In the last of three Town Hall Meetings, Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Sacramento) had to face a crowd full on angry constituents over his positions on Medicare, social security, higher education, women’s health issues and the environment. In a very controlled event Lungren spoke to the issues he chose to address before and after questions from the audience.
Obamacare bad for seniors
He maintained President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) elimination of $714 billion dollar from Medicare by, in part, reducing reimbursements to hospitals and Medicare Advantage plans would hurt seniors. His argument against the cuts was that it would hurt hospitals that serve the poor and potentially reduce the availability and benefits of Medicare Advantage plans.
Medicare Advantage Plans
Lungren failed to mention the numerous incentives to hospitals in the ACA that could actually increase their revenue if they improve patient outcome. In addition, the ACA also reduces payments to hospitals that must re-admit patients when they contracted a hospital borne illness. Lungren bypassed the information that Medicare has determined that Medicare Advantage plans have been over paid for several years. Medicare Advantage plans are often times reimbursed more than what it costs Medicare to administer benefits to similar enrollees.
Generics lower price too
Lungren repeated that the Medicare Part D Prescription drug plans have realized a 40% lower cost than first estimated by the Congressional Budget Office. He improperly attributed all of the savings to competition between the private insurers administering the plans. He conveniently left out that part of the savings has come from lower enrolments than expected and that the patents for many brand name drugs have expired, which became less expensive generics.
Hello donut hole
While he all but tripped over himself touting how wonderful the Part D prescription drug plans were, he never mentioned that plans are a completely unfunded entitlement program; just the sort of government program he opposes. He also did not inform the audience that the Ryan budget plan would eliminate the closure of the Part D coverage gap that is taking place under the ACA.
Negotiation is overrated
In a rebuttal to a question about why Medicare is not given the same negotiating power over drug prices as the Veterans Administration, Lungren steadfastly asserted that competition among private plans works better. Thankfully, the gentleman who originally asked the question broke the Lungren town hall format by standing and exclaiming, “But the VA drug prices I pay are cheaper than Part D prescription drug plan costs.”
Tuition like Premiums: UP
In response to a question regarding the reduction in Pell grants under the Ryan plan, he retorted that spending on Pell grants has grown astronomically. He suggested colleges and universities need to look at their spending and how to control costs. I guess he doesn’t see the same corollary to hospitals. Under the ACAs reductions in reimbursements to hospitals, they are being forced to examine their expenses and how to reduce them.
War on Women
Perhaps the most eloquent and impassioned speaker of the evening was a woman from Gold River excoriating Lungren for his lack of support for women’s reproductive health. As if to play off the Tea Party supporters sitting next to her, she compared his positions to diminishing a women’s freedom and liberties with his co-sponsorship of legislation limiting a woman’s right to choose her personal health care.
Call me when someone dies
In addressing a question about fracking, hydraulic fracturing to retrieve natural gas, Lungren was adamant that there was no scientific evidence that fracking has polluted ground water or caused earthquakes. He made it clear that energy independence took precedence over any possible contamination to drinking water supplies. I suspect this is inline with climate change denial as well.
Bad parents
Midway through the long line of speakers was a Tea Party activist that scolded the crowd for interrupting the town hall meeting with cheers, jeers, and clapping. She said those in the crowd were not showing proper patriotism. Lungren was similarly annoyed at the end of his self-imposed time limit and proceeded to lecture the audience on civility. From his point of view, as his parents had taught, the audience should show the utmost deference to him and the speakers.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
I can only assume the Rep. Lungren and the other Tea Party patriots would have taken a dim view of the colonists who rebelled against the crown in 1776. They obviously didn’t show proper respect and deference. Without those independence agitators, there would be no town hall meetings for the congressman to hold.
Sacramento Bee ad twists truth for Lungren
______________________________________________________________________________[schema type=”event” evtype=”Event” url=”http://lungren.house.gov/” name=”Rep. Dan Lungren Town Hall Meeting” description=”Town hall event hosted by Dan Lungren and protested by seniors and others.” sdate=”2012-08-22″ stime=”07:00 pm” city=”Carmichael” state=”CA” postalcode=”95608″ ]
