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March 17, 2010
Thomas Scully
Last year Billy Tauzin dared to show his face on the national scene after being “in hiding” for six years. But one of his partners-in-crime during the 2003 rip-off of America’s Medicare seniors and taxpayers evidently isn’t quite as brave as Tauzin — yet. Instead of arrogantly sticking his face on national television as Tauzin did, Thomas “Tom” Scully is testing the water by simply writing an article. (But then again, maybe the anti-worker network, CNBC, hasn’t asked him yet.) Don’t know who Scully is? Well, let me introduce you to him.
Within a month of bill-signing [MMA] by Bush, it was learned the real cost estimates were 25% more than what was quoted during the “selling” of the bill. These actual cost estimates were deliberately hidden by Thomas Scully, chief administrator for Medicare at the time. Scully threatened to fire Medicare’s top actuary (statistician who computes insurance risks and premiums), Richard Foster, if the latter revealed that internal cost projections for the bill was higher than the stated $400 billion. This information was exposed after Scully left Medicare, just days of the bill being signed, for a job as a lobbyist for the health care industry.
From Medicare Drug Planners Now Lobbyists, With Billions at Stake published in October of last year:
Thomas Scully, the former Medicare chief who helped design Part D. Scully obtained a waiver allowing him to discuss job offers before he left his government post. Less than two weeks after the bill passed, he went to work for the lobbying firm Alston & Bird, where he works on behalf of drug companies.
Now to the article that Scully wrote as a lobbyist for Alston & Bird, a firm that is a big opponent to health care reform. Not surprising, Scully’s article speaks out against the health care reform bill in its current form, and suggest an alternative written earlier by ex-Congressional members from both sides of the isle. But if you dig into it you’ll find that Scully’s “alternative” comes down pretty darn good on the side of the health care industry — which is exactly what one would expect coming from someone of Scully’s past and current job.
No one could possibly take Scully’s opinion serious on anything concerning health care reform. His credibility was lost long ago and amounts to a big fat zero. He’s made it very clear where his allegiance lies. Even if you agree with what he’s saying, would you still buy a used car from him?
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