Medicare Blog

how much did obama take from medicare to fund health care

by Ms. Aurore Fahey Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

How much did President Obama save on Medicare?

President Obama supported using most of the $716 billion in Medicare savings to help pay for coverage expansion, and supports enacting further savings for deficit reduction.

Was $700 billion'robbed'from Medicare to fund Obamacare?

Huckabee said, "$700 billion was robbed (from Medicare) to fund Obamacare." It’s an old claim and an old figure. The law does reduce Medicare spending, but not in the way Huckabee suggests.

How much did the Obama administration spend on health care in 2010?

The Obama FY 2010 budget allocated $879 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including $758.9 billion for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. 3

How much will Obamacare cost in total?

The tax credits and other cost-sharing subsidies are estimated to cost $350 billion over 10 years, while the Medicaid expansion costs $434 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Those two initiatives add up to more than $500 billion.

How did Obama make healthcare affordable?

The law included major provisions intended to make health coverage on the individual market more affordable – including subsidies (which have been enhanced by the American Rescue Plan) and expanded Medicaid eligibility.

How much did Obamacare cost the US government?

The Affordable Care Act has failed Without that extra money, it's simply a bad deal. Also prior to this year, ACA subsidies cost taxpayers about $50 billion a year. And yet they led to only about 2 million people gaining exchange-plan coverage. That's a small number in a nation of 330 million.

What did Obama do for healthcare?

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, putting in place comprehensive reforms that improve access to affordable health coverage for everyone and protect consumers from abusive insurance company practices.

Who actually benefited from Obamacare?

More than 20 million Americans gained health insurance under the ACA. Black Americans, children and small-business owners have especially benefited. Thirty-seven states have expanded Medicaid, deepening their pool of eligible residents to those who live at or below 138% of the federal poverty level.

Did Obamacare increase taxes?

It's been estimated that the ACA will raise taxes by $813 billion over 10 years. Over 12 of these new taxes will be on families making less than $250,000 a year.

Has the Affordable Care Act been successful?

The ACA was intended to expand options for health coverage, reform the insurance system, increase coverage for services (particularly preventive services), and provide a funding stream to improve quality of services. By any metric, it has been wildly successful. Has it improved coverage? Indisputably, yes.

How has Obamacare changed healthcare?

The ACA significantly changed the healthcare system in the U.S. by reducing the amount individuals and families paid in uncompensated care. The act requires every American to have health insurance and provides assistance to those who cannot afford a plan.

Is Obamacare the same as Affordable Care Act?

Are Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act the Same Thing? Yes, Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are the same thing. The health care reform law was nicknamed after President Barack Obama, who formally signed the ACA in March 2010.

Why did Obama win Nobel?

The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to United States President Barack Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".

Why do doctors not like Obamacare?

Dr. Richard Amerling, a New York City physician who is president of the AAPS, said Obamacare has set up a “bad business model” for private physicians. Doctors, he said, can't adjust their rates to keep up with expenses. In addition, electronic record keeping is a burden both in terms of cost and time.

Who suffered the most from Obamacare?

The ACA had an equalizing effect, reducing racial and ethnic disparities in coverage. Hispanic people had the highest initial uninsured rate and experienced the greatest gains (an overall decline of 15 percentage points in uninsured rates and a nine-point decline in the gap with whites).

What are the drawbacks of Obamacare?

Cons:The cost has not decreased for everyone. Those who do not qualify for subsidies may find marketplace health insurance plans unaffordable. ... Loss of company-sponsored health plans. ... Tax penalties. ... Shrinking networks. ... Shopping for coverage can be complicated.

What would Ryan's budget repeal?

Chairman Ryan’s budget would repeal the coverage provisions of the ACA, but would keep most of the $716 billion in Medicare cuts. In addition, Chairman Ryan’s budget would retain the $88 billion in Medicare cuts from the “ sequester ” (from a 2% across-the-board provider reduction) and calls for some additional Medicare cuts.

How much did Obama cut from Medicare?

