What will the ACA do to Medicare?

[iammalcolmx]

Sorry I looked in the ACA master thread and didn't see the answer to this question. I actually have time to be on the board today can someone help a sista out here? I need libs and cons to comment please Also if there is a thread which addresses this just point me to it.

[lys]

ACA Medicare changes
pro - free annual physical and eliminates donut hole for prescriptions
cons - reduces payments to physicians and hospitals (which reduces access to care)

[lys]

ACA removes 718 Billion from Medicare spending and moves it to ACA shortening the life of Medicare.
Ryan plan puts the 718 back into the Medicare savings for the future extending the life.

[ladybrettashley]

Aug 22, 2012 8:43:38 GMT -5 lys said:

ACA removes 718 Billion from Medicare spending and moves it to ACA shortening the life of Medicare.
Ryan plan puts the 718 back into the Medicare savings for the future extending the life.

This is not accurate. The ACA cuts overpayments to private Medicare Advantage plans because they have been shown to cost more than traditional Medicare. It also reduces payments to providers, with the flip side being that providers will get more patients as a result of expansion in number of people insured.

It does not cut anything from benefits. So basically it is a $718 billion savings in waste and inefficiency rather than a "cut." However the interesting thing is that while Paul Ryan rails against these "cuts," he keeps the same cuts in his budget.

Paul Krugman has a good blog post about this today.

[ttt]

Aug 22, 2012 8:43:38 GMT -5 lys said:

ACA removes 718 Billion from Medicare spending and moves it to ACA shortening the life of Medicare.
Ryan plan puts the 718 back into the Medicare savings for the future extending the life.

I thought conservatives *wanted* to cut government spending