Research Briefing

Obama Goes To The Old Line State To Convince Seniors To Get In Line To See Their Doctors

OBAMA TRIES TO SELL HIS GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTH CARE TO SENIORS. “President Barack Obama will host a ‘tele-town hall’ at a Maryland senior center on Tuesday as Democrats work to boost support for the healthcare law in advance of the November congressional elections. … Democrats have especially focused on seniors, who make up a crucial voting bloc in November...” (Russell Berman, “Obama Times 'Tele-Town Hall' To Seniors' Rebate Checks,” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 6/5/10)

OBAMACARE’S SIDE EFFECTS: HIGHER COSTS FOR SENIORS, BENEFIT CUTS, AND LONG LINES

ObamaCare Cuts Over $520 Billion From Medicare. “From the raw numbers, it appears seniors are the net losers under bills approved by three House committees last week.” (Ceci Connolly, “Seniors Remain Wary Of Health-Care Reform,” The Washington Post, 8/9/09; Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 3/18/10)

ObamaCare’s “Drastic Payment Cuts” Force Insurance Providers To Cut Benefits. “Consultants cite two reasons for the cuts. The rate the government will pay private insurers to run the plans is frozen for 2011 at 2010 levels, while medical costs are expected to increase an average of at least 6%. Such price increases and benefit cuts will help them recoup that difference, the consultants say. Meanwhile, the health overhaul will impose drastic payment cuts to insurers that run the plans, and consultants say insurance companies need to begin adapting now. Starting in 2012, the law calls for a gradual reduction in government payments to insurers, totaling $136 billion before the end of the decade.” (Janet Adamy, “HHS Warns Medicare Insurers On Rates,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/7/10)

• And Increase Costs And Benefit Cuts. “Many insurance companies are planning to increase costs for a range of services for seniors next year, according to consultants who have helped prepare their bids. Dozens of Medicare Advantage providers plan to cut back vision, dental and prescription benefits. Some plans are eliminating free teeth cleanings and gym memberships, and raising fees for hearing aides, eye glasses and emergency-room visits.” (Janet Adamy, “HHS Warns Medicare Insurers On Rates,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/7/10)

ObamaCare’s Medicare Cuts Will Leave Seniors With “Higher Out-Of-Pocket Costs.” “The report’s most sober assessments concerned Medicare. In addition to flagging provider cuts as potentially unsustainable, the report projected that reductions in payments to private Medicare Advantage plans would trigger an exodus from the popular alternative … Seniors leaving the private plans would still have health insurance under traditional Medicare, but many might face higher out-of-pocket costs.” (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “Report Says Health Care Will Cover More, Cost More,” The Associated Press, 4/23/10)

SENIORS FACE LONG LINES AND A POSSIBLE “LOSS OF ACCESS TO PHYSICIANS ALTOGETHER”

Association Of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Warns ObamaCare Will Cause A Doctor Shortage Of “Up To 125,000 Doctors By 2025.” “Stories of emergency rooms pushed to capacity and wait times at physicians' offices have become legendary. Now the passage of healthcare reform — potentially funneling 30 million new people into an already-packed system — has some groups warning that the nation will soon see a shortage of doctors. The Assn. of American Medical Colleges has warned of a deficiency of up to 125,000 doctors by 2025. … The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates the need for almost 149,000 extra doctors by that year.” (Tammy Worth, “Agencies Warn Of Coming Doctor Shortage,” The Los Angeles Times, 6/7/10)

• “All This, The Groups Warn, Could Bring Longer Wait Times And Travel Distances To See A Doctor, Briefer Visits, Higher Costs And — In Places Where Shortages Are Extreme — Loss Of Access To Physicians Altogether.” (Tammy Worth, “Agencies Warn Of Coming Doctor Shortage,” The Los Angeles Times, 6/7/10)

The Shortage Will Hurt Seniors Because They “Require Two To Three Times” More Medical Services Than Most Other Adults, Need Specialists Like Cardiologists. “‘This will be the first time since the 1930s that the ratio of physicians to the population will start to decline,’ said Dr. Atul Grover, chief advocacy officer for the AAMC. ‘The number of people over 65 will double between 2000 and 2030, and the amount of medical services they require is two to three times higher than many other adults.’ Not only will these individuals seek preventive care, but they will need specialists — cardiologists, urologists, endocrinologists, more — to deal with issues such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory problems, Grover said.” (Tammy Worth, “Agencies Warn Of Coming Doctor Shortage,” The Los Angeles Times, 6/7/10)

• Virginia Cardiologist Says Medicare Cuts Will Force Him, Other Small-Town Doctors To Close Their Offices. “The cuts would be ‘impossible’ for some small-town cardiologists who rely on Medicare patients, said Zia Roshandel, a heart doctor in Culpeper, Virginia. The town of 10,000 people is about 60 miles southwest of Washington ... If the proposal stands, ‘the bottom line is I’m going to close the office,’ he said. ‘This is impossible for me to survive.’” (Alex Nussbaum & Lisa Rapaport, "Cardiologists Crying Foul Over Obama Medicare Cuts," Bloomberg, 8/28/09)