A recent advertisement from the Romney-Ryan campaign claims that “Obama Cut $716 billion from Medicare… to pay for Obamacare.” It continues by claiming that “The Romney-Ryan plan protects Medicare benefits for today’s seniors and strengthens the plan for the next generation.”

Did Obama use Medicare savings?

President Obama supported using most of the $716 billion in Medicare savings to help pay for coverage expansion, and supports enacting further savings for deficit reduction. Congressman Ryan supports largely retaining those same Medicare savings, but repealing the coverage expansions and using the money – along with addition savings – for deficit reduction. Governor Romney believes those Medicare reductions, along with coverage expansions, should be reversed – and has not made any significant short-term Medicare proposals for deficit reduction.

Is Medicare a premium support system?

Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan support implementing a premium support system in Medicare for those currently below the age of 55 (when they reach eligibility), which could result in substantial long-term savings.

Did Obamacare cut Medicare?

It is true that the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”, or the ACA) cut Medicare spending to finance a new health program. The number that the Romney-Ryan ad cites is from a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that estimates repealing the ACA would increase Medicare spending by $716 billion through 2022. This funding was used primarily ...

Will Medicare be kept under the ACA?

Although some lawmakers may not want to retain all of the Medicare reductions from the ACA, many of them stem from ideas with broad bipartisan support – particularly in the policy community – and should at least be kept on the table as we consider ways to slow the growth of Medicare.

What is the health care law?

To begin with, the health care law leaves in place the major insurance systems: employer-provided insurance, Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for the poor. It attempts to reduce the number of uninsured by expanding Medicaid for the very poor and by offering tax breaks to help people with modest incomes buy insurance.

What is the new spending on Medicare?

Mostly, the new spending in the health care law comes from tax credits to help people of modest incomes buy health insurance and from expanding Medicaid to offer coverage to the poor.

How much will Medicare cost in 2020?

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects Medicare spending will reach $929 billion in 2020, up from $499 billion in actual spending in 2009. So while the health care law reduces the amount of future spending growth in Medicare, the law doesn't cut current funding for Medicare.

How much did Obama steal from Medicare?

Bachmann said that, "We know that President Obama stole over $500 billion out of Medicare to switch it over to Obamacare.".

How much money does Medicare save?

Other savings include $36 billion from increases in premiums for higher-income beneficiaries and $12 billion from administrative changes.

What did Bachmann say about Obama?

She also took the opportunity to criticize the new health care law championed by President Barack Obama, saying, "We know that President Obama stole over $500 billion out ...

How many jobs did Rick Scott create?

Says Rick Scott changed his promise from 700,000 jobs created "on top of what normal growth would be" to just 700,000 jobs.

Why did Ryan cut Medicare?

The first is that Ryan’s Medicare cuts were solely used to extend the solvency of the Medicare trust fund, and not to fund new spending elsewhere. By contrast, Obamacare cut $716 billion from Medicare in order to fund $1.9 trillion in new health care spending, through the law’s expansion of Medicaid and its new subsidized exchanges.

How much does Medicare increase heart attacks?

Sarah Kliff cited a study yesterday that showed that every $1,000 that a hospital lost in Medicare reimbursements was associated with a 6-8 percent increase in mortality rates from heart attacks. John Goodman pointed out in the Wall Street Journal that Obamacare’s coverage expansion will not be accompanied by an increase in the supply of doctors, which will lead doctors to focus their time on the privately-insured patients who pay them the best.

Why is Romney's plan for Medicare worse?

Defense #4. The Romney plan for Medicare is worse, because it would shift costs to seniors

What percentage of hospitals will be affected by Obamacare cuts?

The Obama administration's own Medicare actuary, Richard Foster, has explained that the Obamacare Medicare cuts could make unprofitable 15 percent of hospitals serving Medicare patients.

What is the $6,400 myth?

UPDATE 4: The Wall Street Journal demolishes the "$6,400 myth" that the Romney plan would force seniors to pay more for their health care. "Merely because [Obama] keeps repeating this doesn't mean it's in the same area code of accurate," the editors write.

What is Ryan plan 2011?

