Democrats plan doc fix after reform

[Patranus]

Democrats are planning to introduce legislation later this spring that would permanently repeal annual Medicare cuts to doctors, but are warning lawmakers not to talk about it for fear that it will complicate their push to pass comprehensive health reform. The plans undercut the party's message that reform lowers the deficit, according to a memo obtained by POLITICO.

Democrats removed the so-called doc fix from the reform legislation last year because its $371-billion price tag would have made it impossible for Democrats to claim that their bill reduces the deficit. Republicans have argued for months that by stripping the doc fix from the bill, Democrats were playing a shell game.

“Most health staff are already aware that our health proposal does not contain a 'doc fix.' … The inclusion of a full SGR repeal would undermine reform’s budget neutrality. So again, do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative. Instead, focus only on the deficit reduction and number of Americans covered,” the memo, sent Thursday to Democratic staff, said.

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/0310/EXCLUSIVE__Democrats_plan_doc_fix_after_reform.html?showall

Yup. Budget gimmicks to get a favorable CBO score.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Yeah...they did the something similar with $24B of Black Liquor credits by closing a tax loophole within the pulp & paper industry and claiming healthcare savings. And only God knows what else they've done to spin this. Let's see...$24B annually x 10 years = $240B of "healthcare savings"...damn that's sweet...where do I sign!

http://sugarcaneblog.com/2010/03/19...ck-liquor-savings-back-into-health-care-bill/

Looks like we have a bunch of con artists running this country these days. Not exactly a 'defining moment' for Dems...but then again...maybe it is.

 

[Skitzer]

Who didn't see this coming?
"Tip of the iceberg" comes to mind.

 

[Patranus]

The GOP should just filibuster the "doc fix" in the senate.

 

[Craig234]

UPDATE: Democrats challenge authenticity of ‘doc fix’ memo
An earlier post in this spot detailed what was purported by Republicans to be an internal Democratic memo regarding the upcoming health reform vote Sunday. Democratic leadership has challenged the authenticity of the memo. POLITICO has removed the memo and the details about it until we can absolutely verify the document’s origin.

Before discussing the issue of what's in the memo - there's the question is it real?

Big surprise, in the last two days before the vote an attack surfaces of this sort.

It might be real, it might not, but it deserves skepticism until verified. If confirmed then it can be discussed.

By the way, while the Democrats have worked hard to make the healthcare budget neutral, let's not forget the Republicans put all of Medicare part D on the debt.

 

[theeedude]

This is orthogonal to healthcare reform bill, so yeah, best not mix these two issues.
This doc fix reform would happen regardless of health care reform vote.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Before discussing the issue of what's in the memo - there's the question is it real?

Big surprise, in the last two days before the vote an attack surfaces of this sort.

It might be real, it might not, but it deserves skepticism until verified. If confirmed then it can be discussed.

By the way, while the Democrats have worked hard to make the healthcare budget neutral, let's not forget the Republicans put all of Medicare part D on the debt.

Or the memo could have been not intended for others to know about because it was embarressing.

It may have been floated as an idea/option and someone then took it for a concrete proposal.

IF it is real; then the backlash could generate such an explanation.

 

[woolfe9999]

Before discussing the issue of what's in the memo - there's the question is it real?

Big surprise, in the last two days before the vote an attack surfaces of this sort.

It might be real, it might not, but it deserves skepticism until verified. If confirmed then it can be discussed.

By the way, while the Democrats have worked hard to make the healthcare budget neutral, let's not forget the Republicans put all of Medicare part D on the debt.

I suspected this was not real when I initially read it. It isn't that I doubt that such a thing *could* exist. It's that I seriously doubt anyone would ever have been stupid enough to leak such a thing. And the timing of it is just too exquisite for words.

- wolf

 

[cubby1223]

By the way, while the Democrats have worked hard to make the healthcare budget neutral, let's not forget the Republicans put all of Medicare part D on the debt.

You say this as if you're excusing the Dems for doing what they're doing.

Republicans should never have done that, and the Dems shouldn't be doing what they're doing now. Does it really matter what's covered by new taxes and what's not? The stimulus, the next stimulus, schip, unemployment benefits, etc. Dems pass a Pay-Go law, then the very next legislation write it to be exempt from Pay-Go...

Deficits are deficits, doesn't matter where specifically they come from. At least the Repubs made a serious effort to being us closer to a balanced budget, before the financial system, of which BOTH parties were clueless on, collapsed. The Dems show no sign of relenting.

The Democrats are like Toyota Priuses.

 

[Ozoned]

I suspected this was not real when I initially read it. It isn't that I doubt that such a thing *could* exist. It's that I seriously doubt anyone would ever have been stupid enough to leak such a thing. And the timing of it is just too exquisite for words.

- wolf

A dem hoax right out of Karl rove playbook. Brilliantly played. Expect it to be the main topic for weekend news cycle.

