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dlssmith · #15 04-07-2011, 05:37 PM

Spending being what it is, even Ryan's proposal increases the debt in the short term - 10 years. Actually, if you account for current spending without his plan, the debt in the next 10 years isn't going to kill us - it's the 10 years after that to watch for.

Ryan's plan isn't perfect, but if we don't transition Medicare to a system designed like real health insurance, it won't work. It will consume the budget in years to come. Particularly if we add more and more people to it. Government took the easy way out when Medicare was created and has been punting ever since. You cannot make line item expenditures for health expenses without pooling "premiums" like the private sector health insurers do. No so called "single payor" system can work. Ask any experienced actuary. It's not smoke and mirrors, or alchemy. It's insurance 101. It ain't pretty, and some people pay even if they don't use the system (just like safe drivers in the auto market) and everyone complains about the premiums, but it is honestly the best way to manage expenses. Building a profit into it for the insurance companies helps keep them honest too, and gives them an incentive to fight fraud. And fraud and government just go together so perfectly...