Galations  6:  7-9.  Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

A lot of people are celebrating the re-election of Barack Obama.  I sometimes wonder if they realize the fruits of this victory?  Whenever I talk to someone who admits to voting for Obama, I ask them one simple question:  “How do you personally expect to benefit from the re-election of President Obama.”   The answers have been interesting.  Many have told me that they voted for Obama because they didn’t want to see any cuts to Medicare or Social Security.  When I point out that Social Security has already been cut, they don’t believe me.  But the following chart proves that Social Security benefits were already cut under President Obama:  

In 2009, for the first time since at least 1975, seniors did not get a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) adjusting benefits for inflation.  They also didn’t get a COLA in 2010.  Medicare premiums also increased for about a quarter of participants.  When costs go up, but your income doesn’t, that sure looks like a cut to me! 

If a Republican president was in office the main stream media would have screamed to high heaven.  Instead they tried to explain this away by blaming fluctuating oil prices.  Well, regardless of who or what is to blame, the simple fact is that Social Security Benefits were cut during President Obama’s first two years and that NEVER happened during a Republican administration.

President Obama also cut funding for Medicare to help fund Obamacare.  Following is a link to a story in Time.com that claims to dispute this inconvenient fact:

http://swampland.time.com/2012/08/16/fact-check-obamacares-medicare-cuts/

But like far too many “fact check stories” in the main stream media, this is pure Democratic spin.  First, the article admits that Obamacare did cut $716 trillion from Medicare:

First, the context. The Congressional Budget Office estimates Medicare spending over the next 10 years will be about $7.5 trillion. This means the ACA’s Medicare cuts account for less than 10% of overall Medicare spending. The program is not being gutted. Even with the ACA cuts, the CBO says the cost of Medicare is expected to grow from about $500 billion in 2012 to nearly $900 billion by 2022

They just claim it is not a cut because it is less than 10% and Medicare is expected to grow anyway.   If a Republican president tried this kind of tortured logic the main stream media would have gone bizerk.

Then the article goes on to explain just how Medicare was cut:

Under the ACA, the federal government will substantially reduce the amount it spends funding Medicare Advantage, which is privately administered insurance offered to Medicare beneficiaries. About one-quarter of Medicare recipients are enrolled in private Medicare Advantage.

Let me translate, the one quarter of people receiving benefits from Medicare Advantage are about to get screwed.  Don’t be surprised to see many Medicare Advantage plans disappear.

The second bunch of money that gets cut from Medicare under Obamacare comes from providers. Hospitals, home health agencies and others will see Medicare payments grow more slowly than they have in the past.

Let me translate.  They are not going to cut benefits, they are just going to cut the amount they pay for treatment:

Medicare benefits will not change – in theory. However, providers who get paid less from Medicare in the future may be less inclined to accept Medicare patients, thereby reducing access. The frequently criticized Independent Payment Advisory Board, created by the ACA, could cut provider payments even more to keep the growth in Medicare spending under a benchmark. If Medicare per capita spending grows faster than a rate pegged to inflation and later GDP, IPAB will be empowered to recommend provider payment cuts. If Congress can’t find alternative ways to keep Medicare spending growth under the inflation or GDP benchmark, the IPAB recommendations will automatically go into effect. This too could reduce access. Bonus Medicare Advantage benefits – like free gym memberships – may go away

In other words, if (when) they run out of money the cuts will be even more severe!

The summary of this article says it all:

The idea, however, that the Affordable Care Act struck a dangerous blow to Medicare that will change the program in fundamental ways is untrue. Under the new law, Medicare will remain a wildly popular, public single-payer health insurance system that provides comprehensive coverage to millions of Americans.

Trust me on this, the coming cuts to Medicare will seem very major to those of us who depend on it. 

In addition, the sad reality is that this administration doesn’t have a clue how to administer Obamacare.  They don’t even know how to set up the insurance exchanges which are supposed to start enrolling people in October of 2013.  In the meantime, the insurance industry, particularly the independent agents who could help pull this off, have been demonized and shoved aside. 

Note:  While I have a license to sell health insurance, I never bothered to sell individual health policies because it was too much work and too little income.  Since Obamacare was passed the insurance companies have cut commissions even more and the paper work increased exponentially.  In addition the whole purpose of the health insurance exchanges is to get rid of agents.  I personally know a bunch of agents who just gave up and found other employment.  I can pretty much guarantee this is going to be one huge expensive mess.

All of you who are currently enrolled in Medicare understand what is coming.  You are about to get a phone book size package of incomprehensible jibberish to help you make your health care decisions.  In the attempt to explain everything these will explain nothing.  A well trained insurance broker was a God send.  Wasn’t it nice to find someone who could translate this into plain English and help you understand your options?  Well kiss the agent goodbye and be prepared to call one of these great health care exchanges.  Don’t forget to press one for English.

President Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi got their wish to transform health care in the United States.  Those people who voted to put them in power are about to reap the results.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

TDM