Medicare Trustee Dismisses Bogus Obamacare Study

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 26: Ron Kirby holds a sign while marching in protest of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26, 2012 in Washington, DC. Today the high court, which has set aside six hours over three days, will hear arguments over the constitutionality President Barack Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Try turning that sign into a study. The Washington Post might report its findings. Photo: Mark Wilson/2012 Getty Images

That incredibly shoddy study claiming that Obamacare will actually increase the deficit received prominent coverage in the Washington Post because the author wasn’t just any old Republican, it was the Republican Medicare Trustee. That must make him trustworthy, right?

I contacted Robert Reischauer, the Democratic trustee. He did not exactly endorse the work of his colleague:

Under accepted CBO and OMB scoring practices, legislated reductions in Medicare HI spending both reduce the deficit and strengthen the HI trust fund. That has been the case under both D and R Congresses and administrations. Chuck’s “revelation” is not a new charge.  Some argued this point when the ACA was enacted. It remains as misleading today as it did earlier.

So, remember, the whole hook for that explosive study is that the author, Charles Blahous, is a Medicare trustee. Otherwise it would just be another one of the infinite stream of polemics from a right-wing think-tank. Given that the other Medicare trustee also notes that it’s nonsense, what possible justification can the Post offer for its credulousness?

If you want to see more nails driven into this particular coffin, read Paul Van de Water.

Medicare Trustee Dismisses Bogus Obamacare Study