On the off chance that this "super" committee does its job and on the offer chance that Congress takes its recommendations seriously, we might actually see a little genuine change in Washington.  Michigan is particularly powerful with two members on the twelve member committee--Reps. Fred Upton and Dave Camp.

But you know what Uncle Ben says about great power.

I doubt anyone here is going to argue that the federal government sucks at delivering health care.  Or that Obamacare is an Obamanation (heh).  But here's the thing about Medicare Part D and the thing about this supercommittee.

The supercommittee is not going to END Medicaid, Medicare, reimbursements to doctors, emergency rooms, family practices, or whatever else.  Government is NOT going to get out of the business of providing health care.  I know we'd all like that to be the debate, but it is not the debate.  So we have to recognize that going in.

The debate before the supercommittee is over how we can save money and cut spending.  

Medicare Part D does that.  Part D, for you young whippersnappers, is the portion of Medicare that steps in and provides a bit of prescription drug coverage for the older folks.  It also saves taxpayers serious cash each and every year.  By getting people relatively low-cost drugs it keeps them out of emergency rooms, surgical suites, doctors offices- you name it.  Each of these alternatives costs taxpayers a lot more than drugs.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School just conducted a study and found a direct link between Medicare Part D and lower non-drug medical costs compared with expectations had Part D not been in existence.  Part D cuts spending on other health care services by about 10 percent, or $1,200 tax dollars per patient.  That is real money and real savings.  

In other words, cutting Medicare Part D would actually INCREASE government spending on more expensive procedures.  

Let's do the math.  There are over 1.6 million Michigan seniors eligible for Part D.  According to the Harvard study, eliminating Part D could actually increase costs by $1.92 billion just in Michigan.

That would sorta defeat the purpose of the supercommittee.  Less government spending, please.

Now I think I'm supposed to say "I'm out."