Friday, March 5, 2010

History Repeats



It's De'ja' vu really. Consider that we have Charlie Rangel stepping down this week "temporarily" for violating House rules amidst an ethical cloud at the same time the final push for Obamacare is occuring. Flash back to the 1980's and recall former House Ways & Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 was passed and contained a wildly unpopular provision called Section 89. Ultimately, Section 89 was repealed. Dan Rostenkowski was convicted, although he did receive a pardon from President Clinton. Employers and The US Chamber of Commerce won the battlefield because govern mandated social engineering solutions like section 89 reduce freedom and introduce complex Federal rules that are in fact thinly disquised measures intended to extract more revenue based on perceived inherent unfairness. Which brings us to Obamacare and Mitch McConnell's prophecy. My what poor students of history compose todays majority.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Doc Fix Does Not Happen

Today reimbursement rates from Medicare to Providers decline 21.2% as Congress has failed to implement the "Doc Fix". Many seniors will learn their doctor is not accepting new Medicare patients.