Medicare has spent more than a quarter billion in taxpayer dollars on penis pumps

**Prince** · 12-19-2011, 10:07 AM

Medicare has spent more than a quarter billion in taxpayer dollars on penis pumps for elderly
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Taxpayer-funded health care spending continues to rise, particularly in the government's Medicare program, which now disburses more than half a trillion dollars every year for 49 million elderly and disabled Americans. But a new report compiled by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that, since 2001, Medicare will have spent an aggregate of more than a quarter billion dollars on a questionable medical treatment -- penis pumps for elderly men.

The Heartland Institute reports that the yearly disbursement for penis pumps, which are a type of "male vacuum erection system" that treats erectile dysfunction, more than quadrupled between 2001 and 2010. But such systems are considered by many to be medically unnecessary, especially since quite a bit of fraud is said to take place in this controversial category of Medicare coverage.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General, the "durable medical equipment" (DME) category of Medicare coverage, which includes penis pumps, is a "high risk" sector for fraud. This was made evident earlier this year when a man illegitimately collected more than $2 million in reimbursements from the program for purchasing relatively inexpensive items from adult websites for Medicare patients, and billing the system for more than ten times what he paid (Erectile Pump Scam? Gary Winner Sent Penis Enlargers To Diabetes Patients, Prosecutors Say).

Fraud is so rampant in the DME category, in fact, that no other category even comes close. Another recent CME found that errors and improper payments associated with Medicare payments as a whole are just over eight percent. But the error and improper payment rate in the DME category tops 60 percent, an astounding figure that shows just how carelessly taxpayer money is being spent (2011 ORIGINAL MEDICARE IMPROPER PAYMENT ERROR RATE).

"At a time when the federal government borrows 43 cents of every dollar it spends, do we really need to be spending money on this?" asked John Nothdurft, director of government relations for The Heartland Institute, concerning the issue. "I doubt you need a 'Super Committee' to realize that this is the epitome of wasteful spending."

According to a fact sheet compiled by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation back in September, Medicare spending as a whole is set to top $903 billion by 2020, which is nearly double the current amount: http://www.kff.org/medicare/upload/7305-06.pdf

**Chubby** · 12-19-2011, 10:12 AM

I blame women for raising the bar too high.

**hypno** · 12-19-2011, 10:13 AM

Omg

**t-diddz** · 12-19-2011, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Chubby

I blame women for raising the bar too high.

..

but for real, that's disturbing.

**LAM** · 12-19-2011, 07:30 PM

Remember that the lobbyists write many of the laws when dealing with the markets and certain industry. they are not written to benefit the people.

what many don't understand is why US corps have taken over America is not just because they can write the laws to benefit themselves today it's because they are preparing for the world of tomorrow. in the world of tomorrow the US will not be a superpower and will just be another country that used to be on top. many are predicting that the economy of China will surpass the US by 2016, then in decades after that it will be India and then Africa. That side of the world will be taking in the lions share of the world GDP. currently we are still at the traditional pareto principle based 80/20. many of the developing countries have more people and their country's are still ripe with natural resources. the IMF predicts that the ratio of world GDP will switch from what it is now at about 80/20 to 35/65.

if anybody thinks reducing social protections is going to make the future "better" for the US they better think again...

**GearsMcGilf** · 12-20-2011, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by LAM

Remember that the lobbyists write many of the laws when dealing with the markets and certain industry. they are not written to benefit the people.

what many don't understand is why US corps have taken over America is not just because they can write the laws to benefit themselves today it's because they are preparing for the world of tomorrow. in the world of tomorrow the US will not be a superpower and will just be another country that used to be on top. many are predicting that the economy of China will surpass the US by 2016, then in decades after that it will be India and then Africa. That side of the world will be taking in the lions share of the world GDP. currently we are still at the traditional pareto principle based 80/20. many of the developing countries have more people and their country's are still ripe with natural resources. the IMF predicts that the ratio of world GDP will switch from what it is now at about 80/20 to 35/65.

if anybody thinks reducing social protections is going to make the future "better" for the US they better think again...

