Medicare Health Insurance News

CBS4.com – Millions of seniors who signed up for popular private health plans through Medicare are facing sharp premium increases this year – another sign that spiraling costs are a problem even for those with solid insurance.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch – On Sunday, President Barack Obama invited Republican leaders to share their ideas for health care reform at a Feb. 25 summit meeting.

Ezra Klein (Washington Post) – There’s been a lot about procedural impediments to moving forward on health-care reform: Can the Senate can pass a reconciliation bill before the House passes the Senate bill? Can Republicans delay reconciliation with amendments? Who should go first, House or Senate?

Wall Street Journal – A month ago, President Barack Obama was on the verge of a victory that eluded all his predecessors, as Congress neared approval of legislation to expand health-insurance coverage to nearly all Americans. Today, this initiative is in critical condition, perhaps even dying.

Philly.com – Health care is one of the biggest costs to plan for in retirement, even with the federal Medicare program providing basic coverage to Americans age 65 and over.

Ezra Klein (The Washington Post) – The Huffington Post and Roll Call are both reporting that Joe Lieberman notified Harry Reid that he will filibuster health-care reform if the final bill includes an expansion of Medicare. Previously, Lieberman had been cool to the idea, saying he wanted to make sure it wouldn’t increase the deficit or harm Medicare’s solvency (and previously to that, he supported it as part of the Gore/Lieberman health-care plan). That comforted some observers, as the CBO is expected to say it will do neither. Someone must have given Lieberman a heads-up on that, as he’s decided to make his move in advance of the CBO score, the better to ensure the facts of the policy couldn’t impede his opposition to it.

The New York Times – In a surprise setback for Democratic leaders, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, said on Sunday that he would vote against the health care legislation in its current form.

Politico – Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) said Thursday that she does not support the Medicare buy-in because it would “aggravate an already-serious problem” with the program – the low reimbursement rates for hospitals and doctors.

Associated Press – A staunch supporter of a public option to expand health care says he’s encouraged by a Senate compromise on the troublesome issue.

Media Matters Action Network – While Republicans in both chambers of Congress continue to spread the falsehood that Democratic health care reform cuts Medicare (it doesn’t), House Republicans have in fact voted to cut $1.02 trillion from Medicare since 1991 – on top of their refusals to increase payments to Medicare physicians.