THE MEDICARE DRUG BILL: An Impending Disaster For All Americans

The Heritage Foundation ^ | June 13, 2003 | by Stuart M. Butler, Ph.D.

[Uncle Bill]

Health system faces collapse in L.A. - The Washington Times
"Federal officials, meanwhile, complain that California sets its reimbursement rate for federal programs such as Medicare too low. Raising that state rate would immediately bring in extra federal money, because Washington matches the state contribution.

But beyond all that lies an even touchier issue, one that officials don't like to even discuss — the role of immigrants in the county's crisis. Although no one is sure how many of the uninsured are recent immigrants, everyone says many are. Some of those are illegal."

[TLBSHOW]

ping

The House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Thursday approved a $29.4 billion fiscal 2004 appropriations bill during a closed session,...

[Uncle Bill]

Why health care is so costly (Schlafly - Illegal Aliens)

U.S. Social Security for Mexicans? - Phyllis Schlafly

Hooyah!

"Payroll taxes to fund Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) have increased 36 times (26 increases in the applicable tax base and 10 increases in the tax rate). Nevertheless, Medicare is now facing bankruptcy. Government has no remedies except higher taxes, price controls, adding more costly benefits and even rationing."
Phyllis Schlafly

[Jim Noble]

It makes sense for our society to provide assistance targeted toward those who still face heavy burdens, chiefly because of their income

No it doesn't.

[Uncle Bill]

"No it doesn't."

Agreed. Thanks for at least reading it. I was wondering if anyone would notice that. He just slipped that in. ((((Loud clapping)))). So many want so bad for their version of socialism and big government to work. It never has, it never will.

[TLBSHOW]

bump

[Uncle Bill]

"The bill would bring about the largest expansion in benefits in Medicare's 38-year history, for the first time offering all 40 million people in the program subsidies for prescription drugs." - June 14, 2003

Isn't all this limited government by George W. Bush and the Republican Congress exciting?

[TLBSHOW]

Isn't all this limited government by George W. Bush and the Republican Congress exciting?

LOL

Yep what a ride.........

[TLBSHOW]

bttt

[Sparta]

Some more of that limited government from the GOP I've grown to love (sarcasm)

[Uncle Bill]

Hi Sparta. Their accounting is very limited too. Whew!

Click me

[Fred Mertz]

Excellent thread, Uncle Bill.

This reminds me of an old friend who died last year of cancer at age 76. I visited him at home about a month before he passed away. He was on the couch and couldn't really walk without assistance but his mind and eyes were sharp. Fortunately, he had some sort of insurance and had his younger brother present to look after him.

He was telling me about all the drugs and chemo-therapy he had to take and go through. Then he told his brother to grab him that bottle of pills that were supposed to help him eat or assist his sense of taste. He held the bottle in his hand for me to see and said, "See this bottle of pills, it's supposed to help me eat and I can't eat sh*t. It cost $500.00 for a one month supply."

He knew what the value of 500 dollars was from long ago; he probably could have bought a small farm way back then for it.

My observation of this is that whenever the gummint sticks its nose into things, prices and costs skyrocket. Thanks for listening to my little rant.

[Consort]

Your falling for it again; you never learn. The parallels are staring you in the face and you are taking the bait and getting hooked.

Bush 41 presides over biggest tax increase in history.

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Bush 43 presides over the biggest expansion of government health benefits since the Great Society.

In '92, "Conservatives" abandon Bush 41 and either didn't vote for him or voted for Perot as an alternative.

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In '04, "Conservatives" abandon Bush 43 and either don't vote for him or vote for a Perot-type alternative.

In '92, Clinton gets elected and shows us what a real tax increase looks like, and gets reelected.

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In '04, Clinton gets elected and shows us what a real expansion healt care is by implementing Universal Health Care and the taxes necessary to pay for it, and gets reelected.

"Conservatives" blame Bush 41 for their stupidity.

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"Conservatives" blame Bush 43 for their stupidity.

Thanks, "Conservatives", for screwing us in '92.

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Thanks in advance, "Conservatives", for screwing us again in '04.

