Different Takes: What’s Next For Medicare Cost Controls? Vladeck And Wilensky Offer Their Views
During the course of negotiations to raise the debt ceiling, proposals to reduce Medicare costs had an on-again, off-again presence at the table. We asked Bruce Vladeck and Gail Wilensky which of these ideas could have a positive or negative impact on the program.
A ‘Pernicioius’ Idea: Proposals To Forbid First-Dollar Coverage For Medicare Beneficiaries 听
Bruce Vladeck, who oversaw Medicare and Medicaid from 1993 to 1997,听writes听about “one especially pernicious proposal” to rein in Medicare savings —听the prohibition of first-dollar coverage in Medicare supplemental insurance.
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An Unreasonable Expectation…听听听
Gail Wilensky, who ran Medicare ane Medicaid during the George H.W. Bush administration, writes that, although听there has been an听expectations that the current fiscal crisis听“would produce the ‘right environment’ to finally reform entitlements — particularly Medicare,”听it won’t be easy to get lawmaker and public to seriously engage in Medicare reform.
