And by “transparent”, I mean that she sees the possibility of her reign ending and is clearly trying to shovel pork to those who would fund her and her party’s campaigns as fast as possible.
And for that, she is willing to kick the elderly to the curb.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struck a combative tone tonight, rejecting the Medicare “doc fix” passed hastily through the Senate Friday until Senate Republicans allow a vote on jobs measures that have passed through the House.
“I see no reason to pass this inadequate bill until we see jobs legislation coming out of the Senate,” said Pelosi in a statement. “House Democrats are saying to Republicans in the Senate: Show us the jobs! (exclamation mark hers)”
Her statement, along with Senate Republicans’ unwillingness to pass any legislation that adds to the debt, means that Medicare doctors can expect a 21 percent pay cut when claims that have been held for two weeks start to be processed by Medicare’s government administrator on Monday.
The “jobs” bill is simply more pork and “stimulus” that is currently being handed out at double the rate in Democratic counties as it is in Republican counties.
And can the “Doc Fix” wait?
The number of doctors refusing new Medicare patients because of low government payment rates is setting a new high, just six months before millions of Baby Boomers begin enrolling in the government health care program.
Recent surveys by national and state medical societies have found more doctors limiting Medicare patients, partly because Congress has failed to stop an automatic 21% cut in payments that doctors already regard as too low. The cut went into effect Friday, even as the Senate approved a six-month reprieve. The House has approved a different bill.
– The American Academy of Family Physicians says 13% of respondents didn’t participate in Medicare last year, up from 8% in 2008 and 6% in 2004.
– The American Osteopathic Association says 15% of its members don’t participate in Medicare and 19% don’t accept new Medicare patients. If the cut is not reversed, it says, the numbers will double.
– The American Medical Association says 17% of more than 9,000 doctors surveyed restrict the number of Medicare patients in their practice. Among primary care physicians, the rate is 31%.
The federal health insurance program for seniors paid doctors on average 78% of what private insurers paid in 2008.
But don’t worry, Obamacare won’t treat average citizens with this blatant disregard.
Oh, did I say “average citizens”? I meant “average dead citizens”.