Quote of the Day
Never murder a man who is committing suicide.
Woodrow Wilson
Civil War Among Democrats Over Medicare Reform?
It's not unusual that Pelosi, who has run several campaigns on resisting changes to senior entitlements, is opposing any concession like one proposal by Speaker Boehner to phase in an eventual raising of the eligibility age to 67, at least for Medicare, in some variable monthly increments. This could cut costs by tens of billions, although there's a possible wash of some of those savings. instead going on Medicaid or getting ObamaCare subsidies. This is a baby step in the right direction but it barely offsets tens of trillions in unfunded liabilities. The government needs to vest consumers in program costs, and I briefly discussed a couple of ways for more of a free market in last
Monday's post. Just to give an example, what if foreign hospitals were to open locations in low-cost (say, rural) areas, if we made pricing more transparent, if we allowed easier doctor flows in and out of the country, if foreign medical professionals or clinics could bid on high-cost procedures, etc. We need to give up this megalomaniac delusion that central planning can solve the health care bubble: this in the same government that has maneuvered us into an unsustainable de facto $80T-plua debt (counting unfunded liabilities).
I also have to criticize the GOP here--you need savings sooner than later: current beneficiaries are eating the seed corn for future Medicare beneficiaries. Waiting for savings until after Obama ix out of office ix not a serious proposal.
