Uncle Sam Won’t Pay His Medicare Bill Come September

In a move reminiscent of dirty CEO’s cooking the books, Uncle Sam has directed Medicare hold all claims the last nine days of the 2006 fiscal year. Corporate America is familiar with the ploy of recognizing revenue early or pushing off expenses to the next fiscal year to make the sheets shine, but Uncle Sam?

Medicare is holding all bills from September 22 to 30 planning to pay them in the new fiscal year on October 2nd. This move comes from the Deficit Reduction Act passed by our Congressional leaders. Apparently they’ve learned from the American consumer beset by huge debts. Pay what you can and push the less important ones off. What does this say about health care as Congress is letting that one ride?