Social Security Smokescreen - ignoring the emerging Medicaid Crisis...

The 2006 Budget proposal by Pres. Bush is yet to be announced, but rumors are already circulating on the hill about what will end up on the chopping block. Already, stories speculating a reduction in funds for everything from education to veteran's benefits are being written, but Medicaid benefits are now getting equal play. A very interesting tidbit from an Associated Press story on the Medicaid benefit cuts:

According to Congressional Budget Office estimates last fall, Medicaid spending grew by 9.4 percent while Social Security costs expanded by 4.5 percent.

If Medicaid costs are continuing to rise, why isn't the administration trying to "restructure" it? Is it because Bush just had a bill passed that increased Medicaid benefits to include prescription drug coverage (and extra padding to the wallets of drug companies) in an election year move and now finds himself cutting funding to the very same program? Or perhaps he wants to divert the attention of the public while he takes from the poor to give to the rich. After all, wouldn't it make more sense to roll back some of the tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans than begin denying people entrance into the Medicaid program, limit states funding, or decrease Medicaid payments to doctors--which basically will force more doctors to stop accepting Medicaid, thus forcing more people off of the program since no doctor will take them. This is an especially alarming proposition as it will leave more Americans uninsured, which actually costs tax payers twice as much as just insuring these people in the first place! Social Security, the great political smokescreen.

posted by Sarai @ 5:09 PM