Democrats Slowed in Efforts on Medicare

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

Democrats Slowed in Efforts on Medicare

Apr 15, 1:28 PM (ET)

By DAVID ESPO

WASHINGTON (AP) - Deep cuts in Medicare's managed care programs seemed a sure bet last winter when Democrats, not exactly fans of health maintenance organizations, began to seek money to expand health coverage for poor children.

Then the NAACP and the League of United Latin American Citizens warned of the consequences for blacks and Hispanics, core constituencies for the new congressional majority.

Some Senate Democrats also expressed concern, the politics of which was summed up by Iowa's GOP Sen. Charles Grassley: "There are a lot of blue states ... that have a lot of HMOs."

Suddenly the drive to carve as much as $50 billion over five years from the Medicare Advantage program became more of a challenge than a certainty for Democrats as they advance their own agenda after more than a decade out of power.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070415/D8OH61VO0.html

[bemildred]

1. Democrats are not fans of HMOs? Who writes this bullshit?

Are these weasels trying to pit kids against old people again? Cheap bastards.

[Warpy]

3. Quite a few of them were floating the idea

of univrsal insurance restricted to CHILDREN.

In other words, if you're a working adult, you're supposed to postpone getting sick until Medicare kicks in or just hope you're one of the few who is adequately insured at work, a smaller percentage of us every year.

No more incrementalism! Expand Medicare NOW. Single payer ONLY!

[bemildred]

4. Damn right.

Sell cookies to pay for your stupid wars.

[rodeodance]

8. until we control the Senate by 60 votes. that may have to do.

[DCKit]

2. re: the ads on TV about "Major Newspapers" and "Sr. Citiziens groups"

Asking Congress not to mess with Medicare 'cause "it's working for Seniors."

Anyone care to inform me who is planting these articles and paying for the ads?

[hedda_foil]

5. The ads are sponsored by Pharma

The pharmaceutical industry its ownself. It's at the end of every commercial.

[DCKit]

6. TY Hedda. Just wanted someone else to say it so I don't come off like a total CT nutcase.

[rodeodance]

7. hey, i got an idea------stop the war funds!