Senators Menendez and Schumer are pointing out that
One of the major goals of the Affordable Care Act is to close the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap, better known to most as the "donut hole." The law will fill that hole over a decade, and in 2010, that meant many seniors received a $250 rebate check.
"Richard Foster, the Chief Actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), has said that "in theory," seniors would have to return the checks if repeal becomes law," the letter reads.
Yes, Leonard Lance, Jon Runyan, Frank LoBiondo et al. literally just voted to take $250 from seniors with large prescription drug bills. And since the elders of their party -- LoBiondo, Smith, Frelinghuysen et al. -- created the "donut hole" system in the first place it's obvious they really do want those seniors to owe the $250.
Here's Cantor's unreassuring response:
"If a repeal bill passes and there's any uncertainty as to whether those checks would have to be recaptured, we can speak to that then,"
I don't see how they will "recapture" 2010's check, but they sure want the ones for 2011, 2012, and especially 2013. |
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