Michigan Votes Forum

Medicare under Obamacare and what is coming down if it is NOT repealed: A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Professor Emeritus John W. Hill, JD, PhD Kelley School of Business, Indiana University hillj@indiana.edu MEDICARE Look clearly at the 2014 rate compared to the 2013 rate. For those of you who are on Medicare, read the following. It's short, but important and you probably haven't heard about it in the Mainstream News: "The per person Medicare Insurance Premium will increase from the present Monthly Fee of $96.40, rising to: $104.20 in 2012 $120.20 in 2013 And $247.00 in 2014." These are Provisions incorporated in the Obamacare Legislation, purposely delayed so as not to confuse the 2012 Re-Election Campaigns. Send this to all Seniors that you know, so they will know who's throwing them under the bus.

Oh, poor tater. That is a bogus email you're getting that information from. Probably sent out by one of those weird websites you frequent. The official formula for determining Part B premiums was established by Congress decades ago. The standard premium amount for each year is always calculated on the level of Medicare health care costs in the previous year — and reflects the fact that the government pays 75 percent of Part B costs and beneficiaries pay 25 percent. This process is in no way affected by the new health care law, officially known as the Affordable Care Act. The law does, however, contain provisions to reduce the rate of Medicare costs over time (without reducing guaranteed benefits), and if this plays out as planned, it could hold Part B premiums down or possibly even lower them.

Americans may differ on Medicare reform or the right future for Medicare, but one thing is certain: Under the Obama plan, seniors will pay more—a lot more—and they will pay this steep price in many different ways, including a loss of access to care from demoralized doctors and other medical professionals.