Does anyone else think it’s amazing that a government that can make a trillion dollars disappear at the drop of a hat is gloating at the possibility of saving only $17 billion over ten years? It’s even more ironic that they’re proudly going through with National Competitive Bidding at the expense of job-creating small and medium businesses, who will simply erode the current tax base from both an employer and employee perspective.
I’m all for reining in waste at all levels of government, but where’s the common sense here? And this is before we ever get to the points of NCB sustainability.
Will hospital discharge planners need to coordinate with a half-dozen home care suppliers, three of which are out-of-state, to send one Medicare patient home? I can hear the 2011 conversation now:
“You’re saying that you can supply the hospital bed, but can no longer supply the oxygen?”
“That’s right. You see, we didn’t bid 30% below our cost; however, I’m sure the bid winner who’s three states away will be happy to take your call.”
All for $1.7 billion annually for ten years. Maybe Thomas Paine should be required reading to become a bureaucrat.
