Elder care is expensive now. Wait till Trump's 'DCE' Medicare privatization scheme is complete.

[CousinIT]

Trump's Medicare Privatization Scheme

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/02/16/physicians-slam-industry-push-fix-not-end-medicare-privatization-scheme

Physicians and progressive advocates on Tuesday urged the Department of Health and Human Services to reject an industry appeal to tweak and rebrand—not end altogether—a Medicare privatization scheme known as Direct Contracting, which the Trump administration launched in 2020.

. . .

The industry coalition's proposal to increase provider control over DCEs—the majority of which are currently controlled by investors—would do little to alter the DC program's core imperatives, PHNP president Dr. Susan Rogers argued in the new letter to Becerra.

"Even with more provider governance, DCEs are ultimately accountable to investors, which include private equity firms and commercial insurers active in [Medicare Advantage]," Rogers wrote. "Investors want a return on their investment, creating a dangerous incentive for DCEs to both maximize revenues through upcoding, and minimize medical expenditures by restricting patient care."

As for the industry recommendation of additional "guardrails" for the DC program, Rogers wrote, "Our experience from Medicare's other managed care experiment, Medicare Advantage, shows that when regulators install new guardrails that threaten profits, the industry will simply build a bigger truck to run them over."

"The DCE industry represents its own interests and that of its investors, and does not speak for physicians," Rogers continued. "As physicians, we urge you to end the dangerous DC program and work tirelessly to strengthen and protect Traditional Medicare, both for today and for generations to come."

Link to tweet

Physicians for a National Health Program is deeply concerned about the future of Medicare. We urge
@SecBecerra to resist industry pressure to “fix” the unfixable, and instead end the Direct Contracting program for good.

Our letter to Sec. Becerra: http://pnhp.org/BecerraLetter

[delisen]

1. We are being eaten alive by the faux capitalists who want easy money government contracts

Medicare Advantage has been gutting regular Medicare for decades. This direct contract scheme is more of the same.

Faux capitalists don’t want to compete. They want no-risk wealth building for themselves.

The big battle coming up for Medicare for All proponents are these privatization schemes. They do not save money, they increase the cost of Medicare.

[moonscape]

2. The the relentless Medicare Advantage

marketing is disgusting. Clogs mailboxes and the airways. As a cancer patient, I’d be in deep financial trouble with it vs Original Medicare plus supplement. Many surgeries, years of chemo, endless scans and tests and appts and docs, etc and I have not paid a penny out of pocket beyond my premiums.

[CousinIT]

3. These DCEs can KEEP any surplus money they don't spend on care.

Medicare gives them money. They deny or restrict care. And they get to keep the leftover $ they got from Medicare. THAT's what they're after.

It doesn't take a genius to see where this is going. Talk about "death panels". This shit is the epitome of it.

PLEASE put pressure on Xavier Becerra, HHS, POTUS, Medicare.gov to ABOLISH these DCEs.

My time isn't here yet but when it is I hope to God regular Medicare + a supplement is still available because I'd like to avoid freaking Advantage. I just want A, B, D and a supplemental.

It's estimated that with these DCEs, Medicare will be completely privatized in a decade or so.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

4. Fuck this privatization bullshit

Fuck insurance companies fuck the shareholders and fuck capitalism!!

[albacore]

5. Change will come...

[I_UndergroundPanther]

7. Heheh..

[delisen]

6. I am glad for you . You made the right choice. I did not and am trapped in Med Advantage hell.

May you enjoy good health going forward.