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3 things to know about Trump's budget plan for Medicare, Medicaid
ABC News ^ | February 11, 2020 | Anne Flaherty and Jordyn Phelps

Posted on 02/12/2020 6:14:49 AM PST by prairiebreeze

President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t touch Medicare before pitching a budget plan that would do exactly that, along with steep cuts to Medicaid. Democrats are calling it “savage” and “heartless,” while administration officials are insisting they are only slowing explosive growth in future years and that current Medicare benefits would remain untouched.

Here are three things to know about the election-year fight on health care spending:

Trump proposed spending $1.6 trillion less on future health care spending, including $451 billion less for Medicare.

On Twitter, two days before releasing his budget, the president said, “we will not be touching your Social Security or Medicare.” It was a promise he also made in his State of the Union address.

Whether he broke that promise depends upon how you look at it.

There’s no doubt the president’s budget plan would whack away at federal spending on health care over the next 10 years, with an estimated $1.6 trillion reduction, including $451 billion less spent on Medicare and $920 billion less for Medicaid. (con't)

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: abc; budget; fakenews; medicaid; medicare
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We'd best get the facts, this will be a dem campaign point. And who is the anonymous "senior administration official"?
1 posted on 02/12/2020 6:14:49 AM PST by prairiebreeze
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To: prairiebreeze

Did ABC conveniently forget that the Democrats control the House?

Trump is negotiating.


2 posted on 02/12/2020 6:17:36 AM PST by Moonman62 (Charity comes from wealth.)
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To: prairiebreeze

CMS is overseen by HHS which has a trillion dollar budget and 80,000 employees.

I think some cuts can be made in that financial black hole.


3 posted on 02/12/2020 6:21:49 AM PST by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: mewzilla

And CMS has over 6,000 employees...


4 posted on 02/12/2020 6:23:05 AM PST by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: prairiebreeze

There’s no doubt the president’s budget plan would whack away at federal spending on health care over the next 10 years, with an estimated $1.6 trillion reduction, including $451 billion less spent on Medicare and $920 billion less for Medicaid. (con’t)

...

I interpret this to mean a reduction in planned spending increases rather than a reduction in an absolute amount.

This makes sense because Trump’s policies will reduce the growth of healthcare costs.


5 posted on 02/12/2020 6:25:28 AM PST by Moonman62 (Charity comes from wealth.)
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To: prairiebreeze

Remember kids, Slowing the Rate of Increase in spending is a CUT to these people. The article says it wants to reduce the RATE OF GROWTH from 5.4% to 3.1%, How about slow the growth to ZERO?


6 posted on 02/12/2020 6:28:20 AM PST by eyeamok
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To: prairiebreeze

Go after the fraud & save $$$$


7 posted on 02/12/2020 6:28:44 AM PST by FES0844
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To: Moonman62

You are exactly correct. There are no cuts just reductions in increases and elimination of inefficiencies.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/press-briefing-acting-omb-director-russ-vought/


8 posted on 02/12/2020 6:28:51 AM PST by JayGalt (You can't teach a donkey how to tap dance. Nemo me impune lacessit!)
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To: prairiebreeze
I know he was talking about block grants to the states...and let the states handle it.

No matter....these budgets are made to be picked at.

9 posted on 02/12/2020 6:29:55 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: prairiebreeze

To read later.


10 posted on 02/12/2020 6:30:37 AM PST by NetAddicted (Just looking)
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To: prairiebreeze

Don’t get all “concern troll” on this - ABC has no reason to try to discourage Trump voters.....right?


11 posted on 02/12/2020 6:35:21 AM PST by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: trebb

We need to know our facts because you know the donks and media will spin this.


12 posted on 02/12/2020 6:39:02 AM PST by prairiebreeze (Don't be afraid to see what you see. -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: JayGalt

That’s a great addition to the thread, thank you


13 posted on 02/12/2020 6:39:22 AM PST by prairiebreeze (Don't be afraid to see what you see. -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: prairiebreeze

Aw, Geez, not this Push Grandma’s Wheelchair Over the Cliff sh** again!


14 posted on 02/12/2020 6:51:41 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: JayGalt

From your excellent link:

This budget will keep our communities safe and secure. It will also help the promises — it will also keep the promises that the President Trump has made to the American people to protect Social Security and Medicare for seniors. This President is a “Promises Made, Promises Kept” kind of President, and this budget is no different.

Despite what you hear from the other side, Medicare will grow at 6 percent under this budget. The budget does propose good government reforms to lower drug prices, to root out improper payments, and to address wasteful and inefficient spending. For instance, this budget proposes to remove from Medicare certain programs, such as uncompensated care in graduate medical education that are draining the Medicare trust fund and benefit more than just seniors. These costs would still be funded outside of Medicare, but with reforms to moderate their growth.

Similarly, this budget proposes payment neutrality for the same service being performed at different locations so a CAT scan that costs the same at an outpatient hospital as it does in a physician’s office.

Reducing the cost of healthcare is not a cut. Medicaid will grow more than 3 percent on average, which is much higher than the rate of inflation. Medicaid had $57 billion in improper payments last year and HHS lacks the tools to recoup most of these. This budget would provide such authority, while giving states the option of a block grant or a per capita payment.

Only in Washington, D.C., does one look at a budget that grows every year and say it’s a cut. The budget proposes other commonsense mandatory savers, such as a universal work requirement for Medicaid, TANF housing, and food stamps. This will ensure that we are helping to lift able-bodied adults off of a cycle of dependency and onto a ladder of economic opportunity.


15 posted on 02/12/2020 6:52:41 AM PST by Moonman62 (Charity comes from wealth.)
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To: prairiebreeze

We’d best get the facts, this will be a dem campaign point. And who is the anonymous “senior administration official”?

...

See post #15.


16 posted on 02/12/2020 6:53:55 AM PST by Moonman62 (Charity comes from wealth.)
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To: prairiebreeze

The insurance industry is like a gigantic boa constrictor around you, and government health insurance is some sort of device to deliver just enough air to keep you alive and fresh.

What’s needed is to remove the big snake.


17 posted on 02/12/2020 7:10:32 AM PST by Buttons12
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To: FES0844
Go after the fraud & save $$$$ <———-THIS!

It’s like healthcare in general. It isn’t hard to get signed up for benefits, or being labeled with a disability; all of which incur costs to taxpayers. I think the amount of tax dollars that goes to support the various forms of fraud is in excess of 30%.

18 posted on 02/12/2020 7:10:43 AM PST by voicereason (The RNC is like the "one-night stand" you wish you could forget.)
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To: prairiebreeze

There are ways to lower costs:
Lower prescription drug prices.
Get hospitals and doctors to post prices.
Heavily promote preventative care.
Remove illegals from Medicaid.
Eliminate fraud.
Encourage companies to restore health care benefits in a robust economy with full employment.


19 posted on 02/12/2020 7:15:03 AM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.)
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To: prairiebreeze

Here we go with the “pushing granny off a cliff” BS again.


20 posted on 02/12/2020 7:46:59 AM PST by TheZMan (I am a secessionist.)
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