Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act

Congressman Steve Kagen:

I see you voted yes to the above.

I have only one question I want an answer to.  But first I wish to inform you that The Washington Times July 2nd, 2007 Op-Ed article stated that by January of 2009, when the new Congress and President takes over, Social Security and Medicare ALONE will be $90 TRILLION Dollars in UNFUNDED liabilities, over the inifinite horizon.

Where is the money going to come from to pay for this 90 TRILLION UNFUNDED liability, let alone additional or extended costs added to it?  You’re not thinking about taxing us more to go along with the skyrocketing cost of the shortage of energy products caused by U.S. Congress interference with our freedom to harvest oil and gas by the oil companies that us American citizen pension and 401k program stockholders own or the skyrocketing cost of food due to the U.S. Congress enforced mandate to place percentages of ethanol in our gasoline, are you?

You’re not thinking about taking more money out of our paychecks in the form of payroll tax “withholding” then you already do are you?

Please respond soon, my family, friends and associates all think you are going to take more money out of our paychecks, by withholding, before we even get our earnings from our weekly efforts and hard work.  You certainly wouldn’t really do something like that would you?

Sincerely,

Here is his reply:

Dear Mr. Koenigs,

Thank you for allowing me to listen to your concerns about the cuts in Medicare payments to physicians that took effect on July 1st.  I appreciate your taking time to share your views with me.

I am proud to have joined my House colleagues in overriding the President’s misguided veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6331) by a vote of 383 – 41 on July 14, 2008.  The next day, the Senate followed suit by voting 70 -26 to override the veto.  H.R. 6331 became public law on July 15, 2008. 

Enactment of this legislation stopped the 10% reduction in physician reimbursements, and instead provided a modest increase of 0.5% through the end of 2008 and a 1.1% increase for 2009. 

It may take up to ten business days to implement the new law.  Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue working with health care providers and the beneficiary community to avoid disruptions in the delivery of health care services. 

While the reimbursement provisions in H.R. 6331 are a short-term fix, many of my colleagues and I are committed to a long-term solution to the physician payment issue.  We cannot fix health care without doctors, and I will continue to work hard to guarantee access to affordable care for every citizen.

Solving our health care crisis begins by making certain that Medicare and Medicaid pay for at least the overhead cost of providing a service or a health care product, plus a margin of profit.  This would eliminate the cost-shifting that has distorted the medical marketplace during the past several decades.  No business can continuously operate at a loss, and physicians’ offices are no exception.

Thank you again for sharing your concerns with me.  By working together, we will build a better future for everyone.

Sincerely,

Steve Kagen, MD
Member of Congress

Now my question is; did he understand that my question was where the money was coming from to pay for the Social Security and Medicare debacle and was he going to take the money out of our paychecks OR does MD stand for Mentally Deficient?   Assuming he is not MD than why did he not answer the simple questions for which I obviously wrote him the letter?   All of us better realize the reason for avoiding the answer, because it is not going to be pretty!  They are going to take us for nearly every thing we earn.

Photograph of Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) found on

plaque hanging around neck of effigy in Menominee, MI.

Speak of Independence Day fireworks!  Wow.  Three piece Senator Harry Reid “stuffed suit” (pun intended) complete with polished dress shoes, tie and even eye glasses with a plaque hanging from around his neck that had a picture of him giving the finger to the American public as he spoke on the Senate floor.  Under the picture it had his quote when he said; “We will allow additional leases for you to drill for oil, to lower your gasoline prices, in The Gulf of Mexico, over my dead body!” – as apparently, according to the plaque, reported in The Washington Times.  It would appear that we have the freedom to drill for oil, to lower our gasoline and food prices, in the Gulf now.

 There were all sorts of other patriotic signs, hanging from branches and planted ground stands like: “United We Stand” with a U.S. Flag but with the yellow Gadsden Flag stickers (first flag of American Freedom) with coiled snake and “Don’t Tread On Me” on it, “God Bless America” and a bunch of other printed constitutional fact signs posted around the Liberty Tree.  I have to say; after you got over the shock of the “hanging” it was patriotic and very educational.

One of the signs indicated concerns about rising payroll taxes to cover Social Security and Medicare libilities (as Barack Obama has promised in his recent speeches regarding the need for additional taxation in his tax plan) provided detailed facts with supporting sources and talked about the resulting eroding of take home pay to support our families.  The near professionally printed sign asked how can we afford a much smaller paycheck when gasoline, energy and food prices are so high already and still climbing.

 According to accounts the Menominee, MI police came and removed the entire display about mid-morning.  Some people were distressed to see the display, while others said they could certainly understand how people could be so upset with the actions of Congress that have lead us to the point where we have lost much of our freedom, homes and prosperity by the results of Congressional intervention in the affairs of free people and business.

 The Bartenders from the Pirates Cove across 1^st Street from the Menominee Memorial Park in Menominee were really shocked when they woke up and looked out the window, above the bar, to see the Senator Harry Reid effigy hanging there twisting in the gentle morning breeze.  I guess it was pretty scary.  Apparently there must be a few people in these parts that are not happy with what Congress has done to our gasoline and food prices and what they intend to do to our take home pay.