The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on obvious marching orders from the Obama administration, has halted all mailings and communications by drug companies about upcoming health care reform. At least one company was found to be mailing its enrollees a warning that the $500 billion proposed cut in Medicare benefits would reduce services and access (no doubt entirely true).

“We are concerned that the materials sent to our beneficiaries may violate Medicare rules by appearing to contain Medicare Advantage and prescription drug benefit information, which must be submitted to CMS for review,” said Jonathan Blum, acting director of CMS’ Center for Drug and Health Plan Choices.

“We also are asking that no other plan sponsors are mailing similar materials while we investigate whether a potential violation has occurred. We are concerned that, among other things, the information in the letter is misleading and confusing to beneficiaries, who may believe that it represents official communication about the Medicare Advantage program.”

In other words, you’re not allowed to let the proverbial cat out of the bag (how the heck did it get in there to begin with?).

However, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R.-Ohio) responded to the CMS stance by criticizing actions of the Obama administration to impose what he referred to as a gag order on critics of the $500 billion in Medicare cuts proposed by the congressional Democrats. He released a statement contending, "It is outrageous that the Obama administration is trying to keep seniors in the dark about the consequences of congressional Democrats’ costly government-run health care bills."

You get what you vote for, and in this case that’s censorship and thought control from on high.