As is typical, Congress is again, conniving to make the most fragile of the U.S. Population, senior citizens 65+ in age, pay so that 20 million uninsured U.S. residents ( not limited to U.S. Citizens ) will be provided medical coverage under HEALTH CARE REFORM proposals now before Congress. All versions of Health Care Reform now muddling through Congress, both House and Senate, require cuts in Medicare benefits now provided to U.S. Seniors 65 years of age and over. We are talking about 50 million U.S. Seniors, the majority of whom now receive medical/health care coverage under Medicare Advantage programs. Medicare Advantage programs offer seniors medical and prescription drug benefits not provided by Medicare and no additional cost to the senior citizens. Basically, each senior, on a sliding income scale, pays at least $96.40 per month ( or more ), automatically deducted from each seniors Social Security benefits, for Medicare coverages. Private HMO's and Health Insurance Companies offer additional medical and prescription drug benefits to seniors ( at no additional cost to the seniors ) under the various Medicare Advantage programs available in all States. The Federal Government, in turn, pays the HMO'S and Health Insurance companies a medicare premium for each senior who signs up for a Medicare Advantage program through an HMO or Health Insurance Company. Pretty straight forward; the system is not perfect, but it has been and is working for tens of millions of U.S. Senior citizens 65+.
Now this is where Congress plays fast, loose and underhanded: how to fund, pay for, health care reform. Under every proposal in Congress, a significant part of the “funding” of Health Care Reform will be paid by cutting Medicare benefits to U.S. senior citizens; in short: no more medicare advantage programs, and fewer medicare benefits. Medicare premiums will be increased, i.e., monthly medicare deductions from Social Security benefits will be increased to a minimum of $125.00 per month or more. This is how Congress claims the Federal budget deficit will be reduced over the next 10 years.This is yet another congressional slight-of-hand to deceive and essentially defraud the U.S. voter and taxpayer. As a further fraud and subterfuge, Congress and the CBO ( Congressional Budget Office ) projections of Health Care Reform program costs are based on coverage of around 20 million U.S. residents who are now uninsured. By manipulating figures Congress and the CBO have radically understated the actual costs of Health Care Reform by trillions of dollars.
OK, now to the illegal alien/ immigration issue. The federal government admits to at least 12 million persons being illegally in the U.S. The real figure is more like 25-30 million illegals plus their “anchor” babies ( babies born in the U.S., at U.S. Taxpayer expense, from illegals ); realistically the combined number of illegals and kids could top 50 million - 15% of the U.S. Population. Congress is poised to
grant AMNESTY to these illegals. The Federal Government has already rescinded agreements and the authority for local law enforcement to arrest and detain illegal aliens; this action on the part of the Obama Administration, has virtually opened U.S. borders to all comers, and provided sanctuary and protection for the 30 plus million illegals already here. Congress has plans to grant amnesty to these illegals within the coming year or so; but, congress has intentionally postponed action because it does not want the public to know that 30 to 50 million persons will be added and receive medical and health care under all of the Health Care Reform bills now before Congress.
Let's redo the math: The current CBO cost projections, for the Baucus( Senate Bill ) Health Care Plan are based on adding around 20 million legal U.S. residents to be covered for health and medical benefits, at an estimated cost of $829 billion over 10 years. This figure does not take into account the 30-50 million illegals poise to be given AMNESTY . When you add the additional 30-50 million to the 20 million the CBO counted, we are realistically talking 70 million uninsured U.S. residents who will be covered by the Congressional and Presidents plans for Health Care Reform at a cost of well over $4 trillion dollars over the next 10 years. This will not be budget neutral without massive tax and medicare premium increases on the middle class. It will more then triple the Federal deficit resulting in a steep devaluation of the dollar.
The U.S. needs health care reform. U.S. industry needs health care reform in order to be competitive in world markets. 1000+ pages Congressional bills are hardly reform. All U.S. Health Insurance Companies and HMO's need to be made part of a risk pool, as is the case in many states with “assigned risk auto insurance”, and required to offer basic but limited health care coverage, pre-existing conditions included, for an initial monthly premium of $ 96.40, $250.00 a month for family of four, for U.S. citizens who have consecutively lived within the U.S. for 7 years. Medicare needs to employ auditors and prosecute providers when fraud is evident, and pay less attention to “coding” and paperwork regarding services and payments. Health Insurance Companies, HMO's and Individual Co-ops should be allowed to join and combine to negotiate with drug companies directly to reduce prescription drugs costs. Reform can be effectively accomplished in 50 pages or less of concisely drafted, readable, legislation.
