Securing Medicare's Future Yahoo
Forty-five years ago today, the creation of Medicare transformed our health-care system and our nation. It helped to make us a stronger and more prosperous country by freeing older Americans from the fear that sickness or injury would cost them their lifetime savings and security. ... The reason we have the Medicare we have today is that over the last 45 years, we have repeatedly acted to strengthen and update it for changing times (Kathleen Sebelius, 7/29).
After 45 Years, Medicare Needs Support Houston Chronicle
Rather than cut Medicare, if we want to dramatically reduce health care costs and thus lower our national debt, we need to build on what works and expand to a "Medicare for All" national health insurance program. Every other industrialized nation has some form of national health insurance. They pay half as much per person, cover everyone and have as good or better overall medical outcomes than we do (Christine Adams, 7/29).
Who Decides On Health-Care Value The Wall Street Journal
The most important element in implementing ObamaCare will be the requirement for health insurers to meet what is called a medical loss ratio. This requires health-insurance plans to split the dollars they receive from insurance premiums into two buckets. Depending on the type of insurance coverage, 80% to 85% of premiums must be spent on either medical services or 'activities that improve health care quality.' … This kind of governmental micromanaging of health care—seen nowhere else in our business sector—is anathema to the free market. More importantly, it endangers the lives and well-being of millions of Americans (Newt Gingrich and David Merritt, 7/29).
Facing Up To Bringing Down Entitlement Spending The Washington Post
The need for entitlement reform is almost universally conceded. … According to the Congressional Budget Office, spending on mandatory health programs and Social Security is expected to grow from about 10 percent of gross domestic product today to roughly 16 percent in 2035. … Properly understood, the budget battle is not between big spenders and budget hawks. It is between those who want to spend larger and larger portions of the budget on health care and transfers to the elderly, and those who want to use budget resources for anything else (Michael Gerson, 7/30).