Pre-Boomer Musings

On January 1, 2010 payments to heart and cancer specialists will experience double digit cuts if the proposed Medicare plans take effect as scheduled.  It will have a disproportionately negative impact on pre-boomers and our quality of life as we continue to age.  This could restrict many of us born between 1930 and 1945 from living as long as our parents’ generation, enough though medical science suggests with proper medical care we should be able to live  well into our late eighties, nineties and beyond.

In a nation where, for the past 50 plus years, emphasis has been on the young, it’s understandable why some may think it’s economically sound to focus on disease prevention (among the young) rather than caring for those who are already sick (most of whom are older).  Understandable, but dead wrong.

Human lives are on the line for those over 65.  Remember, all our working lives we paid taxes and contributed to improving the quality of life in the USA through the goods and services we delivered.  Are the politicians and bureaucrats so indifferent, so insensitive and so interested in their own agendas that they are willing to let senior citizens needing care wither and die?  These people apparently forgot they will, someday, be seniors too.

Since heart and cancer relater problems are the leading reason for medical treatment and, ultimately, death among those 65 and over, the cuts will result in cardiologists and oncologists being forced to limit patient care, stop treating Medicare patients or require those receiving care to pay for the short-fall out of their own pockets.  None of these options are acceptable, especially for those of us on fixed incomes.

Some patients will decide they can’t afford the treatment their specialists prescribe.  This will result in an earlier than necessary death of some patients.  Also doctors will experience financial difficulties directly attributable to the reimbursement cut backs and others will be discouraged from becoming specialists.  This is could result in an extreme problem, because according to the Census Bureau the population over 65 will increase from 40 million in 2010 to 81 million in 2040.  So we can’t afford to lose doctors with the number of seniors doubling in the years ahead.

If the cuts for cardiologists and oncologists were the only areas receiving cuts it would be troublesome.  However, the government plans to reduce Medicare and Medicaid spending by $500 billion or more.  This is tragic and will affect medical care and treatment for all seniors.

Before the bills are marked-up in the House and Senate and work their way through the signing process, find out what else will be cut from Medicare in order to insure those who currently do not have coverage.  You must let your representatives know how concerned you are about benefit reductions.  And be sure to make it clear that a vote against seniors will result in a vote against those who don’t have our interests at heart.  Together, pre-boomers are a powerful voting block, so don’t let the politicians forget it.

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