Fence Post

Beware the payment advisory board

In a matter of days the Supreme Court is scheduled to release its decision on the constitutionality of Obamacare. The court will either do nothing, strike down only the individual mandate, or rule the whole law is unconstitutional.

Unless the whole law is struck down, one piece, the so-called Independent Payment Advisory Board, is likely to survive. Never heard of it? If you are covered by Medicare, have relatives on Medicare, are disabled or look forward to Medicare coverage in the future, you might want to read on.

IPAB consists of 15 nonelected and unaccountable presidential appointees (bureaucrats) with extraordinary power. They will decide what your doctors and your hospitals will be paid if you are a Medicare patient. PAB has a fancy name but it is simply a price control board. They are the folks who will be cutting the half trillion dollars out of Medicare that was shifted to “other priorities” in the Obamacare law.

Despite the word “advisory” in their title, their decisions are law. Congress can only overrule them with super majorities in both the House and Senate and the members of the board even take their salaries right out of the Medicare Trust Fund that you have been paying into.

For many years I ran a business that helped companies purchase health insurance plans to serve their workers and their families. One thing I know for sure: artificial price controls don’t work. Never have. People won’t deliver service below their cost. They can’t if they want to stay in business.

Medicare reimbursement rates are already low and as a result seniors will find it harder and harder to find a doctor that will take them.

When IPAB kicks in, the situation will only get worse.

Craig Conn

St. Charles

Why should we cut someone else’s grass?

Why are householders being told to keep the area along Big Timber Road in Elgin clear of grass and tall weeds when it is not their property?

If they do not do it they are threatened with a fine up to $200. This property is not part of their land.

What if someone is injured while doing this, will the city be responsible?

Will neighbors now be forced to go to an empty lot or a yard of an unoccupied house and make sure the grass is cut?

Kay Gotter

Elgin

Walker victory was badly needed

Misguided. Extreme. Divisive.

This is how your editorial group described Gov. Scott Walker’s reproach of a collusive system between politicians and unions existing in many of our states and sadly firmly ingrained in the state of Illinois.

Misguided, no rather guided in needing to squelch a system destined to choke any state.

Extreme, you bet. How else can you attack these sacred cows practically grandfathered into our country?

Divisive. So what — eggs get broken when drastic change is required.

At this point in time states owe to their pension and benefits plans $3 trillion dollars, and that ain’t hay.

Oh yeah, Walker won.

Paul Kowalski

Elk Grove Village