Wednesday Morning Tired Edition

I traveled to Maryland yesterday for the funeral of a 7 year old little boy. I'm physically exhausted and my heart is weary, so you'll forgive me if perhaps I miss something today. Here goes:

If you're afraid of cuts to Medicare, here's something to really fear -- vouchers, or the privitization of Medicare, proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). Or maybe just the dismantling of the safety net we have in America for people who can't manage on their own?

If you repeal health reform, what do you do about the still unsustainable status quo? Apparently, the ideas are few.

The NY Times reports that the health reform vote is putting some Democrats on the defensive. I continue to believe that if they did a better job of explaining the new law, they wouldn't feel they have to apologize for voting for progress, however imperfect. It's NOT government run health care -- indeed, it's far less so than Medicare and Medicaid. That's the right answer, not an apology.

Here's an interesting article about the IRS rules for what counts as medical care eligible for deductions -- NOT breast pumps, but astroturf for a family with an asthma sufferer?

And here's something I didn't know anything about until today -- a panel of doctors who make recommendations about how doctors should be reimbursed under Medicare.

In the run up to the elections, please read and learn and decide for yourself. Jennifer