Friday, December 04, 2009

Rocks, Hard Places, The Maverick and The Bus [UPDATED]

One of the ways its proponents plan to fund ObamaCare is by making severe cuts to Medicare [cf: Paying Paul]. The thinking is that, by throwing Grandma (and, of course, Grandpa) under the bus, "we" can better afford to pay for health care for, well, the grandkids.

One Grandpa who objects to this transfer is Sen John McCain (R-Maverick), who has proposed an amendment that would "stave off Medicare cuts and approved safeguards for coverage of mammograms and other preventive tests for women." The amendment was defeated along an almost party-line vote, with two (presumably elderly) Democrats voting with The Mav.

What's ironic is that another long-serving senator recently characterized any cuts to Medicare as "immoral." That would be Doc Harry Reid (D-BS). What a difference 4 years and an election or two makes.

[Hat Tip: PowerLine]

UPDATE: One of the (perhaps) unintended consequences of the ObamaCare cuts to Medicare is the availability of home health care:

"Bertha G. Milliard greeted the nurse who had come to check her condition and review the medications she takes for chronic pain, heart failure, stroke and dementia ... Ms. Milliard, 94, said those visits had been highly effective in keeping her out of the hospital. But the home care she receives could be altered under legislation passed by the House and pending on the Senate floor as Congress returned to work this week."

Ooops.

Turns out, home health care (which is one of the most cost efficient forms of care delivery) takes a "disproportionate" hit under ObamaCare. And since seniors are more likely than younger folks to actually receive care in this manner, it's going to hit them "disproportionately," as well.

Poor Grandma: thrown under the bus, and no home health aide to nurse her back to health.
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