Bill
05-07-2007, 03:47 AM
I saw this on google news...
So, the conservatives said insurance and medicaid would get cheaper under the Medicaid Advantage plan. (I gather that's what they call the big medicaid perscription aid plan the last congress passed).
But the New York Times says it's gotten 19% more expensive.
I'm not sure I entirely understand what the article is trying to say.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/07/politics/animal/main2765655.shtml
"Richard S. Foster, chief actuary for the Medicare program, said "the additional payments to Medicare Advantage plans, above and beyond the costs" of traditional Medicare, were causing higher premiums for all beneficiaries and speeding the depletion of the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund for Medicare."
"Private insurance carriers charge more than Medicare to provide medical services because, duh, they're a middleman and they have to make a profit. But private carriers, by movement conservative definition, must be better than any government program, so we have to find a way to get them involved. How? By paying them 19% more!"
So, the conservatives said insurance and medicaid would get cheaper under the Medicaid Advantage plan. (I gather that's what they call the big medicaid perscription aid plan the last congress passed).
But the New York Times says it's gotten 19% more expensive.
I'm not sure I entirely understand what the article is trying to say.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/07/politics/animal/main2765655.shtml
"Richard S. Foster, chief actuary for the Medicare program, said "the additional payments to Medicare Advantage plans, above and beyond the costs" of traditional Medicare, were causing higher premiums for all beneficiaries and speeding the depletion of the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund for Medicare."
"Private insurance carriers charge more than Medicare to provide medical services because, duh, they're a middleman and they have to make a profit. But private carriers, by movement conservative definition, must be better than any government program, so we have to find a way to get them involved. How? By paying them 19% more!"