<p>Every reputable budget analyst recognizes that dealing with the long-term budget deficit depends on holding government health care costs in check. One line in Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's speech last night not only ignored that reality, it posed a direct threat to efforts already underway to return to fiscal sanity.</p><p>The threat wasn't in his repetition of his campaign's factually challenged claim that the president's "$716 billion cut to Medicare to finance Obamacare" will hurt today's seniors, which has been panned by numerous fact-checking organizations. The $716 billion will come from reductions in scheduled payment increases for insurance companies and health care providers not cuts in services. Its repeal will increase costs for seniors by making them pay more for drugs and preventive services.</p><p>Rather, the irresponsible part came when Romney charged that imposing those cuts would "depress innovation and jobs in medicine." When did spending more on health care become innovative? When did pouring a greater share of the economy and the government's tax take into caring for the sick turn into a jobs program?</p><p>This is silly, indeed, dangerous talk that needs to be challenged by every organization that claims to be concerned about the nation's long-term fiscal health. More health care spending isn't a solution. It's the problem.</p><p><a href="http://gooznews.com/?p=4151">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2012/August/31/fri-opinions.aspx">Viewpoints: Who Should Fear Changes To Medicare; Ryan Not A &#039;Serious ...</a> (Kaiser Health News)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&ned=us&ncl=dQSnmjrMG9JPgsMJdmv9FFiBBjf1M">172 additional articles.</a></p>