Medicare Monitor
The Palm Beach Post's veteran Washington correspondent, Larry Lipman, tracks policy makers and interest groups who are shaping the future of the federal health insurance program for the elderly.Medicare Web Resources
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Medicare is the federal health care system that covers about 36 million people age 65 and older, plus 7 million disabled. It has four parts:
Financed by a 2.9 percent payroll tax divided equally between employees and employers.
Financed by beneficiary premiums and federal general revenue. Current monthly premiums are $93.50. Starting this year, individuals whose taxable income is more than $80,000 will pay a higher premium.
Financed by Medicare and beneficiary premiums, which vary among plans.
The plans are private and financed by Medicare and beneficiary premiums, which vary among plans.
-- Larry Lipman
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All the entries posted on March 26, 2008.
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Home > Medicare Monitor > Archives > 2008 > March > 26
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Trustees report analyzed right and left
Here’s are a pair of analyses from two highly regarded think tanks on the political left and right about what Tuesday’s Medicare and Social Security trustees reports mean.
On the right, David C. John and Robert E. Moffit of the Heritage Foundation, argue that “Social Security and Medicare have promised $42.9 trillion more in benefits to senior and disabled workers than the programs will be able to pay,” and the burden will fall directly on younger generations. Their full analysis can be found here.
On the left, Paul N. Van de Water from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities argues that Social Security’s financial problem “is relatively small and manageable.” Medicare’s problem stems from increases in health care costs, “not from structural problems with the program.” His full analysis can be found here.