Health Secretary Tom Price has his own plan to start destroying Medicare

Tom Price love to shred everything that helps people.

Because Trumpcare isn't going to do enough to destroy Medicare, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price is doing his bit to hasten it along.

HHS Secretary Tom Price is backing legislation that will allow physicians to bill seniors for charges that are more than the rates approved by Medicare. He claims the move would draw more physicians to enroll in the program. [...]

Current law does not allow physicians participating in Medicare to bill patients more than the program's payment rate for any service. Doctors not in the Medicare program can balance. But in response to a query from Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) during his confirmation process, Price said he favored changing the law to let doctors recoup unreimbursed Medicare costs, a practice known as balance billing.

Price's argument is that you'll get more doctors willing to see Medicare patients if they get full reimbursement—even if it has to come from their patients rather than the program. This, supposedly, will make it easier for Medicare enrollees to find doctors. Except that's not really a problem: "according to the March 2016 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission report, 'most beneficiaries report they are able to obtain timely appointments for routine care, illness, or injury, and most beneficiaries are able to find a new doctor without a problem.'"

This isn't about making sure seniors get healthcare. It's also not about saving Medicare dollars and strengthening the program. It's about undermining Medicare—making it cover less of people's care and therefore making it less helpful, and less popular, thereby easier to do away with eventually. These guys are playing a long game—one that will leave us without the guarantee of Medicare.