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medpundit |
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Thursday, July 17, 2003Yet behind the squabbles lurk deeper issues. Of these, perhaps the one that has received the most attention is Medicare's universality. Many Democrats and some Republicans consider this to be Medicare's central attraction. It is a program, they say, that gives the same benefits to everybody, rich or poor, and therefore receives universal political support. To preserve this universality, many are fighting against a provision in the House bill, for example, that calls for people with incomes above $60,000 to pay a larger share of their drug bills. They object on the grounds that nobody should be treated differently. This kind of thinking helps to illustrate what has gone so deeply wrong with the bill, a piece of legislation that seems to be oblivious to its long-term consequences. In practice, the refusal to countenance any means-testing will set in motion a vast transfer of wealth, from the pockets of America's poorer children -- who will eventually be working adults -- to America's wealthier elderly. The desire to maintain political support for Medicare is understandable, but the zealous opposition to any reform that would provide fewer benefits for the rich is profoundly misplaced. It guarantees the swindling of a generation that cannot vote in order to benefit a wealthy constituency that can. Absolutely right. posted by Sydney on 7/17/2003 09:10:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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