As Congress debates the future of our health care system, we are hearing some potentially devastating proposals such as eliminating the Medicaid extension, turning Medicare into a voucher or block grant program, raising taxes on the elderly – the so-called “age tax.” There are many reasons to dodge this sort of slashing and taxing by bolstering the efficiency of the existing Medicaid and Medicare programs upon which millions depend. These programs are the reason so many of our seniors and people with disabilities are able to continue living in their own homes and communities rather than in more costly institutions. And it is important to note that the administrative costs for Medicare are a fraction of those incurred by most private insurers.
Rather than enact dramatic changes to the current system, effort should be directed to cracking down on fraud and inefficiencies. That this could be done and done to our advantage was proven a few years ago when a law enforcement strike force targeted those problems and ultimately returned $8 for every $1 it spent. Other cost saving measures are to lift the ban prohibiting Medicare from negotiating lower prescription drug prices, and legalizing the importation of prescription drugs from select countries.
Those are just three ideas for preserving these life-saving and quality-of-life saving programs. They should not be abandoned in favor of proposals that would negatively impact so many.
Robert Denz
South Sutton