What the divide over Medicare funding means for Connecticut seniors
Diana
Duel, Hartford
wellness Examiner July 4, 2011
As the fight
over the budget deficit heats up even more in Washington,
so is the war over how to rein in the cost of federally funded health care for America’s
elderly. While Democrats warn that the Republican plan devised by Congressman
Paul Ryan (R-WI) will “end Medicare as we know it,” the Republicans state that
“Obamacare” will actually cut Medicare benefits. In
truth, the law signed by the President, and the Ryan plan (which House
Republicans passed this year) raise premiums for more affluent seniors, which
could effect many residents here in Connecticut in the following ways.
The primary
difference is in the cost of Medicare premiums. Last year Medicare covered $523
billion in benefits for 47.5 million senior citizens and disabled people
throughout the US.
Under the Ryan Plan, beneficiaries of Medicare would (on average) be given an
$8,000 voucher from the government to buy private health insurance, which is
expected to cost around $20,500 annually. The beneficiaries would then be
required to pick up the $12,500 difference themselves. This is twice the amount
they would have to pay under the Obama law (according
to a Kaiser Family Foundation study).
Advertisement
However,
supporters of the Republican plan aver that theirs will “free firms to compete
for business, giving seniors a choice and possibly lower premiums.” Still,
either way, senior citizens with higher income levels will have to pay a lot
more. Those falling with in the range of $85,000-$170,000 a year will have to
pay a higher rate for doctors and prescription drugs under “Obamacare,”
while Medicare beneficiaries “among the top 2% in income would get 30% of the
voucher amount, and those in the next top 6% would get half,” under the Ryan
Plan.
Another
major difference between the Democratic and Republican proposals lies in care
delivery. The Obama Law seeks to find ways to save
money by shifting away from the practice of paying for each medical procedure
and instead foot the bill for the patients’ overall care, while the Ryan Plan
would rely on private insurance companies managing seniors’ health care to
“restrain Medicare costs.”
Again, all
citizens are encouraged to voice their opinions by contacting State senators
Joe Lieberman 202 224-4041and Richard Blumenthal 202 224-2823.
http://www.examiner.com/wellness-in-hartford/what-the-divide-over-medicare-funding-means-for-connecticut-seniors
Continue reading on Examiner.com What the divide over Medicare funding means for
Connecticut seniors - Hartford wellness | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/wellness-in-hartford/what-the-divide-over-medicare-funding-means-for-connecticut-seniors#ixzz1SHpEweKr