They tell us we’re dropping about $10 billion a month in Afghanistan so we can catch that Bin Laden guy...but eventually, we’re gonna catch him, and as soon as we do you can imagine that folks will be wondering why we’re still over there – … [Read more...]
On Killing Medicare, Or, You Stand Up, They Run Scared
Oh, my, has there been a lot of news since we spoke last about the Potential Impending Death Of Medicare: obviously we’re going to have to talk about the implications of Osama Bin Laden’s death (but we’ll do that another day), President … [Read more...]
MA Medicaid Chief: “maybe a single payer would be better”
From Sunday's Herald: "I like the market, but the more and more I stay in it, the more and more I think that maybe a single payer would be better," said Terry Dougherty, director of MassHealth - the state-run Medicaid plan that insures … [Read more...]
It’s All. About. Health. Care. Costs.
I'm going to de-shrillify the central argument of a Paul Krugman column, so that we can all try to get the point, minus the extra two-minute-hate adrenaline rush:The budget crisis is due to Medicare and Medicaid cost increases over … [Read more...]
An Impending and Inevitable Train Wreck
In the event of a Republican takeover of one or both houses of Congress on November 2nd, it won't be long before the Tea Party Movement and the G.O.P. will be involved in one or more train wrecks, some of which could be pretty dramatic. … [Read more...]
FMAP Extension in Play as Massachusetts Braces for the Worst – Please Act Now!
The Senate Substitute Amendment to H.R. 4213 (pdf) includes the Extension of Temporary Increase in Federal Medicaid Matching Rate (FMAP). This modification adds a six-month extension, through June 30, 2011, of the FMAP increases enacted by … [Read more...]
Don’t let Scott Brown Hurt Our Budget Even More
In May we thought we only needed one Republican Senator on board, but now it's clear this funding is in greater danger than previously expected. Please urge Sen. Brown's support now. This is by no means polished, but here's the quick … [Read more...]
The Shirks
From Thursday's Boston Globe -- the Shirk family, no kidding - their real name, Tea Party family of 12, and we pay for their health insurance: They were enraged about the growing costs of entitlements, the surging national debt, and … [Read more...]
More on marriage equality — Medicaid protections
I am not aware of any statistics about how many elders or persons with disabilities will be immediately affected; however, the Legislature has bound itself to pay for coverage. Sometime after the legislation is signed into law, … [Read more...]