Congress' Chief Budget Officer Says Seniors Will have Medicare Benefits Cut Under Current Health Reforms

While it's hardly much of a surprise that if you make massive cuts in Medicare you get a reduction in benefits, Congress' chief budget officer is duly confirming the obvious.

Here's the AP article by Erica Werner (h/t Instapundit).

"Congress' chief budget officer is contradicting President Barack Obama's oft-stated claim that seniors wouldn't see their Medicare benefits cut under a health care overhaul.

"The head of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Douglas Elmendorf, told senators Tuesday that seniors in Medicare's managed care plans would see reduced benefits under a bill in the Finance Committee.

"The bill would cut payments to the Medicare Advantage plans by more than $100 billion over 10 years.

"Elmendorf said the changes would reduce the extra benefits that would be made available to beneficiaries.

"Critics say the plans are overpaid, while supporters say they work well.

"Obama says cuts to Medicare providers won't reduce seniors' benefits."

So nonpartisan CBO says that cuts will reduce benefits, but Obama says there won't be a reduction in benefits. Hmm. Who do you trust? The guy who says it's better for everybody if you "spread the wealth around?"

It appears to me that Obama thinks it's better for "everybody" to have their benefits cut in the name of social justice-- or at least the "everybodies" who aren't politically connected.