 

[her209]

UPDATE: Democrats challenge authenticity of ‘doc fix’ memo

An earlier post in this spot detailed what was purported by Republicans to be an internal Democratic memo regarding the upcoming health reform vote Sunday. Democratic leadership has challenged the authenticity of the memo. POLITICO has removed the memo and the details about it until we can absolutely verify the document’s origin.

Politico took it down.

 

[theeedude]

The GOP should just filibuster the "doc fix" in the senate.

They absolutely should! Then wait for their constituents to chime in when their doc refuses to treat them because of reimbursement cut.

 

[woolfe9999]

A dem hoax right out of Karl rove playbook. Brilliantly played. Expect it to be the main topic for weekend news cycle.

Since the memo puts the dems in a bad light, if it's a hoax, it obviously isn't a dem hoax.

- wolf

 

[Balt]

You say this as if you're excusing the Dems for doing what they're doing.

Republicans should never have done that, and the Dems shouldn't be doing what they're doing now. Does it really matter what's covered by new taxes and what's not? The stimulus, the next stimulus, schip, unemployment benefits, etc. Dems pass a Pay-Go law, then the very next legislation write it to be exempt from Pay-Go...

Deficits are deficits, doesn't matter where specifically they come from. At least the Repubs made a serious effort to being us closer to a balanced budget, before the financial system, of which BOTH parties were clueless on, collapsed. The Dems show no sign of relenting.

The Democrats are like Toyota Priuses.

When? :hmm:

 

[sportage]

Yeah is was a republican last ditch hoax.
Be prepared for more DEATH PANNEL memo's Saturday sometime.
Republicans are as we speak writing a memo on democrat stationary saying:
"grandma will be shot when she reached the age of 70 by one of the Obama children".

What everyone here should be much more concerned with is....
JUST WHAT has the insurance industry promised republicans if they bring down healthcare reform...? Wondering THAT should send a huge chill down your spine.

 

[Hacp]

You know this bill is bad when the AMA is behind it. The AMA has a monopoly on the supply of medical schools.

 

[Patranus]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional budget scorekeepers say a Medicare fix that Democrats included in earlier versions of their health care bill would push it into the red.

The Congressional Budget Office said Friday that rolling back a programmed cut in Medicare fees to doctors would cost $208 billion over 10 years. If added back to the health care overhaul bill, it would wipe out all the deficit reduction, leaving the legislation $59 billion in the red.

The so-called doc fix was part of the original House bill. Because of its high cost, Democrats decided to pursue it separately. Republicans say the cost should not be ignored. Congress has usually waived the cuts to doctors year by year.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Medicare-fix-would-push-apf-2700343586.html?x=0&.v=2

 

[Ozoned]

Since the memo puts the dems in a bad light, if it's a hoax, it obviously isn't a dem hoax.

- wolf

Heh. You obviously don't understand the art of propoganda.

 

[Sclamoz]

GOP Leadership Pushed Memo Dems Say Is “Hoax”

A controversial health care memo allegedly circulated by Democrats that Dems say is a “hoax” was pushed to some reporters by the GOP leadership before its authenticity was verified or disproven, an email chain sent my way shows.

But it’s unclear as of yet what the source of the memo is or that it’s definitely a hoax.

The memo, first reported by Politico and Big Government and pushed hard by Drudge, allegedly shows the Dem leadership telling rank and file Dems to stay hush-hush about a scheme for a “doc fix” later this year that, in essence, would make the bill’s deficit-reduction meaningless.

After Dems alleged to TPM that the memo is fake, Politico pulled down the story.

The memo, however, was pushed to some reporters by the office of GOP leader John Boehner. A source forwards an email sent at 12:58 PM by Boehner spokesman Michael Steel to The Daily Caller’s Jon Ward and other reporters, with the original memo attached.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/gop-leadership-pushed-memo-dems-say-is-hoax/

GOP Leadership On Claims Of HCR Memo Hoax: 'Who Cares About A Memo?'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOTiK5fwtpY&feature=player_embedded#

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/ID/221267&start=29650

I liked when he Rep. Garret tried to say Weiner wanted to abolish medicare lol. More lies and half truths from republicans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTh-Yu9RfF0&feature=player_embedded

 

[woolfe9999]

Heh. You obviously don't understand the art of propoganda.

It looks like John Boehner's office distributed this memo to the media...

- wolf

 

[Danube]

CBO: MEDICARE FIX MAKES IT RED



WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional budget scorekeepers say a Medicare fix that Democrats included in earlier versions of their health care bill would push it into the red.

The Congressional Budget Office said Friday that rolling back a programmed cut in Medicare fees to doctors would cost $208 billion over 10 years. If added back to the health care overhaul bill, it would wipe out all the deficit reduction, leaving the legislation $59 billion in the red.

The so-called doc fix was part of the original House bill. Because of its high cost, Democrats decided to pursue it separately. Republicans say the cost should not be ignored. Congress has usually waived the cuts to doctors year by year.


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Medicare-fix-would-push-apf-2700343586.html?x=0&.v=2

What's another lie after all?

 

[cubby1223]

When? :hmm:

When?

The deficit under Dubya was up to $412b in 2004, then down each year to $160b in 2007.

