Seniors Thrown Under The Bus

I feel that I've jumped through the looking glass and am now in Wonderland with Alice. Everything seems to be upside down. The democrats in congress, reputed by their own statements, are for the poor and the downtrodden. They have voted, party line to reduce payments for Medicare treatment. Sure, they say out of one side of their mouths, "no reduction in benefits will occur, just payments."

I have no accurate figures on this, but I do know that most doctors in my area, which includes North Idaho, are refusing medicare patients and those that don't will not accept new patients. These doctors claim that the payments do not come anywhere close to prevailing rates that are charged in the area, and that they lose money treating them. Not only that, but the ones that do accept medicare patients are so bogged down with bureaucratic paperwork that they often have to hire an office assistant just for medicare related reports and forms required.

On top of this political anomaly, AARP, supposedly the bastion of protection for seniors, has endorsed this abortion of logic. (note to self, cancel membership immediately) The obvious outcome of this travesty is a program the federal government can brag about that the medical profession won't use or accept. This reverse Robin Hood approach to legislation clearly is robbing from the poor to give to the middle class. Before I attempt to jump back through the looking glass, I'm going to sit here and wonder about the nasty Republican Party that only thinks of big business, being on the side of helpless seniors. I'm going to then examine where the hell the Democrats get off turning their backs on the elderly. Well, I guess that's no surprise, after all, they turned their collective backs on Labor, who through smoke and mirrors, still support the party.