Congress plots to pay for a trade deal by raiding Medicare

A plan on capital hill seeks to add billions of dollars to the governments trade assistance program for its expansion; a program which helps federal workers that lose their jobs because of trade deals get assistance.

"It funds job retraining programs and subsidizes job searches. Older workers can get limited "wage insurance" covering a portion of any wage reductions they suffer in moving to new jobs."

This provision has been added to the fast tracking authority of the Trans Pacific Partnership, and congress would like to pass in tandem along with the proposal.

Source

That's the only conclusion one can draw from a provision slipped into a measure to extend and increase the government's Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which provides assistance to workers who lose their jobs because of trade deals. The measure, introduced by Rep. David Reichert (R-Wash.), proposes covering some of the $2.7-billion cost of the extension by slicing $700 million out of doctor and hospital reimbursements for Medicare.

a reply to: Daedal

Doctors and hospitals look at medicare like a free lunch, they can charge thousands of dollars for a room, a doctor drops in on an assisted living patient once a week to take their blood pressure and wham, bam, thank you medicare, a thousand dollars flows into their pocket like pink champagne at a bachelorette party.

Not saying I want medicare services cut, just some of the charges brought down to earth. When that's done then money can go into good causes like the one in the OP (and this goes doubletriple for corporate welfare handouts, big money flowing into military spending and big pharma, and the many other wasteful government handouts to campaign contributors an hanger-ons. And surely don't take it out on Granny.

It's good for the working class....
It's good for the working class....
It's good for the working class.....

A trade bill written in secrecy by the most transparent administration in history.

A trade bill that has the support of all the Republicans and President Obama (who have agreed on exactly zero in seven years).

A trade bill that is going to provide jobs to the American working class that includes money for workers that lose their jobs.

Is their a single person in America (other than the politicians and businessman that pay them) that supports this dagger in America's back?

GOVERNMENT = ORGANIZED CRIME

a reply to: HUMBLEONE

That's an insult to real organized crime. The ways in which Government does business would get them all killed if they were organized crime.

Even high level gangsters know what Loyalty is and it's importance. Government is all for hire to the highest bidder.

a reply to: 200Plus

Wait for it, I'm sure someone will be along to give an excuse for the president...

a reply to: Aleister

Doctors and hospitals look at medicare like a free lunch, they can charge thousands of dollars

They can charge what they like but I think insurance and medicare only pay predetermined rates and fees . So the doctor will charge 1Million dollars for the room , but medicare will only give them 600 bucks.

My understanding is that doctors accept medicare because it makes it easier for them to qualify with other insurances and not because of what they pay.

Wait , Medicare is broke , right ? Thats what they told us.Gonna push ol Granny off the cliff to save money. So ,the gov is going to use non-existent funds from an insolvent org to pay for a treaty to move more jobs overseas. Wow

a reply to: Daedal

That is a lie, the money is going to be appropriated under the umbrella of "helping federal workers that lost their jobs" but we all know where the money is going, to pay for the part of the bill that is going to protect multinationals law sues.

Darn crocks in the government are not protecting anybody, cutting Medicare more that has been gutted to pay for ACA is nothing but leaving the elderly in the nation unable to put food in the table because the Medicare program can not pay for all the medications.

a reply to: marg6043

They will be coming for the 401k and Pension funds next.... as predicted.

economiccollapsenews.com...

a reply to: infolurker

But isn't that the purpose of the 2008 market collapse?, to consolidate banks so the only the big ones will survive? they are still doing the same crap that cause the Bubble to burse.

The next bubble is been created on top of the last, ACA is going to be a bubble on itself, as the insurance companies never got their fair share of tax dollars bailout.

ACA was supposed to do that, but is going to collapse as the economy can not support them in the long term, add that to the QEs that are still been funneled to the backs and there you got, I will not be surprised if indeed government pension funds one of the largest in the nation is about to implode.

Now the government wants to look like they care about their federal employees with a gesture of nothing more than a hoax.

didn't they raid medicare to pay for some obamacare stuff? Ah socialism, works great till ya run out of everyone elses money lol. Lets see what else should we turn over to the govt to control because its working out great so far. i mean it must be popular because someone reelected this nutjob.

Everything the Gov. does is insane,it`s as if congress and the executive are purposely trying to bankrupt the Nation and everyone in it.