I still can't tell if you're for or against your tax dollars paying for a 70 year old man to puchase the Tigerpump3000tm.

**Dale Mabry** · 12-20-2011, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by LAM

Remember that the lobbyists write many of the laws when dealing with the markets and certain industry. they are not written to benefit the people.

what many don't understand is why US corps have taken over America is not just because they can write the laws to benefit themselves today it's because they are preparing for the world of tomorrow. in the world of tomorrow the US will not be a superpower and will just be another country that used to be on top. many are predicting that the economy of China will surpass the US by 2016, then in decades after that it will be India and then Africa. That side of the world will be taking in the lions share of the world GDP. currently we are still at the traditional pareto principle based 80/20. many of the developing countries have more people and their country's are still ripe with natural resources. the IMF predicts that the ratio of world GDP will switch from what it is now at about 80/20 to 35/65.

if anybody thinks reducing social protections is going to make the future "better" for the US they better think again...

I agree that we will be losing the top spot to China and possibly even the other countries you mention. The problem is, there is no way that can continue. Once the people of those countries start wanting more stuff, they won't get away with paying their workers $20 a day. Once the cost of labor increases in those countries, we will have no reason to purchase their shitty products and they will be dealing with precisely what we are now.

**Little Guy** · 12-20-2011, 07:51 AM

Money well spent

**LAM** · 12-20-2011, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

I agree that we will be losing the top spot to China and possibly even the other countries you mention. The problem is, there is no way that can continue. Once the people of those countries start wanting more stuff, they won't get away with paying their workers $20 a day. Once the cost of labor increases in those countries, we will have no reason to purchase their shitty products and they will be dealing with precisely what we are now.

capitalism has many inherent flaws and globalization creates as many as it "solves". with the exploding global population growth that has occurred in the past and will continue in the future labor in a way has pretty much screwed itself. it seems the 2nd & 3rd world country's may have the last laugh as their natural resources will be the last to go. I have not been to Africa yet but my mother has gone there several times and I have some friends over there right now attending a wedding. they are already starting to build communities there as in the US. small neighborhoods with 5,000-6,000 square foot houses with pools, etc.

**meow** · 12-20-2011, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by LAM

it seems the 2nd & 3rd world country's may have the last laugh as their natural resources will be the last to go.

They wont have the last laugh since their resources will still get used up by other world powers.... and they will still be 2nd and 3rd world countries.

**LAM** · 12-20-2011, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by meow

They wont have the last laugh since their resources will still get used up by other world powers.... and they will still be 2nd and 3rd world countries.

you obviously didn't read the part about the shift in world GDP that is going to happen from developed to undeveloped country, as it's already started in China and India. a country rise up from being a 2nd and 3rd world country when they no longer need financial support from a 1st world country.

**meow** · 12-20-2011, 12:01 PM

China I can see succeeding... but india, no f'in way. India is WAY to crowded, and they have a limited amount of resources anyway (usable land).

**troubador** · 12-20-2011, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

I agree that we will be losing the top spot to China and possibly even the other countries you mention. The problem is, there is no way that can continue. Once the people of those countries start wanting more stuff, they won't get away with paying their workers $20 a day. Once the cost of labor increases in those countries, we will have no reason to purchase their shitty products and they will be dealing with precisely what we are now.

And it's already started. Labor in China has went up at least 22% so far this year.

**Dale Mabry** · 12-20-2011, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by troubador

And it's already started. Labor in China has went up at least 22% so far this year.

I know, one of my clients was bitching about that very thing. He said if you add in the cost of shipping the shit over here and potential hold ups it isn't even worth having the hassle.

**oufinny** · 12-20-2011, 05:33 PM

Way to get off topic LAM and avoid a massive problem the liberals wont deal with; Medicare and Medicaid. So typical to see you glance over that it almost made me laugh. These "social protections" you speak of are full of fraud and excess expenses because the system is flawed. Ask anyone that works in the field, and not your ultra-left friends either, a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, lab tech, radiology tech, all of them will tell you how fucked the system is. If you think that just dropping payment costs is a solution... It's not. Not implying you agree with that just don't bring it up.

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