Pay attention for a minute here.

A lady on Medicare says, on television (60 Minutes), that she received from Medicare, in the mail, documents labeled “Explanation of Benefits” which informed her that Medicare had paid so many hundred dollars for things like a motorized wheel chair.

So she immediately contacts Medicare and tells them that (1) she never received a motorized wheel chair from anybody, and (2) she has never needed one.

The lady reports that for six years she got weird “Explanations of Benefits” like that, and that she notified Medicare each time.

She reports that Medicare never did anything about her reports, but kept right on paying for ever more stuff.

What’s the problem here?

The problem is that Medicare did not follow up on her reports. Medicare officials claim they do not have enough investigators. They said so on TV.

Why doesn’t Medicare have enough investigators?

Because their budget does not provide for enough.

Who approves Medicare’s budget? Congress.

For eight years, until late January this year, our federal government was run by people who hate government and want to cut it down. They have come close to succeeding in destroying it, and it is through tactics like this that they succeed.

Look briefly at Georgia’s government, which cut down the number of people processing state income tax returns and now has to waste thousands of dollars in postage and interest payments for delaying tax refunds beyond their normal deadline.

The last thing you cut, in government, is the people who produce your revenue (tax collectors) and the watchdogs who protect you against fraud and waste. Some politicians never learn. But then some voters never learn either and keep electing these dummies.

Let's get rid of the 'dummies' - and stop this disgusting fraud. Spend tax payer money for monitors and investigators NOW!

What planet were you living on during the 8 years Bush was Prez and why haven't you discovered "news" since returning to Planet Earth.

I wish Bush "hated government" a whole lot more than what he and his fellow Repubs and Dems showed for those 8 years. Looked like a tremendous love affair to me. Even Obama thought it was excessive and harped on the deficits.....well, at least until he got elected and then he couldn't wait to get in on the massive deficit spending and government expansion bandwagon as fast as he could.

at what you will say to defend this administration and what you will say to blame the last.. Under Bush the Government was grown DRASTICALLY.. Look at Medicare part D a massive expansion of Government that added BILLIONS to our debt.. and who did it.. Bush. Where in the heck do you get it was reduced? Where have you been.. under a rock?

""Well, it really does come down to the size and scope of the Medicare program, and the resources that are dedicated to oversight and anti fraud work," Brandt said. "One of our biggest challenges has been that we have a program that pays out over a billion claims a year, over $430 billion, and our oversight budget has been extremely limited."

Estimates of the amount stolen from the government (Note.. TAXPAYERS not Government) each year vary from about $60 billion to several hundred billion if you include Medicaid.

You act as if the Democrats where entirely powerless to do anything in those 8 years.. Well need I remind you who has controlled Congress the last 3 years?

btw… the same Democrats say Medicare is a very efficient program..Proponents of creating a new government plan (Democrats) argue that Medicare is much more efficient than private insurance and boast that it has administrative costs of just two percent. Real cost are closer to 8% however..

You can have it both ways if YOU want but.. you can't blame "The last 8 years" if the very ones whom you defend are the ones that use it as their basis for a “Public” Option. They point to the “LOW ADMINISTRATIVE COST” of Medicare then point fingers at Republicans saying it is their fault for that “low cost” that causes the Fraud, Waste and Abuse.

Oh don't get me wrong I have said it loud and proud both parties SUCK on ice.. Just don't try to give us the old BUSH Song and Dance..

"A Government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

The time for correcting is now - the blame game helps no one! It's clear that funds need to be expended to protect the American people from those who openly steal! We need to let our local and federal politicians know that WE are watching - and expect them to provide the necessary programs and personnel to stop this MESS!

It was a very good story - the kind of story 60 Minutes built their reputation on so many years ago.

However, I was amused by Steve Kroft's intro that cautioned viewers that "...this story may raise your blood pressure, along with some troubling questions about our government's ability to manage a medical bureaucracy."

No kidding. Especially if you blindly favor a "Robust Public Option."

Afterwards, I found myself wondering: "Is Medicare fraud a new revenue stream for ACORN?"

This is exactly what I have been railing against.. in the Healthcare debate. Medicare is a GOVERNMENT run Healthcare system. Infested with Fraud, Waste and Abuse as is most of the Government system..

Part of the “Savings” the Administration has said was going to pay for Universal Healthcare was coming from ending this abuse..

My point is and has been.. Do it FIRST.. Show us it can be done and that they have the WILL to do it. Then come to us and show us what the cost will be..

Stop playing games with our FUTURE.. No one believes this will be Deficit Neutral. You cannot add MILLIONS to the roles of Healthcare, Increase Spending at the same time you pledge TAX BREAKS for the Middle Class.. The MATH does not work..

You could confiscate 100% of the wealth of the Rich in this Country and you would still be Trillions off. SO TELL US THE TRUTH. Let us see the real cost and as a Country we can decide if we can afford it right now.. Some reform is necessary, but do we CRIPPLE AMERICA for GENERATIONS to come for a feel good SHORT term goal?

They will Collapse the DOLLAR so the Government can pay off the debt.. The problem is Germany tried that in 1933.. How did that work out for them?

"A Government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

Part of the “Savings” the Administration has said was going to pay for Universal Healthcare was coming from ending this abuse..
My point is and has been.. Do it FIRST.

This is what the Attorney General is doing. These guys and gals are going to jail! Now we have the responsibility to see that funds are used for an effective oversight program. It wasn't a lie that the funds being taken illegally from Medicare could help defray the cost of a decent health care program for Americans. With this fiasco stopped, it makes the cost of health care become more reasonable. Our debt is high - but we still have income. . .cleaning up this fraud in Medicare and Medicaid provides more funds for competent implementation of a much needed program for American citizens.

You might as well be talking to a fence post. You'll never convince people like David's Mom that look to government to solve all of America's problems that government IS the primary source of America's problems.

They don't want to think or do for themselves. The people that live off of redistributed income, taken by force by the fedral goverment from the productive and transferred to the non-proproductive, will continue to do so. Why should they change? It would require thought and effort on their part, and that just ain't gonna happen.

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

Turn the page of your 'talking points' - and try to read for comprehension. Government programs that are not monitored is the subject of this discussion at this point. Using the same old 'they' are victims and don't understand just doesn't work here. But I'm wasting my time answering you. When will I learn? Have a great day.

I'm still studying that report. I've already stated that I want to see an accurate budget report stating income and expense. It's difficult to ascertain 'savings' if one does not have accurate information regarding a budget. Have you found an answer to your question? Please share. Thanks. A discussion, based on fact, is not a game, I look forward to our discussion.

that why we can all join in.. This will be good.. for all of us

"A Government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

829 Billion over 10 years is a fairy tale. Since when do the ACTUAL COSTS ever not exceed the government's estimates by billions of dollars?

Remember the deficit before Clinton - and the surplus after Clinton? . .and then what happened?

Yea, I remember. The liberals took control of the congress. Bush is still responsible for not being strong enough to stand by his principles. But the Dems got there way and look what happened.

I forgot to mention. The conservatives were in control of the congress when Clinton had his look good ride. But at least he was smart enough to blame the Reps on everything bad and take credit for everything good.