Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Medicare official doubts health care law savings
AP/Yahoo News ^ | 01/26/11 | RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

Posted on 01/26/2011 2:05:11 PM PST by MissesBush

WASHINGTON – Two of the central promises of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law are unlikely to be fulfilled, Medicare's independent economic expert told Congress on Wednesday.

The landmark legislation probably won't hold costs down, and it won't let everybody keep their current health insurance if they like it, Chief Actuary Richard Foster told the House Budget Committee. His office is responsible for independent long-range cost estimates.

Foster's assessment came a day after Obama in his State of the Union message told lawmakers that he's open to improvements in the law, but unwilling to rehash the health care debate of the past two years. Republicans want to repeal the landmark legislation that provides coverage to more than 30 million people now uninsured, but lack the votes.

Foster was asked by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., for a simple true or false response on two of the main assertions made by supporters of the law: that it will bring down unsustainable medical costs and will let people keep their current health insurance if they like it.

On the costs issue, "I would say false, more so than true," Foster responded.

As for people getting to keep their coverage, "not true in all cases."

Foster was a thorn in the side to the administration throughout the health care debate, doubting that Medicare cuts would prove to be politically sustainable and raising other questions. An equal opportunity skeptic, he was also a bane to the George W. Bush administration during the debate that led to creation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2003. Obama White House officials dispute his analysis and predict that he will be proven wrong about the health care law. Republicans hang on his every word.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: broke; debt; deficit; healthcarereform; medicare; obamacare; savings; spending
I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you!
1 posted on 01/26/2011 2:05:15 PM PST by MissesBush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: MissesBush

Surprise. The Communists lied.


2 posted on 01/26/2011 2:15:42 PM PST by screaminsunshine (Surfers Rule)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MissesBush
Here's what Foster said about it in August.
3 posted on 01/26/2011 2:31:27 PM PST by Tribune7 (The Democrat Party is not a political organization but a religious cult.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MissesBush

Obama: ‘If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor. Period’

Obama: “Your employer, it’s estimated, would see premiums fall by as much as 3,000 percent, which means they could give you a raise.”


4 posted on 01/26/2011 3:05:59 PM PST by nhwingut (Palin/Bachmann '12)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nhwingut

IF YOU CAN FIND ONE TO TAKE YOU as a patient.

Had two ortho docs turn me down in the past 2 months, and I will need further treatment for 6 disc with Osteo A in them. The C 6-7 are pinching the nerves going down my right arm. PT starts tomorrow, for what it is worth, as I have fibromyalgia...muscles DON’T tone.


5 posted on 01/26/2011 3:24:30 PM PST by GailA (2012 rally cry DEMOCRATS and RINOS are BAD for the USA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: MissesBush

BTTT


6 posted on 01/27/2011 6:13:27 AM PST by WOBBLY BOB ( "I don't want the majority if we don't stand for something"- Jim Demint)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson