The New York Times
January 21, 2002
by Robert Pear
“A federal advisory commission is recommending that the government increase Medicare payments to doctors, hospitals, home care agencies and some nursing homes, even as President Bush prepares to send Congress a budget that would squeeze billions of dollars from Medicare by limiting payments to health care providers.”
“White House officials gave several reasons for wanting to slow the growth of Medicare. The cost of the program rose more than 10 percent last year, and that pace cannot be sustained as baby boomers join the rolls, administration officials said. The White House also wants to hold down Medicare spending to improve the overall fiscal picture, to reduce the budget deficit and to ensure that money will be available for drug benefits.”
Representative Jim McCrery, Republican of Louisiana:
“Congress pays a lot of attention to the commission and its recommendations. But it’s going to be difficult, in the current budgetary environment, to come up with increases in reimbursement.”
Comment: This brings up the rhetoric of “cutting Medicare in order to give tax breaks to the rich.” But is it just rhetoric?