Biden says federal government’s health care spending wastes ‘a heck of a lot of money’
By APThursday, February 25, 2010
Biden: Gov’t wastes health care money
WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden says the government’s health care spending wastes “a heck of a lot of money.”
Biden opened the second half of President Barack Obama’s daylong health summit Thursday by focusing the discussion on overhauling health care to reduce the deficit. He said he agrees with others, including Republicans, that there’s waste in federal health spending.
The vice president said Washington currently spends $919 billion on the Medicare program for seniors and on the federal contribution to Medicaid. Medicaid is the health insurance program for the poor that is jointly paid for by the states and Washington.
Biden said that spending is projected to climb to $1.7 trillion by 2019 without action.
Tags: Barack Obama, Government Programs, Government-funded Health Insurance, North America, Summits, United States, Washington
