corrente

Medicare premiums for doctor visits will rise 17 percent next year, the Bush administration said Friday. The $11.60-a-month increase is the largest in the program’s 40-year-history.

Monthly payments for Part B of the government health care program for older and disabled Americans — doctor visits and most other non-hospital expenses — will jump to $78.20 from $66.60.

The premiums are updated annually under a formula set by law. The federal government picks up about 75 percent of the cost of Part B benefits and beneficiaries pay the rest.

He just lost the vote of the vast majority of folks over 65 on Medicare now folks.

Oh yeah -- and this news was, of course, released late on a Friday before a holiday weekend.

The timing of the release — the day following the Republican convention, just before the Labor Day weekend and with a hurricane bearing down on Florida and its nearly 3 million Medicare recipients — drew criticism Friday.

“This is a cynical attempt to bury bad news by leaking it out when you hope no one is watching,” said Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark, D-Calif. “This administration has had four years to improve Medicare and instead have made it worse. Today’s news reflects the reality, not rhetoric, of this administration’s bad record on Medicare.
(via MSNBC)

Gee, ya think?

Retired Americans aren't going to sit still for this. This little nugget may actually do the most to assure the defeat of W.

Part B premiums have risen nearly 40 percent in the last two years.

Kerry had better start hitting them over the head with this -- NOW.