The 2011 version of the Ryan plan required that those younger than 55 enroll, upon retirement, in privately-run Medicare plans. These future retirees would be able to choose among a menu of plans, and would get a fixed amount of “premium support” with which to choose among those plans. Because the amount of premiums support would increase at the rate of inflation, whereas health-care costs have historically grown at a faster rate, critics have worried that these trends, if continued into the future, would expose seniors to higher health-care costs out-of-pocket.

Why did Medicare cut the Medicare Advantage rate?

The rationale for cutting Medicare Advantage’s rates is that, prior to Obamacare, the government paid $1.14 per retiree in an MA plan, vs. $1.00 per retiree in a traditional plan. President Obama has called these differences “unwarranted subsidies [that] pad [private insurers’] profits but don’t improve the care of seniors.”

How much did Obama spend on health care in 2010?

The Obama FY 2010 budget allocated $879 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including $758.9 billion for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. 3.

How much did Obama raise in his budget?

President Obama’s budget proposes to raise $318 billion (over 10 years) by limiting the tax rate at which families with incomes over $250,000 can take itemized deductions (including mortgage interest deductions and charitable contributions) to 28 percent, thus increasing the taxes paid by these Americans.

What are administrative costs in health care?

6 The administrative costs of a health plan usually include costs incurred to combat waste (including overutilization), fraud, and abuse. [Many commentators note that extant public health plans (Medicare and Medicaid) are subject to significant waste, fraud, and abuse, and do not spend enough to curb such conduct.]

When did Obama announce his budget proposal?

The Obama Administration’s Budget Proposal for Health and Human Services. On February 26, 2009, President Barack Obama issued his Budget Message, setting forth his Administration’s budget policies and priorities. 1 The budget details were more fully set out on May 7, 2009, when the Obama Administration released the Budget ...

How much was Medicare robbed to pay for Obamacare?

Was Medicare Robbed $700 Billion to Pay for Obamacare? When talking about his plans for Social Security and Medicare, Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) stated that Congress should not be “talking about getting rid of Social Security and Medicare that was robbed $700 billion dollars to pay for Obamacare.”.

How much did the Affordable Care Act save?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted savings estimated at that time of $716 billion to the Medicare program over ten years ( now estimated at $800 billion), which was used to pay for some of the cost of the new law under pay-as-you-go budget scoring conventions.

How long will Medicare be solvent?

Partially as a result these changes, the Medicare Trust Fund is expected to be solvent through 2030, 13 years longer than projected before the 2010 law was passed.

Did Medicare reduce payroll taxes?

However, there was no reduction in the amount of money going towards paying for Medicare; rather, the law reduced the amount that Medicare spends. In fact, Medicare payroll tax revenues increased, increasing the amount that could be spent.

How much money was robbed from Medicare to fund Obamacare?

Huckabee said, "$700 billion was robbed (from Medicare) to fund Obamacare.". It’s an old claim and an old figure. The law does reduce Medicare spending, but not in the way Huckabee suggests.

Why did private insurers run Medicare?

Under President George W. Bush, private insurers began to run a subset of Medicare plans with the idea that more competition produced lower costs. However, those plans grew to cost more than traditional Medicare, so the Affordable Care Act pared down the payments to private insurers.

Why would hospitals find their checks docked?

Hospitals would also find their checks docked when they failed to to meet benchmarks for patient care.

Does Obamacare rob Medicare?

Obamacare doesn’t literally "rob" Medicare. But the Affordable Care Act does include provisions that reduce future increases in Medicare spending. In other words, the law slows down the rising costs of Medicare. It’s also important to note that the savings come at the expense of insurers and hospitals, not beneficiaries.

Can Medicare beneficiaries have additional costs?

It’s possible that some beneficiaries could experience additional costs, reductions in service, or fewer hospitals that accept Medicare.

Who was the governor of New Jersey who defended his plan to raise the retirement age and change benefits for Social Security and?

Huckabee's provocative comment concluded a wonkish back-and-forth between him and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about entitlement reform. Christie defended his plan to raise the retirement age and change benefits for Social Security and Medicare, but Huckabee stressed that Uncle Sam was to blame.

How does Medicare donut hole work?

