host: bruce vladeck?uest: a basic problem in american politics, the political scientist talk about this and have for years -- if you're the average taxpayer or member of congress, medicare's overpayment for oxygen which is egregious but it may cost you an extra $5 or $10 per year out of pocket as a taxpayer, for the oxygen suppliers it is their entire livelihood. whenever the issue comes up before congress the people who benefit from government payments are much more involved in vocal than the average citizen who has lots of other things to worry about and for whom it is a relatively small piece of a big puzzle. i used to say that medicare spent so much for oxygen and $1 billion went to provide for this, and someone to lobbying, and so on. host: here is a message from twitter. could you both talk about medicare and whether or not it leads to inefficiencies in the health care system? guest: we have had as a matter of policy and still do, including in president obama's proposals and bills that passed the ho

host: bruce vladeck.: well, i think from the 1990's through the middle of the decade wanted to buy it to benefit the insurance industry and to promote the privatization of medicare in and of itself because once you've given it, it's difficult to take them away. i think the administration and democrats in washington would argue that the reason the benefits will be taken away is not because they're reducing the payments . they are single payer government plan. and if they can't, the notion that all medicare beneficiaries should pay higher benefits is sort of hard to justify i think. host: now, we went a little longer in our conversation than normal this morning because we have these two gentlemen here. tom scully and bruce vladeck. kathy, your first question. go ahead with your question. caller: thank you, and i appreciate c-span for having this on. this is crucial to medical companies. last night i caught your show at about 4:30 in the morning as a rerun. and mr. vladeck and there was mary agnes carey from

let's start with bruce vladeck. guest: there's no payments at all to insurance agents or brokers because the government takes care of all the expenses associated with that. i'm sorry as well to learn that south carolina, unlike most other states, permits medical underwriting for medigap supplemental policies and excessive age manning. i think the underline problem is that, again, $11,000 a year is a lot of money. it only accounts for about half the total health care costs of people 65 and older. so we have this dilemma in the medicare program that's most fundamental that we don't think we can afford its growth at the current levels when in fact the benefits have major, major holes in them. and the real long-term challenge of medicare reform, which is not being addressed at all this year i think in the health reform is that as the population gets older and as older people get less affluent, which is the result of the economic development in the last decade they are going to be, medicare does a very good job of paying

host: bruce vladeck.to buy it to benefit the insurance industry and to promote the privatization of medicare in and of itself because once you've given it, it's difficult to take them away. i think the administration and democrats in washington would argue that the reason the benefits will be taken away is not because they're reducing the payments . they are single payer government plan. and if they can't, the notion that all medicare beneficiaries should pay higher benefits is sort of hard to justify i think. host: now, we went a little longer in our conversation than normal this morning because we have these two gentlemen here. tom scully and bruce vladeck. kathy, your first question. go ahead with your question. caller: thank you, and i appreciate c-span for having this on. this is crucial to medical companies. last night i caught your show at about 4:30 in the morning as a rerun. and mr. vladeck and there was mary agnes carey from the health news. they are very misinformed about what's going on in the

let's start with bruce vladeck.uest: there's no payments at all to insurance agents or brokers because the government takes care of all the expenses associated with that. i'm sorry as well to learn that south carolina, unlike most other states, permits medical underwriting for medigap supplemental policies and excessive age manning. i think the underline problem is that, again, $11,000 a year is a lot of money. it only accounts for about half the total health care costs of people 65 and older. so we have this dilemma in the medicare program that's most fundamental that we don't think we can afford its growth at the current levels when in fact the benefits have major, major holes in them. and the real long-term challenge of medicare reform, which is not being addressed at all this year i think in the health reform is that as the population gets older and as older people get less affluent, which is the result of the economic development in the last decade they are going to be, medicare does a very good job of paying f

on tomorrow morning's "washington journal," we will continue with bruce vladeck and tom scully. later in the program, matthew a speech on his book "the secrets century -- the secret sentry." -- "the secret century." >> go inside the supreme court. hear directly from the justices as they provide their insight about the court and the building. the supreme court is home to america's highest court, the first sunday in october on c- span. >> health and human services secretary kathleen says that passing health care legislation without senator kennedy will make things more difficult. this is less than 20 minutes. >> president obama is the administration is represented by secretary sibelius and the deputy secretary ms. green lead. we are very happy to have you here. i would like to congratulate you for picking what we think is the premier senior wellness center in the district of columbia. [applause] we also why you to know that it is no coincidence that we made this investment here. this award, ward 4, had the highest percentage of seniors in the entire district of columbia. we are 80

[applause] >> on this morning's washington journal, we'll continue the conference with bruce vladeckd tom scully. later, matthew aid on his book, the secret century about the national security agency. washington journal begins each morning at 7:00 eastern with your calls. >> senator kennedy's body will continue to lie in repoets possess in boston. this evening, there will be a memorial service at 7:00 eastern. watch live coverage on c-span. how is c-span funded? >> private donations? >> grants and stuff like that. donations. >> i don't know where the money comes from. >> the number of so-called troubled banks in the u.s. rose to 416. despite the increase, the head of the agency in charge of saveings banks said deepers should not worry about losing their money. the head of the fdi everyone c. >> this question and answer will be reserved for members of the media. >> evidence is building that the economy is starting to grow. the fdic has ample resources to insure a deeper. not one insured depositor has lost a penny and no one ever ill the banking industry too can look forward to better

. >> tomorrow morning come in with a medicare part b, with bruce vladeck.ack to the presidential race with dan balz and haynes johnson. what did >> in 1959, soviet mant for the u.s. but the he recounts that trip -- took a tour of the u.s.. he recounts that trip. >> now healthcare town hall meeting with the virginia democrat gerry connolly. he is a freshman congressman represents the 11th district outside of washington, d.c. he met with constituents at a senior center in springfield, va . >> i do want to welcome everybody here today. i certainly want to welcome congressman connolly. this is a very exciting time. we find ourselves as the community right in the middle of some of these discussions. part of the political process -- it is an exciting place to be. i have no doubt that today will be a model for how to do one of these, to have one of these discussions and have a town hall meeting the others will try to duplicate produce the sea before your stability and courtesy to each other as we do this today. we are going to have some great presentations. at the

host: bruce vladeck? guest: a basic problem in american politics, the political scientist talk about this and have for years -- if you're the average taxpayer or member of congress, medicare's overpayment for oxygen which is egregious but it may cost you an extra $5 or $10 per year out of pocket as a taxpayer, for the oxygen suppliers it is their entire livelihood. whenever the issue comes up before congress the people who benefit from government payments are much more involved in vocal than the average citizen who has lots of other things to worry about and for whom it is a relatively small piece of a big puzzle. i used to say that medicare spent so much for oxygen and $1 billion went to provide for this, and someone to lobbying, and so on. host: here is a message from twitter. could you both talk about medicare and whether or not it leads to inefficiencies in the health care system? guest: we have had as a matter of policy and still do, including in president obama's proposals and bills that passed the