the health care system. Not even waiting to complete the process of writing their health care reform bill, the reformers get a head start on their broken promises.

Via Memeorandum

More

Premiums will rise up to 50% if health care reform passes

GOP senator's protest grinds Senate to a halt.

Artificial Stupidity: How the Democrats Manipulated the Data to Get Their "Reduces the Deficit" Claim (h/t: Goomba News Network)

What Olympia Snowe Got for Her Vote

Baucus plan costs triple in second decade…Massive middle-class tax increase

House Republicans accuse Muslim group of trying to plant spies

Apartment residents told to take down U.S. flags: "The American flag symbolizes problems."