Krugman- What's in a name?

[n2doc]

Urk. Politico:

DCCC will be out today with a brutal (and misleading) slogan, “VOTE REPUBLICAN – END MEDICARE”

It’s not misleading! I know that serious people are supposed to be shocked, shocked at the Democrats calling the Ryan plan a plan to dismantle Medicare — but that’s just what it is. If you replace a system that actually pays seniors’ medical bills with an entirely different system, one that gives seniors vouchers that won’t be enough to buy adequate insurance, you’ve ended Medicare. Calling the new program “Medicare” doesn’t change that fact.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/whats-in-a-name-4/

[Fumesucker]

1. I don't see a legend on the charts for private insurance industry profits..

Probably wouldn't fit on the charts.

[spooky3]

2. It's not just that the voucher amounts won't suffice - it's that they can't buy ins. at ANY price

What insurer is going to take on a 70 year old with lots of age-related risks, and usually, some preexisting conditions? They can't make money off those people unless they charge tens or hundreds of thousands in premiums. So they aren't going to offer these policies.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Bingo! This......

Medicare only exists because insurers wouldn't cover seniors at any reasonable price.

They won't under the Ryan plan either.

[AtomicKitten]

4. That's "premium support" this cycle (AKA: vouchers, coupons) according to propagandist Frank Luntz.

Mythbusters: "Polishing a turd"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI

[spooky3]

7. Republicans: The Party of Euphemisms

If I hear "enhanced interrogation", without the words "so-called" or something similar in front of it, one more time, I will go nutz.

[spinbaby]

5. Exactly

When you get to your 80s, you generally have major health problems simply because you're in your 80s. My in-laws have averaged a hospital visit about every two months for the last five years. My mother who is 86 and so healthy she doesn't even take any medication, still wound up in the hospital twice last year. Things go wrong when you get old and insurers would be crazy to try to provide real coverage for this age group. Of course, they don't want to provide real coverage--they just want to collect the premiums.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Exactly - having a vouocher to buy insurance does fuck-all

if nobody will SELL that insurance.