PITY THE ELDERLY, ENVY THE POLITICIAN

The Republicans will get the political blame but if all the Senate Democrats had voted for the temporary postponement of the 21% cut in across the board Medicare reimbursement there would not be another Washington “kick in the nuts” income hit,,

For the second time in two days our things are not going to be the same Democrat Government has given a crushing economic blow to Americans who can least afford it.

By instituting the mandatory 21% reduction in Medicare reimbursement Congress has guaranteed that there will be a very large number, indeed perhaps the majority, of physicians who treat not only Medicare, but Champus and Tricare patients who will either refuse to treat Medicare patients or delay finding appointment time which can be filled with those willing to pay a usual and customary fee.

The increase in operating expenses in maintaining a practice has had a major impact on doctor’s fees. There are many new rules regulations forms need for electronic equipment, patient records, as well as to simply send a prescription to a pharmacy which has eaten into the proceeds of the patient’s dollar. Whether you wish to admit it but no doctor today can afford to see patients, run an office and support a family under the new regulations.

The result will be overcrowded clinics, prolonged waiting time for even emergency care, minimal appointment time, superficial examinations and increased missed diagnosis. AS foreseen this negative action will further decrease the quality of care that senior citizens are getting.

The other blow to our retirees and Senior Citizens came out of Obama’s office itself.

The oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is an abomination and rightly so BP must be held responsible. For two months the Obama administration stood aside and to no active action while BPO continued to bungle things. Then this week on his white horse charger Obama came riding to the rescue and at the same time trying to shift any political fallout that his office deserved onto the shoulders of those RICH UNCARING OF THE WORKING CKASS STOCKHOLDERS.

The truth is that an enormous number of those stockholders are just like you and I. They are dependent on the income of their life savings to maintain a quality of life in their so called ‘golden years”. Very few have the multiple pension benefits that most politicians have acquired. The small stock holder may own even several thousand shar4s of stock, which is just a drop in the bucket. But most have indirect ownership through pension plans, and /or mutual funds IRAs.

The sudden revoking the dividend due this week will and does create an immediate financial threatening crisis for many. Does Obama or The Washington Politician’s care? NO. No where in the agreement is the recouping of funds need for the repair of damage to property, wild life or incomes impacted on the Officer’s reimbursements.

Thus the people, the elderly and retirees, who are on a fixed income that decreases in value with inflation fueld by annual salary increases and who need financial support and health care, have again been given a double whammy by Washington. Don’t shrug it off as not impacting you and those people deserve what they got.

Think of the impact on the Constitution if the Government mandates by law that reimbursement to all in health care, Conscription or Indentured service! Or perhaps you will have to go to distant large health c are facilities for all care, and because of the unavailability of specialists you will be denied the c are that Congressman are entitled to.

This is a world against which we should raise our voice in protest. We probably will not be heard but we have another weapon, our vote.

After posting this blog at 6pm the following news :June 18, 2010 — In a surprise turnabout, coming the day after it had rejected the same measure, the US Senate reached a last-minute deal today to delay a planned 21.3% Medicare fee cut for 6 months. The legislation also provides a 2.2% payment increase.

At least somebody in DC uses common sense. But the doctors and other health providers continue to exist on the edge of the plank. The law that creates this crisis every year or few months is on the books and should be repeale . It was passed in boom times and without adequate analytical study.