Time and time again, legislators have assured seniors that Medicare coverage would not change. At the same time, Senate and House bills would carve out $500 billion from Medicare over the next 10 years to cover the segment of the population currently unemployed.

Incidentally, this  would occur concurrently with as much as 30% more people entering the Medicare system. And yes, this coincides with the same medicament ventolin hfa projected ten year time frame when the Medicare trust fund could run out of money.

House Democrats led by Mr. Baucus propose permanently decreasing annual Medicare payment adjustments for inflation to nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

Permanently? Has anyone asked what would happen to these healthcare facilities down the road with no cost of inflation benefits? Can we survive when all healthcare facilities don’t?