How does the cost assistance work? Essentially, Medicare will now pay for about half the cost of brand name prescription drugs for people in the donut hole. Each year, the amount that you have to pay for prescriptions while you’re in the coverage gap will decrease. By 2020, the Medicare donut hole will be closed for all intents and purposes. In fact, the donut hole has closed for brand name drugs as of 2019, a full year earlier than anticipated. The gap for generics is still slated to close in 2020. Here’s an example of how this will work:

How does Obamacare help people?

In many ways, the Affordable Care Act improves the standard of care that those with insurance receive. And, it helps to prevent the spread of diseases and other medical conditions to people without insurance. Medicare beneficiaries, in particular, gain valuable advantages, like being able to afford brand name prescription drugs or getting yearly colonoscopies to detect early forms of cancer. Obamacare seeks to help people stay healthier for longer by making better coverage an affordable option; this goal extends to Medicare beneficiaries. And despite the emphasis on better medical treatments and prevention, the new standard of healthcare doesn’t affect how you sign up for or receive your Medicare benefits.

What are the benefits of Medicare under the ACA?

One of the benefits included under minimum essential coverage is the ability to see your doctor for yearly screenings and wellness checkups.

What is the Medicare Part D spending limit for 2019?

Here, she’ll have to wait until she reaches the spending limit for the year. For 2019, the out-of-pocket spending limit for Medicare Part D is $5,100 ; in 2018, it was $5,000.

How much does Medicare Part A cost?

The individual threshold for standard Part B premiums is $85,000 per year. This means that if you earn less than that then you will only have to pay the standard premium of $135.50 per month for Part B coverage, in 2019. If you earn more than $85,000 per year as an individual, then you’ll pay a higher percentage.

What is a Medicare Part D coverage gap?

If you have Medicare Part D prescription coverage, then you may be familiar with the concept of the coverage gap or “donut hole.” The coverage gap happens when a person reaches the limit for covered prescriptions, but has to wait until he gets to the other side of the “donut” or coverage period to get covered prescriptions again.

What is the individual mandate?

Known as the “individual mandate,” it played an important role in the funding and ongoing sustainability of Obamacare. Fortunately, if you had Medicare Part A, then you met the individual mandate requirement up until this year, and you didn’t need to do anything else to prove your compliance.

What did Obama do for the health care system?

While in office, President Obama promoted public health, advanced health science and innovation, and built stronger, healthier communities. President Obama’s health care policies had even broader and more transformative implications for the U.S. economy. In the years to come, the ability to buy portable and affordable plans on a competitive ...

Why did Obama plant the White House kitchen garden?

In 2009, Mrs. Obama planted the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn to initiate a national conversation around the health and wellbeing of the country. In time, that conversation led to Let’s Move!. Through policy, programs, public awareness, and partnerships, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years; giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices; providing healthier foods in our schools; ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food; and helping children become more physically active.

What was the Supreme Court ruling in King v Burwell?

On June 25, 2015, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision on King v. Burwell, upholding a key part of the Affordable Care Act. Millions of Americans who got covered in health insurance marketplaces would be able to stay covered, no matter where they lived.

How did health reform affect the American economy?

Health reform put American families and small business owners in control of their own health care. It made insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history, reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who had been priced out of coverage. Under the plan, 95% of Americans were insured.

How many people were covered by the ACA?

Thanks to the ACA, 137 million Americans with private health coverage, including 55 million women and 28 million children, were guaranteed preventive services coverage with no out-of-pocket costs.

What percentage of the federal poverty level is Medicaid?

The Obama Administration expanded Medicaid to all previously ineligible adults with incomes under 133 percent of the federal poverty level with unprecedented federal support (the Supreme Court directed that this expansion be at the discretion of states).

What is the maximum reward for employers using a health-contingent wellness program?

Effective for plan years after January 1, 2014, final rules allowed the maximum reward to employers using a health-contingent wellness program to increase from 20 percent to 30 percent of the cost of health coverage, and the maximum reward for programs designed to prevent or reduce tobacco use would be as much as 50 percent.

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