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Medicare Has Changed, Projections Not so Much. Chapin White, Ph.D. Presentation at the American Enterprise Institute June 3, 2013. Pop Quiz. Current Medicare spending slowdown is … cyclical structural ACA Medicare cuts are … reasonable not reasonable
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Medicare Has Changed, Projections Not so Much Chapin White, Ph.D. Presentation at the American Enterprise Institute June 3, 2013
Pop Quiz Current Medicare spending slowdown is … • cyclical • structural ACA Medicare cuts are … • reasonable • not reasonable Long-run Medicare fiscal imbalance is … • #1 threat to our nation’s economic wellbeing • based on questionable assumptions
Cyclical vs. Structural Cyclical factors • recession Structural changes • provider payment policy • cost reimbursement tight prospective rates • usual, customary, reasonable SGR
Excess Cost Growth Slowdown Source: Author’s calculations based on CBO projections (2012).
Are ACA cuts reasonable? ACA reduces annual price growth by 1.1 percentage points Trustees report says • current-law projections “not reasonable” • cuts “will not be viable” in the long run
What’s a Reasonable Hospital Price? Source: Author’s analysis based on Stargardt Health Economics (2008).
Are the SGR cuts reasonable? SGR calls for 25% cut in Medicare physician fees
What’s a Reasonable Orthopedist Income? Source: Author’s analysis based on Laugesen and Glied Health Affairs (2011) and Lasser JGIM (2008).
What’s a Reasonable Primary Care Income? Source: Author’s analysis based on Laugesen and Glied Health Affairs (2011) and Lasser JGIM (2008).
Short-run vs. Long-run Growth Short run (2013-2022) • extrapolates recent trends • heavy demographic headwind • HI hanging on • Long run (2023-) • growth spikes back up • assumes volume surges • reasonable? • HI trust fund takes a nosedive Fig. III.B5. Cumulative HI Taxes minus Expenditures (present value, trillions)
Long-Run Growth Assumption Technology
What About Prices? CMS sets “take it or leave it” prices Providers choose how much to supply ACA lowers price growth permanently lower quantity lower spending
What the ACA Does to Prices Supply Price Quantity
Cognitive Dissonance Unfunded Medicare liabilities could sink the U.S. economy But ACA cuts “will not be viable”? Something that now seems unreasonable will happen • Medicare will consume huge resources, or • providers will make do with less