The vice presidential candidates sparred over Medicare’s future at their recent week’s debate. What one side calls “premium support,” the other calls “vouchers” and each has a very strong position on this potential change to the program. Vice President Joe Biden argued that vouchers would eliminate Medicare’s guaranteed benefit, while Congressman Paul Ryan shot back, saying the GOP plan will provide more coverage for the middle class and ensure the program’s solvency.
Meanwhile, lawmakers back in Washington engaged in a different debate, theirs over the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The 15-person panel was created under the Affordable Care Act to help regulate Medicare costs and has been a hot button topic. Interest groups from the left and right gave conflicting view on how the panel will directly affect physician pay.
For more details on that, and a recent poll on how doctors might vote on Nov. 6, listen to this week’s Policy & Practice Podcast.