[StBernard] Dishonesty, Intimidation, Hypocrisy and Medicare Advantage

[Westley Annis]

Dishonesty, Intimidation, 
Hypocrisy and Medicare Advantage 

by Newt Gingrich

The editorial writers at the New York Times thought they were getting the
White House's back when they defended cuts to Medicare Advantage last week.
In fact, they were validating the blatant dishonesty of administration and
congressional officials pushing for the cuts. In their editorial last
Sunday, the Times writers revealed in stunning fashion the lies that have
been used to convince increasingly skeptical seniors that their Medicare
Advantage benefits won't be sacrificed to pay for government-run health
care. 

Dishonesty: Cuts Won't Affect Medicare Advantage Participants

In one breath, the Times claimed the effect of Medicare Advantage cuts will
be "modest": 

	"Although Republican rhetoric has triggered fears that Medicare
Advantage enrollees might lose their coverage entirely if private plans drop
out of the system, the real effect of the bill would likely be modest on
average."

Then, literally on the next line, the Times contradicts itself, and stumbles
inadvertently on to the truth: 

	"The value of an enrollee's added benefits would shrink by more than
half from current levels but would not disappear; they would still be worth
about $500 a year in 2019 (emphasis added)."


Intimidation: Free Speech Rights of Insurance Companies Denied

Medicare Advantage was created to do what the Center for Health
Transformation
<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441412:4889337738:m:1:4612231
3:664FAD0642AADAB4C8D193D1C79D7257>  (CHT) has long fought for: To give all
seniors more private choices of higher quality health care. It currently
provides almost 11 million Americans coverage through private insurance
plans. Recent data shows
<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441413:4889337738:m:1:4612231
3:664FAD0642AADAB4C8D193D1C79D7257>  that these seniors have better health
outcomes than those in traditional Medicare. 

Current legislation in Washington will gut the program. H.R. 3200 in the
House will cut Medicare Advantage by $172 billion. The bill sponsored by
Sen. Max Baucus in the Senate will cut the popular program by $123 billion. 

If you're just hearing about this now, here's the reason: When Humana (with
whom we've worked with in the past at CHT) tried to inform its Medicare
Advantage members that Democratic health care reform could lower their
benefits, the government ordered them to cease and desist and opened an
investigation of the company. 

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) subsequently introduced legislation in the Senate
Finance Committee to protect the 1st Amendment rights of private insurance
companies to criticize health care reform proposals. 

Democrats on the committee unanimously defeated the bill. 

Hypocrisy: The AARP Sells Out Seniors

But while Humana was censored by the government from talking to its Medicare
Advantage enrollees about proposed Democratic cuts, another Medicare
Advantage provider - the AARP - has been left free to lobby its members. 

Of course the Washington leadership of the AARP is working closely with
Democrats on health care reform. Incredibly, the self-appointed voice of
America's seniors supports "reforms" that will cut the benefits - if not the
entire Medicare Advantage coverage - of millions of seniors. 

How can this be? It's simple. The AARP is a liberal interest group like any
other, and it cut a deal with the party in charge in Washington. In exchange
for selling out the seniors it claims to represent, the AARP will get
potentially millions in lucrative insurance contracts, and quite possibly
something more
<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441415:4889337738:m:1:4612231
3:664FAD0642AADAB4C8D193D1C79D7257> . 

Tell Your Friends We're Not Going to Take It Anymore

No plan that has to be advanced through dishonesty, intimidation and
hypocrisy has the support of the American people. 

But all that is required for these tactics to prevail in Washington is for
good people to sit back and do nothing. 

As debate in Congress continues, here's what you can do: Send this
newsletter to a friend, a co-worker, or a relative who isn't yet aware of
what Washington is doing. 

Send this newsletter to your senators and representatives. Let them know
that, despite the dishonesty, the intimidation and the hypocrisy, we know
what they're doing. 

And we're not going to take it anymore. 
 	 

  Your friend,
   Newt Gingrich 	

Newt's Quick Links:


*	Rediscovering God In America Part II Premieres: Callista's and my
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<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441416:4889337738:m:1:4612231
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<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441417:4889337738:m:1:4612231
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*	To watch the trailer for Rediscovering God in America II
<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441416:4889337738:m:1:4612231
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<http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3441418:4889337738:m:1:4612231
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