Instead of McCain’s gang of eight, Susan Collins seems to be stepping up to find a solution to the impasse. Two specifics are being floated – getting rid of the tax on medical devices and tightening eligibility for getting the Obamacare subsidy – there was already talk of reducing the write off if you got more subsidy than you were entitled to and have to pay it back because you underestimated your income.<\/p>\n
Implicit in that proposal is the acknowledgement that Obamacare is not going to be repealed, which is what I strongly said before the 2012 election. Even if Republicans won every senate race, they still didn’t have the votes to override a presidential veto. Instead Republicans lost seats in the Senate.<\/p>\n
The path to Republican victory is to sit on the sidelines and let Obamacare crash and burn and keep reminding people not 1 Republican voted to create it. While this is happening, they need to be preparing an alternative like a Medicare early buyin for early retirees. Health Insurance companies are not on the list of most people’s favorite companies.<\/p>\n
The Medicare buyin has a lot of negative consequences – I can think of two people I know who continued to work until they turned 65 specifically because they needed medical coverage until they became eligible for Medicare. Putting even more people into Medicare will further distort the cost shifting from Medicare\/Medicaid low reimbursement rates.<\/p>\n
The real problem is the overconsumption of medical care with the patient out of the payment loop. Outlaw medigap coverage and force people to pay the deductibles and copays and you’ll start to get a handle on costs – and you’ll also get thrown out of office.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Instead of McCain’s gang of eight, Susan Collins seems to be stepping up to find a solution to the impasse. Two specifics are being floated – getting rid of the tax on medical devices and tightening eligibility for getting the … Continue reading