Health care reform’s impact on seniors

Rationing, cost-savings, or no effect? Hear analysis from geriatrician and Medicare expert, Dr. Richard Stefanacci.

President Obama says seniors with Medicare health insurance can expect cheaper costs and more efficient care. Dr. Richard Stefanacci, a geriatrician, Medicare expert, and professor at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, spoke with Kerry Grens about his take on the President’s proposals.
(Photo of hands: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaspi/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

More coverage on healthcare reform.

 

What will be the impact on seniors? (0:50 )
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Could the proposals have a negative impact on Medicare and people who have it? (1:00)
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“I think there are opportunities for reducing waste, fraud and other things in Medicare. But I don’t know how that’s going to translate into greater benefits for seniors or reductions in out-of-pocket expenditures.”
The focus for healthcare reform is to reform the practice of insurance companies and to get insurance coverage for the millions of Americans who don’t have it. Why is there concern about Medicare when it’s an existing program, an entitlement that people already have? (:52)
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The President believes that a lot of the savings from Medicare could come from ferreting out waste and fraud in the system. To what extent can we pay for insurance via that approach? (:39)
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“I think the likelihood that the savings would come even close to insuring the millions of people that we’re talking about here is unlikely.”The President pointed out that the so-called “death panels” are completely ridiculous, that they were a fabrication of his opponents. Do you think that Obama brushing aside the idea that end-of-life consultation could lead to rationing is legitimate? (1:53)
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Would rationing occur without healthcare reform? (:21)
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