[Uncle Bill]

"My observation of this is that whenever the gummint sticks its nose into things, prices and costs skyrocket."

That is the key. Everything they touch turns to unaccountable sewer water. It smells the same, no matter what political party ditch it flows from. And was predicted over and over by our wise founding fathers.

"Nothing is more permanent as a temporary government program."
Milton Friedman

Best regards, UB.

[cherry]

" And shame on you for thinking about yourself..."who is going to pay mine..?" WHINER!!"

I too have older parents who are in their upper 70's and need to have help with their pills.....luckly, a few years ago they got connected up with the VA since they are both veterans and it really helps a lot...

don't lecture me about health care and the elderly....I am an RN and have been for almost 30 yrs....

I know exactly what some elderly people are up against....those who did not get wonderful pensions (like my folks) and those that can not get supplemental insurance..

So some elderly need help with prescriptions?...Fine...lets help them....

but most do not...

I should not have to pay for rich people, for those living off the younger, working generations like they were kings and queens, and I should not have to pay to keep people alive or pay for their presciptions when they continue to smoke, drink, overeat, refuse to take what medications are prescribed, or indulge in too much over the counter self-medicating ( laxative abuse among the elderly is a huge problem and leads to many other problems...

One thing that this free drug bill will do will make all prescriptions hugely expensive for the rest of us..

I will gladly help my folks, but with one eye I am looking out for my kids...

[cherry]

Oh...and by the way....it is not my job to protect the inheritances of wealthy elderly so their kids can have a "legacy"...

legacies should be spent keeping those people alive, if that 's what they desire...

I can tell you stories of how older children screw the system in reguards to their elder parents....just so there will be money left over for THEM....

are you one of those?

[Coleus]

Steve Forbes--How Bush Can Defeat the Naysayers
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a3323a82f60.htm

Medicare. The nation's new chief executive should approach Democratic Sen. John Breaux to chair a task force. This panel could pick up where Mr. Breaux left off in 1999 with recommendations from the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare. It could also further explore the bill Mr. Breaux co-sponsored with Republican Sen. Bill Frist that would allow seniors to opt out of traditional Medicare to join a plan resembling that of federal employees, which has an array of benefit choices. In addition, this plan would pay for prescription drugs, fully supplementing seniors who have incomes less than 35% above the poverty level.
http://www.issues2000.org/Steve_Forbes_Health_Care.htm
http://www.issues2000.org/More_Steve_Forbes_Health_Care.htm

[TLBSHOW]

About Free Republic

http://www.freerepublic.com/about.htm

What is our mission?

"A return to a strictly Constitutional form of federal government will automatically repeal and abolish all unconstitutional federal involvement in states issues such as: crime, health, education, welfare and the environment. The Tenth Amendment will again be in effect, which will bar all federal attempts at legislating social issues.


This will also require that social programs such as Social Security, welfare and

Medicare be repealed."

[Uncle Bill]

Ohhhhhhh, the distress of it all. We're falling for it again. The tragedy of it all. We have the choice between a socialist and a socialist. What will we do, what will we do? Do we want a huge government or a huge government? Do we want uncontrolled spending or uncontrolled spending? Do we want ever increasing high taxes or ever increasing high taxes? Do we want uncontrolled regulations or uncontrolled regulations? Do we want open borders or open borders? Do we want socialized medicine or socialized medicine? Do we want an unaccountable government or an unaccountable government? Do we want the Republicans to trash the Constitution or Democrats to trash the Constitution? Do we want the collapse of the rule of the law or the collapse of the rule of law? Do we want liars or liars? Do we want the political elephant dung behind door number 1 or the political donkey dung behind door number 2? Shovelers of the world unite!!

George W. Bush and the GOP. Repealing Medicare by spending $400 Billion on Medicare one bill at a time. Think big. Think strategy. Don't be a malcontent. Vote Bush. The collapse depends on it.

[Uncle Bill]

Exactly, just another Republican who loves socialism. That's our choice. A socialist or a socialist. When you see politicans secretly leaving the country for fear, know that Medicare is almost fixed.