Aug 5th email from AARP

From AARP email:

“Hi,

My inbox has been flooded with emails spreading crazy rumors about health reform so I wanted to share some facts from AARP about what’s really going on. Please join me in forwarding these facts to everyone you know. Print them out and pass them around at your social gatherings and other places where people are discussing the issues of the day.”

(According to AARP) FACT #1: Medicare will not be ended, and no benefits or services will be cut.

Your services will not be ended, nor will your benefits be cut. AARP’s position on this could not be clearer. And we have sent this message loud and clear to Congress. While the current proposals include savings in Medicare by cutting out fraud, abuse, waste, and inefficiency, we’re standing up and making sure benefits for Medicare recipients are not only fully protected, but are improved.¹

How about a little common sense question about this statement. President Obama said they would be cutting about 4 BILLION dollars from Medicare. BUT we are supposed to believe not only will we receive the same level of care but it will also be improved? And for those of you that are not old enough to be on Medicare, perhaps you don’t realize that Medicare is already broken!

In the State of Washington – My family Doctor explained to me that a few years ago their practice (9 Doctors) were within 3 months of going bankrupt. The reason was because it was costing them $20 out of pocket, for each medicare visit. They had no choice other than to stop accepting Medicare patients, and existing patients were not grandfathered in. He told me that I could get a good Dr. at Evergreen Hospital Medical Center. So, how could they afford to take medicare patients when it was driving my Dr. out of business?

Well, here is where I had a real learning experience and I wonder how many people are aware of this. The Dr’s. that are with these groups are affiliated with the hospital, and it is a public hospital. The Dr’s. receive $120,000 a year stipence for taking medicare patients and that money comes from the taxpayers. My family practice Dr. is a private practice and recieves no such compensation from the government. He has no additional income to off set the expense of taking medicare payments.

Most people know about the Congressional Budget Office, bipartician. Lets assume they cut medicare by 400 billion dollars, and we already know that Dr’s. in private practice can no longer afford to take medicare patients … but we have the groups affiliated with public hospitals that recieve the $120,000 from taxpayers … what happens if they no longer receive that extra income? What Dr’s are left that can afford to run a practice and take medicare payments. Well, check the Congressional Budget Office Directors Blog, titled: Approaches for Giving the President Broad Authority to Change Medicare

You might also watch this Video: Obama Explains How His Health Care Plan Will ‘Eliminate’ Private Insurance