Elderly may see drastic cuts in Medicaid, Medicare services

Older Americans may be in for a rough ride if the changes Washington politicians are considering come to pass.

Because good, explanatory journalism is in short supply and TV shouting matches don’t tell you much, I decided to use this space to discuss some of the possible changes that could soon affect millions of people in their 60s and older.
First, let’s consider Medicaid, the federal-state program that finances healthcare for the poor and long term care for the middle class. Virtually all the talk about cutting Medicaid by more than $800 billion over the next 10 years has centered on the 11 million people who gained health coverage under the Medicaid provisions of the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare.
Most of those Americans will lose their health coverage if the legislation the House passed in early May to replace Obamacare gets through the Senate. Equally affected will be seniors and their families who now count on Medicaid to fund long-term care.
via Herald-News.

More you might like

“In a New Hampshire speech, New Jersey’s GOP governor proposed an overhaul of Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare that would reduce benefits for some retired seniors, eliminating them entirely for individuals with income over $200,000 and raising... — In a New Hampshire speech, New Jersey’s GOP governor proposed an overhaul of Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare that would reduce benefits for some retired seniors, eliminating them entirely for individuals with income over $200,000 and raising the retirement age to 69.
via NJ Today.
This isn’t anything new. Christie is very vocal when it comes to earned benefits.
Related Reading:
Decades of Bad Social Security & Medicare Proposals Rolled into One – Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie.
Governor Christie’s Big Plan for Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid? Cut Benefits, Cut Benefits, Cut Benefits.

Source: ncpssm.org social security medicare medicaid chris christie politics entitlements entitlement reform seniors elderly p2 retirement age retirement retirees retirement crisis

Millions of current and future retirees were no doubt hoping that President Trump would use last night’s speech to Congress to reaffirm his promises not to touch Social Security and Medicare. Instead, the President ducked and covered. He did not even... — Millions of current and future retirees were no doubt hoping that President Trump would use last night’s speech to Congress to reaffirm his promises not to touch Social Security and Medicare. Instead, the President ducked and covered. He did not even utter the words “Social Security” or “Medicare” in his entire hour-long address. As for Medicaid – which millions of American seniors rely upon for skilled nursing care – the President only touched on it once, with a veiled reference to converting guaranteed benefits into block grants, which would hurt beneficiaries.
via Entitled to Know.

Source: bit.ly social security medicare medicaid trump politics donald trump seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform older americans elderly healthcare health care congress

Unfortunately, seniors will still receive no cost of living adjustment in 2016 and the sequester cuts to Medicare providers will continue to pay for non-Medicare programs. It’s clear the GOP-led Congress still sees Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as piggy banks to fund other legislative priorities and this hostage-taking, threats to benefits and crisis creation will continue.

Max Richtman via Entitled to Know.

Source: ncpssm.org social security medicare politics budget p2 seniors retirement entitlements retirees retirement crisis entitlement reform congress medicaid health care elderly older americans

“ Ryan, the GOP’s 2012 vice presidential nominee, has finally gotten a hold of a gavel he’s long sought and will head a committee that has jurisdiction over items — like the tax code, Medicare and Medicaid — that the Wisconsin Republican has... — Ryan, the GOP’s 2012 vice presidential nominee, has finally gotten a hold of a gavel he’s long sought and will head a committee that has jurisdiction over items — like the tax code, Medicare and Medicaid — that the Wisconsin Republican has overhauled in his budget blueprints.
via *The Hill*.
**The House Republican Budget and Its Effect on Seniors:**
Privatizing Medicare with Vouchers/Premium Support Payments.
Raising Medicare’s Eligibility Age/Increasing Out-of-Pocket Costs.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act.
Block Granting Medicaid Payments to the States.
Repealing Medicaid Expansion under the ACA.
Read more on how the House GOP/Ryan Budget devastates seniors here.

Source: ncpssm.org paul ryan budget politics news seniors social security medicare medicaid entitlements health care retirement retirees elderly affordable care act aca obamacare p2

“Retirement in America is growing less secure, physically and financially, given the omnipresent threat and cost of serious illness or disease.
Why it matters: Qualifying for Medicare does not guarantee that older adults will skirt potentially... — Retirement in America is growing less secure, physically and financially, given the omnipresent threat and cost of serious illness or disease.
Why it matters: Qualifying for Medicare does not guarantee that older adults will skirt potentially ruinous medical bills. Millions of seniors have also come to rely on the taxpayer-funded program for lower income people — Medicaid — and there’s no indication that will slow down.
“I can’t tell you how many times people talk about how unaffordable the costs are, how it wipes away life savings in short order,” said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare policy expert at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
via Axios.
**Related Reading:**
**It’s time to let Medicare to negotiate drug prices.**
If we truly want to lower prescription drug prices for all Americans, the number one solution is allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with Big Pharma. While it’s true that there are several commendable proposals to address the problem — including greater transparency, regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers, promoting more generic competition, and importing drugs from Canada – Medicare must be empowered to engage in price negotiations with drug-makers. It’s an idea President Trump supported during the 2016 campaign, but has yet to embrace in office.

