If you have been watching some of the advertising on health care benefits for senior citizens under national health care, you may assume the government plans to spend more on that age group through the Medicare program.
Wrong. The health care law includes a $500 billion reduction in spending for Medicare. Obamacare will slash funding for the program on which tens of millions of older Americans rely to help them with health care.
Some improvements have been made to Medicare. For example, the "doughnut hole" in Medicare's prescription drug benefit has been filled in. And some benefits, such as free mammograms, have been added. But rather than pay for them through Medicare, Obamacare requires insurers to provide such coverage "free."
There is no such thing. Someone will pay for the new benefits. In all likelihood, senior citizens will be among those paying for the benefits.
Will slashing $500 billion in Medicare spending affect senior citizens adversely? As the health reform moves forward, officials should examine this issue and look at ways to protect senior citizens from a bigger financial burden.