[LTPC-discussions] Fw: LTC Bullet: Do We Owe Apologies to Our Grandchildren?
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Sat, 2 Aug 2003 09:54:06 -0600
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From: "Center for Long-Term Care Financing" <ltcbullets@centerltc.org>
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Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 2:08 PM
Subject: LTC Bullet: Do We Owe Apologies to Our Grandchildren?
> LTC Bullet: Do We Owe Apologies to Our Grandchildren?
>
> Thursday, July 31, 2003
>
> Mobile, AL--
>
> LTC Comment: We've placed an enormous burden on smaller future
generations
> to support Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for our huge baby-boom
> generation. Grandpa Conrad Meier, a thoughtful analyst and author on the
> subject, says "sorry" to his grandkids for the latest fiscal "straw" added
> to their backpack . . . after the ***news.***
>
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> LTC BULLET: DO WE OWE APOLOGIES TO OUR GRANDCHILDREN?
>
> LTC Comment: The following article was published in the August 2003 issue
> of Health Care News, http://cfmresearch.tripod.com/loosingourway . The
> author is Conrad F. Meier, Senior Fellow in Health Policy and Managing
> Editor - Health Care News, The Heartland Institute. For more information,
> go to http://www.heartland.org/ or write to mailto:meier@heartland.org
> . "Apologies to My Grandchildren" by Conrad Meier is republished here
with
> permission from the author.
>
> APOLOGIES TO MY GRANDCHILDREN
> By Grandpa Conrad
>
> Dear Jack, Katie, Luke, Will, Tess, Elle, and Anthony:
>
> My entire generation owes you an apology. But I can speak only for myself
> when I say I regret to inform you that you are going to get a hulk of a
tax
> bill by the time you celebrate your 20th birthday.
>
> I know you are still too young to fully understand, but while you are
> having fun chasing bugs and butterflies, the people who make laws in this
> country are playing pretend and saying they want to help old folks pay for
> some of the medication they take to feel better and live longer.
>
> The very awful thing about this is that your Grandpa and Grandma and
> millions like us don't need this help . . . and many of us don't even want
> it. About 75 percent of seniors already get medicine paid for with
> Medigap, Medicaid, Medicare+Choice, public assistance, employee retirement
> plans, and discount drug programs sponsored by the big companies who make
> the drugs.
>
> These lawmakers are called Republicans and Democrats, and they will soon
> vote to pass what is called Medicare reform legislation. What all that
> really means is the government is going to spend a lot of money paying for
> what most seniors can afford to pay for themselves but, being selfish,
> would rather have someone else pay for.
>
> That someone else includes people like your Mom and Dad. Why should they
> have to pay for someone else's medicine?
>
> It's called a wealth transfer, like you getting two dollars for doing your
> chores and then having the big kid next door take one dollar away, leaving
> you with only one.
>
> Problem is, as Mom and Dad get older, the taxes they pay won't be enough
> and the money will run out. So, the government will ask you to start
> paying the bill, and it will be huge. Right now they say it will cost
$400
> billion just to get it up and running.
>
> It Gets Worse
>
> In the 10 years after 2010 the bill will be about $700 billion. Soon
after
> that, you will have your own careers but you will be so heavily taxed you
> may not be able to afford a house or a car. You might not be able to take
> a long vacation or raise a family of your own. I'm sorry, I
apologize--but
> it's not my idea!
>
> Here's a little secret, so don't tell: While seniors make up only 12
> percent of the population, we own more than half the financial and real
> estate assets in the country. Not only can most seniors afford the
private
> insurance that pays for drugs, many seniors can even afford to pay
> cash. This new Medicare giveaway is not what most of us need. The money
> you will pay in taxes to fund it is something you will need in the future.
>
> Hunting Bugs with a Bazooka
>
> The folks who really need our help are those poor seniors and some very
> sick people who cannot help themselves. You all know we should share our
> toys and help those with no toys. The same goes for money.
>
> A drug discount card subsidized by government and given to poor seniors
> would work to help just the folks who really need it. So would greater
> publicity and awareness of all those private-sector drug discount cards
and
> patient assistance programs. Lots of people don't even know they exist.
>
> There is also a very serious mistake in the Medicare drug giveaway. More
> than one-third--roughly 37 percent--of senior citizens who have
> employer-provided drug insurance will lose it under the current versions
of
> the Senate or the House plans.
>
> When that happens millions of seniors like Grandpa and Grandma would be
> forced to accept government-run Medicare. It is how government gets
people
> hooked on giveaways so they have to keep voting for more giveaways. It's
> like people who use drugs and cant stop.
>
> Hole-in-the-doughnut
>
> The new government drug program would stop helping seniors after they
spend
> a little money, and then start up again after they have spent lots more
> money. That has a funny name called the hole-in-the-doughnut. It's like
> eating through the yummy outside until you get to the center and all of a
> sudden there's nothing . . . but you are still hungry.
>
> You can help stop this very bad social plan by calling or sending a letter
> to the people in Congress telling them to help just those folks who really
> need help and stop messing with your future. They will listen to you
> because politicians will do anything "for the sake of the children."
> Tell them this is their chance to prove it.
>
> "GRANDPA" CONRAD F. MEIER IS SENIOR FELLOW IN HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGING
> EDITOR OF HEALTH CARE NEWS, A FREE-MARKET PUBLICATION OF THE HEARTLAND
> INSTITUTE. CONRAD RECENTLY BEGAN WRITING SHORT PROGRAM FEATURES FOR RADIO
> AMERICA CALLED IT'S YOUR HEALTH.
>
> A formatted version of today's LTC Bullet is available at
> http://www.centerltc.org/bullets/current/457.htm
>
>
>
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