Source: bit.ly medicaid medicare earned benefits politics healthcare health care p2 elderly older americans retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform seniors rx drugs prescription drugs

huff.to

What the GOP's Sleight of Hand Budgeting and Deflection Politics Means for Social Security & Medicare

The American people must not be distracted by the ongoing political show to the point that they miss the real action occurring behind the scenes.

However, some conservatives in Congress insist that relief for programs like the Older Americans Act be paid for by cutting Medicare and Medicaid. This budgetary sleight-of-hand could trade partial relief for some seniors’ programs by cutting other essential health security programs like Medicare and Medicaid, thus further eroding the tenuous economic situation many older Americans face.

Max Richtman via Huffington Post.

Source: huff.to social security medicare Medicaid entitlements politics seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis p2 sequester budget congress GOP older americans entitlement reform

When a candidate promises to “save these programs for future generations” by raising the retirement age, raising the Medicare eligibility age, privatizing Social Security, changing the COLA formula and means-testing Social Security while exempting near retirees what they’re actually saying is: “We know seniors vote so we’ll protect them now and slash future benefits for their children and grandchildren instead.

via Entitled to Know.

Source: ncpssm.org social security politics entitlements p2 seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlement reform elderly COLA means testing medicare health care retirement age

“This year marks the 50th anniversaries of Medicare and Medicaid and the 80th anniversary of Social Security. Fifty-seven percent of people on Medicare, 70 percent of adults on Medicaid and 56 percent of Social Security recipients (66 percent of... — This year marks the 50th anniversaries of Medicare and Medicaid and the 80th anniversary of Social Security. Fifty-seven percent of people on Medicare, 70 percent of adults on Medicaid and 56 percent of Social Security recipients (66 percent of those over 85) are women. Together, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid provide critical health and financial security.
via Huffington Post.
Related Reading:
Women and Social Security.
While Social Security is a program that is vitally important to all Americans, it is especially important to the financial security of women. There are a number of reasons why this is so. First of all, women live longer than men.
Medicare and Women.
Medicare, combined with Social Security, has improved the economic status of older Americans and younger people with disabilities. Prior to Medicare, one - half of older Americans were uninsured and one - third were living in poverty. Today, with access to health care coverage, the poverty rate for seniors is nine percent.
Women and the Retirement Savings Gap.
*Older women have significantly lower retirement benefits than men.*

Source: eleanorshope.org jan schakowsky politics social security medicare medicaid women's rights seniors elderly health care p2 retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform

“In Congress, Pence has consistently voted in favor of legislative efforts to cut benefits in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and is one of Congress’ biggest proponents of privatization. The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and... — In Congress, Pence has consistently voted in favor of legislative efforts to cut benefits in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and is one of Congress’ biggest proponents of privatization. The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare scored Mike Pence at 0% on issues important to seniors during the 2011-2012 Congress since he voted for multiple pieces of legislation that would cut benefits and programs that protect senior’s health and financial security.
via Jewish Journal.
Related Reading:
Medicare Privatization Tops the GOP Agenda.

Source: bit.ly medicare privatization social security politics healthcare seniors older americans p2 elderly medicaid retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform trump donald trump

“The “real” drivers of debt, according to McConnell, are “Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid,” “entitlements” from which the Senate majority leader would cut off the old and poor if only he could get Democrats to sign on.
(That’s probably... — The “real” drivers of debt, according to McConnell, are “Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid,” “entitlements” from which the Senate majority leader would cut off the old and poor if only he could get Democrats to sign on.
(That’s probably unlikely to happen, given Nancy Pelosi’s statement today that, “Like clockwork, Republicans in Congress are setting in motion their plan to destroy the Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security that seniors and families rely on, just months after they exploded the deficit by $2 trillion with their tax scam for the rich,” and Chuck Schumer’s that suggesting cuts to “middle-class programs like Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid as the only fiscally responsible solution to solve the debt problem is nothing short of gaslighting.”)
via Vanity Fair.
**Related Reading:**
**Sen. McConnell Reminds Retirees What They Have to Lose in November.**
In fact, tax expenditures – especially the Trump/GOP tax cuts – are the number one drivers of the debt, not Social Security or Medicare. Social Security is self-funded and does not contribute to the debt.

Source: bit.ly politics mitch mcconnell social security medicare medicaid taxes tax reform seniors elderly older americans retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform earned benefits social insurance p2 GOP republicans congress donald trump healthcare health care

NCPSSM — Elderly may see drastic cuts in Medicaid, Medicare...

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.