Shame on The Providence Journal for its top-of-the-fold headline “Seniors feel pinch of steep premiums”. (Hard copy only — the one they can wave around the breakfast table.) Attention old people — the only people whose premiums are not increasing are the millions of Americans with no insurance at all. These articles only inflame the elderly to badger their weak-willed representatives into budget-busting legislation like that unfunded Prescription Drug Plan, legislation that does nothing to solve the big problem.

Mind you, this is not Medicare A or B we are talking about, but the Medicare Advantage plans which offer extra coverage for vision, hearing, dental and prescription drugs. Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher Koller, whose office is fielding many inquiries, is quoted as saying “… they’ve gotten rate increases and they don’t know who to talk to”. Here’s an idea, talk to your children — they’ve been paying out-of-pocket for this stuff for years! And I love the breakout quote they used from one retiree “The increase in the Advantage ‘is ruining our retirement fund’” Retirement fund? What’s that?

And please read Froma Harrop’s excellent column on Wednesday, “Time to talk about waste and cost”.

Tags: health care reform

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