And that means any grand bargain to avoid the fiscal cliff will slice away at one of the nations most popular programs. Medicare is clearly in the gunsights. Reporter its possible congress and the president could agree to save 300 to 400 billion from medicare by cutting fees for doctors and hospitals. But analysts worry slashing payments wont make the Health Care System more efficient. This is not really a way to structurally change medicare and if you dont change the underlying incentives, you dont get longterm savings. Reporter progressives at the center for American Progress say the government could save close to 150 billion by squeezing the prices the government pays for drugs. But many of the president s allies reject the idea of aggressively raising copayments for patients. And they also consider benefits based on a patients financial situation a risky idea. If people want to ask the wealthy to pay more, the time to ask them to pay more is when they can afford it, which is to say
And that means any grand bargain to avoid the fiscal cliff will slice away at one of the nations most popular programs. Medicare is clearly in the gunsights. Reporter its possible congress and the president could agree to save 300 to 400 billion from medicare by cutting fees for doctors and hospitals. But analysts worry slashing payments wont make the Health Care System more efficient. This is not really a way to structurally change medicare and if you dont change the underlying incentives, you dont get longterm savings. Reporter progressives at the center for American Progress say the government could save close to 150 billion by squeezing the prices the government pays for drugs. But many of the president s allies reject the idea of aggressively raising copayments for patients. And they also consider benefits based on a patients financial situation a risky idea. If people want to ask the wealthy to pay more, the time to ask them to pay more is when they can afford it, which is to say
Dulles and bwi marshall, 38 degrees. Here are your rain showers, moving in from the south and west. All along and ahead of some warm air that will surge in later tonight aduring the day tomorrow. Most of the shower activity not touching the ground at the moment. But it will be later this afternoon. Well have scattered showers around for the evening rush hour into the night time hours tonight. Well see fog overnight tonight as the warmer air continues to push in. Forecast today, more details on the weekend forecast coming up. Talking about warm stuff saturday and sunday. 51 with showers developing later today. Allison, tony, back to you guys upstairs. This mornings big story, gun control. The white house summit on gun violence is wrapping up today. But there are no signs of a broad consensus as the president gets ready to push new gun control measures. Doug luzader is following the latest from capitol hill this morning. Good morning, doug. Reporter good morning, guys. Today the focus at
Work today after a long holiday weekend, but returned to the same worries about the fiscal cliff. And a new report from the white house added to the worries, showing that unless theres a deal on solving the crisis, the u. S. Economy would suffer big time. The obama administrations economists estimate consumers would spend about 200 billion less next year than they would have otherwise. Congress and the administration have only a few more weeks to nail down a deal. But that deal will have to address some tough issues, including entitlement reform. Darren gersh explains. Reporter the big money in entitlements is in health care, and that means any grand bargain to avoid the fiscal cliff will slice away at one of the nations most popular programs. Medicare is clearly in the gunsights. Reporter its possible congress and the president could agree to save 300 to 400 billion from medicare by cutting fees for doctors and hospitals. But analysts worry slashing payments wont make the Health Care
1. 5 billion online today. Susie and change comes to the nations top Securities Regulator Mary Schapiro is stepping down. We look at whats next for the securities and exchange commission, and its new leader. Tom that and more tonight on n. B. R. susie americans were back at work today after a long holiday weekend, but returned to the same worries about the fiscal cliff. And a new report from the white house added to the worries, showing that unless theres a deal on solving the crisis, the u. S. Economy would suffer big time. The obama administrations economists estimate consumers would spend about 200 billion less next year than they would have otherwise. Congress and the administration have only a few more weeks to nail down a deal. But that deal will have to address some tough issues, including entitlement reform. Darren gersh explains. Reporter the big money in entitlements is in health care, and that means any grand bargain to avoid the fiscal cliff will slice away aone of the nati