President Obama and the political-media establishment have worked overtime to sell dramatically expanded government intervention in health insurance and medical services.

If they succeed, government will dictate the terms of your health insurance policy.  If you don’t want to buy it, you’ll be hit with a huge federal fine.

If they succeed in their long term goal the only insurance will be government insurance.

What do the President and his gang promise you in exchange for curtailing your liberty?

Security.

.

The political promise is you’ll always receive whatever medical care you need because you’ll be “insured,” or because government will take care of you.  No longer will health care be a financial challenge.

This isn’t the first time such a promise was part of a sales pitch for increased government power and reduced liberty.  In 1965 President Johnson went to the home of former President Harry Truman for an emotional media event celebrating enactment of Medicare.  He repeated the talking points that had persuaded The People that the promise of government security was worth the loss of liberty from being forced to enroll in this compulsory program.

Truman was first to speak:

This is an important hour for the Nation, for those of our citizens who have completed their tour of duty and have moved to the sidelines…These people are entitled, among other benefits, to the best medical protection available.

Then Johnson took over:

There are more than 18 million Americans over the age of 65…Most of them are threatened by illness and medical expenses that they cannot afford.  And through this new law, every citizen will be able, in his productive years when he is earning, to insure himself against the ravages of illness in his old age.

No longer will older Americans be denied the healing miracle of modern medicine. No longer will illness crush and destroy the savings that they have so carefully put away over a lifetime so that they might enjoy dignity in their later years.

Johnson’s 1965 promise, that government would provide security in exchange for a small restriction in economic liberty is as old as politics and never seems to lose it’s appeal, no matter how many times it is turns out to be a fraudulent sales pitch.

Fast forward to 2009 and note the attitude of the political-media establishment toward Medicare and the promises Johnson made.  We’re told that too  much is spent on “the last year of life.”  President Obama insists Medicare spends billions in wasted treatments and openly attacks the Medicare Advantage program that a third of seniors have enrolled in.

The Congressional Budget Office has finally issued a financial analysis of the the Baucus Bill, the latest incarnation of ObamaCare in Congress.  The media headline was that the Baucus bill would cover half of those who are now uninsured while – incredibly – reducing the government’s deficit.  How is this possible?

CBO concluded that Baucus would save $404 Billion through cuts in Medicare.  After decades of cuts in Medicare We’ve seen how this would work.  The government will simply reduce the amount it pays physicians and hospitals for various services and procedures.  Medicare already pays about 15% less than private insurance companies.  According to the CBO analysis, “Savings” would result from:

• Permanent reductions in the annual updates to Medicare’s payment rates
• Reducing Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals that serve a large number of low-income patients
• Changes in Medicare to be recommended in the future by a commission.  The recommendations would automatically become law unless Congress introduced and passed legislation to block them.

Obviously, reduced payments will result in fewer physicians and hospitals being willing or able to accept Medicare patients.  Obviously, President Johnson’s promises will be broken by today’s political establishment, led by Barack Obama, to divert funds to their highest priority, a total government take-over of health care, and a reallocation of medical resources away from retirees.

Back to the 1965 Medicare ceremony at Harry Truman’s home.  President Johnson said:

During your working years, the people of America–you–will contribute through the social security program a small amount each payday for Medicare insurance protection. For example, the average worker in 1966 will contribute about $1.50 per month. The employer will contribute a similar amount…And through this new law, Mr. President, every citizen will be able, in his productive years when he is earning, to insure himself against the ravages of illness in his old age.

Adjusted for inflation $1.50 would be about $10.00 today.  So today, the Johnson promise, adjusted for inflation, would be a combined employer-employee cost of Medicare of $20 per month for the “average worker.”  But, at today’s average salary of  about $44,000,  the  cost is $106 per month, more than five times what as Johnson promised.

Worse, after paying this tax for a lifetime today’s seniors face continuous political threats of severely reduced availability of medical services.  The latest such threat comes from Barack Obama and is woven into the 2009 version of the eternal, political  promise of…

Security

…in exchange for liberty.

If America buys what Obama is selling, the loss of liberty is a certainty.  But, as with Medicare, the security part of the bargain is a mirage, subject to the whims of the political establishment, now and in the future.  As each new legislative session begins, the promises and assurances of previous sessions are put at risk.