Bush is a ****

(Insert whatever pejorative descriptor you'd like above)

So,

the Senate finally got its act together and, in a moment of great political theater, on July 9, retroactively rescinded the 10% Medicare pay cut which went into effect on July 1.

Both the House and the Senate approved this measure by veto proof margins.

But Bush is still going to veto the bill.

Why? Who knows.

Oh, he and his people can give you reasons but really . . .

It's just a huge delay.

Does he have any idea what headaches this delay will cause?
Does he have any idea how much this delay will cost?
(Does he care?)

See, Medicare has to pay current claims within a certain timeframe from the date of receipt. As of Monday, they are going to have to start paying claims at the 10% decrease since the bill rescinding the decrease is not law yet.

This means that when the bill becomes law (as it seems likely it will), Medicare will have to go back and adjust all of the claims that they have already paid. Health care providers will have to go back and repost all of these adjustments. Secondary claims will all have to be refiled. Secondary insurances will have to go back and adjust all the claims that they have already paid. Health care providers will have to go back and repost all of these adjustments.

This happened a couple of years ago and it was a nightmare. Twelve months later, providers were still trying to get secondary insurances to pay pittances in additional coinsurance. It was a losing proposition.

Yep, Bush is a ****.