White House Plans Medicare Power Grab

Jo Moore infamously decided to bury unpopular news by releasing it when the rest of the world was distracted: In her case, shortly after the attack on 9/11. Catch the latest news the government hopes you missed. This week: a new proposal that would radically alter the way Medicare reimbursement rates are set.

At 9:55 am (EST) on September 11th, just after the second World Trade Center was struck, Jo Moore, former British press officer sent an email to her colleagues which read "It's now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury. Councillors' expenses?."  It is in her honor that I identify one story every Friday afternoon that our wonderful government tried (and failed) to bury. This Week: The AP is reporting this afternoon that the White House is requesting more power to set Medicare rates... a lot more...  According to the story, earlier today, the White House sent a letter to Congress requesting that an "independent advisory board" be allowed to recommend changes in Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers.  According to the story, the suggestions made by the committee would go to the President for approval.  If the President signs off, then Congress would vote on the recommendations.  However the proposal requires Congress to vote on the proposals as a block, meaning that Congressional leaders could not reject certain proposals while accepting others. This proposal would radically alter the way that Medicare reimbursement rates are set.  Currently, Medicare rates tend to vary from region to region, with local lawmakers often playing a significant role in setting the local rates.  If, however, the White House has its way, the Obama administration would take this power for itself. Given that President Obama has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration’s "distortion of the powers of the executive," it appears that President Obama may be coming around to this whole "executive power" thing. Click here for earlier recipients of the Jo Moore Award.