Republican Controlled House and Senate Weigh Co-Payment for Care at Home

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/14/national/14MEDI.html?ex=1066708800&en=d5d8759f9a4d09d2&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 — House and Senate negotiators working on Medicare legislation say they are seriously considering imposing a co-payment on home health care, one of the few Medicare benefits for which patients do not have to pay such charges.

Congress eliminated the co-payment in 1972 in an effort to encourage the use of home care as an alternative to nursing homes and hospitals, which are generally more expensive.

Just four days remain before a Friday deadline suggested by Republican leaders of Congress for completing work on the legislation, which would revamp Medicare and add prescription drug benefits, at an estimated cost of $400 billion over 10 years.

Several negotiators said on Monday that they were seriously considering a co-payment of $40 to $45 for each 60-day period in which a beneficiary receives home care. That is about 1.5 percent of the average cost of such care. For each 60 day period, Medicare typically pays $2,700 to $3,000.

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[SoCalDem]

1. Geez.. just kill all the old people quickly and be done with it

:grr:.

These are the people who do NOT have an "extra" 45-60 a month.. :grr:

It's amazing how easily they spend poor people's money, and hang on to their own so dearly :(

[NaMeaHou]

2. It's not just old people

Many, many disabled, younger people rely on the same services.

What would this be the start of? Remember, everything that is done now is started with a softening up before the body blow - then the kick to the head.