Over the next 10 years, we'll be *very* happy if the deficit ever comes back down to $412b, Obama's own projections do not have the deficit that low _ever_ again.

 

[Ozoned]

http://rpc.senate.gov/public/_files/031910_BudgetaryCliffs.pdf
Even though Democrats claim that their health care legislation is fiscally responsible, an analysis of current law, the Senate-passed health care bill,i and the reconciliation “sidecar”ii
reveals all the deadlines and funding cliffs that convert the legislative package into a series of budgetary tricks. These tricks will have Congress spending the next several years scrambling to undo them to keep special interests happy:
March 31, 2010: The Medicare “doc fix” amending the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) expires, resulting in a 21 percent cut in reimbursements to physicians.iii The Administration’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget submission proposes to “solve” this problem through $371 billion in new deficit spendingiv
, and legislation has already been introduced in the House to extend the March 31 deadline, as Congress has done every time this deadline has loomed.
October 1, 2010: Because the reconciliation bill re-directs savings from higher education provisions to additional health care spending, the legislation leaves a $5.5 billion shortfall in Pell Grant funding next year alone—a shortfall that will only grow in future years. Congress will be forced to plug this hole with new deficit spending, or else students will have their Pell Grant amounts cut.
January 1, 2013: The thresholds for the new Medicare (HI) tax on wages and investment income effective in 2013 are not indexed for inflation, making them appear to raise $210 billion over ten years. However, the lack of indexing means more Americans will pay these “upper-income” taxes every year. Much like the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), the effect on the middle-class will eventually require Congress to index these for inflation or create annual patches to avoid a tax increase on the middle class. Either way, $210 billion in revenues are not going to be generated from this tax.
January 1, 2015: Section 1202 of the reconciliation bill increases Medicaid reimbursements to primary care physicians—but only for 2013 and 2014. Congress will have to extend these provisions in 2015 and future years, or else the 16 million newly Medicaid-eligible individuals could end up with an insurance card—and no doctor who will accept it.v
January 1, 2015: Section 3403 of the Senate-passed bill creates an Independent Payment Advisory Board of bureaucrats empowered to make binding recommendations regarding cost reductions in Medicare. The Board’s first set of reductions would take effect in 2015, and would make further reductions in Medicare on top of spending cuts included in the Senate bill itself. The Administration’s own actuaries believed those cuts “are unlikely to be sustainable” and have the effect of “jeopardizing access to care for beneficiaries.”vi
Future members of Congress will either stop these cuts from taking place or have to take responsibility for the Medicare cuts recommended by the Board.
January 1, 2019: Pages four and five of the reconciliation bill contain language that would, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), reduce the growth rate for health insurance subsidies.vii Thus in 2019 and future years, individuals may be forced to buy health insurance they cannot afford, because federal insurance subsidies will not keep up with continued growth in premium costs. Congress
will either let these health care subsidies shrink, or further run up the deficit to ensure the subsidies are generous enough for low-income Americans to comply with the mandate.
January 1, 2020: The CBO has found that “beginning in 2020, the reconciliation proposal would index the thresholds for the high-premium excise tax to the rate of general inflation rather than to inflation plus one percentage point.”viii
This change would result in a major and growing tax increase on middle class health benefits if actually implemented. Much like the AMT, Congress will be under pressure to patch this annually.
January 1, 2020: The reconciliation measure does not close the Medicare prescription drug “doughnut hole” until 2020—conveniently outside the bill’s 10-year budget window, therefore obscuring the legislation’s true cost. Future Congresses will have to deal with the deficit impact of this provision.
These various funding cliffs raise questions:
• Will Medicaid payments for physicians fall by 21 percent this year—and more in consecutive years—to meet the targets under the existing SGR mechanism?
• Will low-income students suffer reductions in Pell Grant awards—resulting in even more student loan indebtedness—because higher education savings were re-directed to health care?
• Will more and more middle-class Americans be affected by higher payroll and investment taxes?
• Will 16 million new Medicaid patients be unable to see a physician in 2015 due to reimbursement cuts taking effect then?
• Will a board of unelected bureaucrats follow through on efforts to impose additional cost-cutting measures that have the effect of “jeopardizing access to care for beneficiaries?”
• Will individuals be forced to buy “government-approved” health insurance without being able to afford it?
• Will struggling middle-class families be hit with a massive tax increase in the years after 2020?
• And if the answer to any of the above questions is “No,” where and how do Democrats expect to fund the new federal spending required to meet these commitments?
Members of Congress should not support either the health care bill or the reconciliation measure until the Democratic majority provides detailed answers to these questions. America’s rapidly rising debt has resulted in international alarm. The ratings service Moody’s recently released a report indicating the United States could soon lose its AAA rating unless it takes action to control government spending.ix
i Senate-passed bill text available at With federal deficits and debt skyrocketing, many may view this entire legislative package—which makes “temporary” fiscal commitments the legislation cannot keep in the longer-term—as one large budgetary gimmick. They may also question how any Democrat committed to fiscal responsibility can