Romney October 3 on Medicare

Romney in the October 3, 2012 presidential debate said – 15% of hospitals and nursing homes and 50% of doctors have said they will no longer take Medicare patients because Obama is cutting $716 from Medicare by cutting across the board the rates they receive. This may be true but let’s take a look at what’s going on. Romney also said 4 million people will lose care because of the cuts and wants to put the $716 billion back in Medicare and add money for a drug program if necessary (value $600 x 48 million = $28.8 billion). The President said he went after Medicare fraud (didn’t give an amount) and $50 billion of waste. Let’s not forget the September 7 report found in one year $750 billion was lost in our health care system because of fraud and waste – this is more that the $716 billion that was cut. Romney never answered the question about the $15,000 voucher for future Medicare recipients or stop talking when asked by the commentator.  

The US spends $2,797 more per person every year than other industrialized countries even though before ObamaCare 47 million people were uninsured. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the US ranks 37th out of 191 countries in the WHO's ranking of health care systems. When compared with other developed countries, the US performs worse on life expectancy and infant mortality; it also tops the list of deaths deemed "preventable" with adequate early care and diagnosis. The typical US citizen has far fewer doctor appointments each year than citizens of other countries, yet pays more for the privilege. When an American citizen spends the night in the hospital, it costs 5.6 times more than it would cost a person in Japan and at least 30% of all delivered health care services are thought to be unnecessary because they don't make sick people any healthier.

The September 2012 Reader’s Digest showed a few costs charged to patients: blood pressure cuff - $20, charge for a nurse to hand you medication taken by mouth - $87.50, finger pulse oximeter to measure oxygen - $100, and a warmer air blanket (Bair Hugger) - $113. These items are used over and over by different patients. A couple of years ago, I bought both the blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter for a total of $80 including shipping.

Romney says he’s a good businessman. He had no problem bankrupting businesses and reducing American workers but instead of fixing the problems in our health system he wants to cower to those ripping the system off or give you a line of crap. To put the $716 billion back and add $28.8 for a drug program means he has to come up with $744.8 billion in cuts in other programs or increase revenue.