Feingold and Medicare: Higher Costs, Less Benefits

Russ Feingold is so proud of his vote for ObamaCare that he's been reminding Wisconsinites of his support for the plan we told him we opposed.

At Feingold's fundraiser in Milwaukee yesterday, with special guest Michelle Obama, Feingold bragged about voting for ObamaCare. In effect, he bragged about refusing to listen to his constituents. In effect, he defiantly said he was proud to ignore us.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"I'm the only member of the Senate who is running ads saying, 'You bet I voted for that bill! I'm proud I did it!' " Feingold shouted. "I am honored to have voted for President Obama's courageous action to bring health care (reform) after 70 years of waiting!"

Is Feingold proud that he voted for increased out-of-pocket costs for seniors and fewer benefits?

From Politico:

A Medicare official concedes that seniors may have to dig deeper into their wallets next year thanks to the health care law.

The new analysis obtained by POLITICO finds the health care overhaul will result in increased out-of-pocket costs for seniors on Medicare Advantage plans.

Richard Foster, the actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, also tells Senate Republicans that the overhaul will result in “less generous benefit packages” for Medicare Advantage plans next year. Foster is independent from the administration and non-partisan.

Democrats have long contended that Medicare Advantage plans – private insurance alternatives to Medicare – overpay private insurers, increasing premiums for everyone, and needs to be reformulated.

But Republicans say dramatic changes to the program mean some seniors won’t be able to keep their plans – a promise President Barack Obama made during the reform debate – and the GOP has made the issue part of its attempt to roll back the health law.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, says the administration is trying to downplay the effects of the overhaul on the Medicare Advantage plans.

“Painting a rosy picture of Medicare Advantage options denies the facts from the government’s own chief actuary,” he said in a statement to POLITICO. “And it’s a disservice to the 11 million current beneficiaries who count on this popular program.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says, in a separate letter sent recently to Grassley, the changes in the health care overhaul will end up strengthening the program.

“Next year, seniors will have new benefits, new protections against fraud, and better Medicare Advantage choices with meaningful differences at affordable premiums, and more beneficiaries will participate in the program,” she wrote.

...Last week, Grassley’s office highlighted an error Sebelius made in a speech to a gathering of AARP members. She incorrectly said the number of Medicare Advantage plans would increase next year. HHS later changed the written copy of the speech online without highlighting the change, which angered Grassley.

“Despite making a limited correction last week to an earlier speech delivered in Florida, the administration refuses to set the record straight appropriately,” Grassley said.

“But a new letter from Medicare’s chief actuary is nonpartisan and indisputable. Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage will pay more out of their own pockets as a result of the new health care law. Their costs will go up by hundreds of dollars on average in the coming years, by $346 in 2011 to a high of $923 in 2017.”

Are you proud of this, Russ?

You say you are.

Did Wisconsin seniors tell you they wanted to pay more and receive fewer benefits? Is that what you heard them tell you? Were you listening?

Is that why you voted for ObamaCare, because seniors told you they wanted their benefits cut and while paying increased out-of-pocket costs?

Really?