12.7.2016
Soon after Trump takes office, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan plans to begin the Medicare phase-out he has long advocated -- packaged together with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Ryan aims to replace Medicare with vouchers that seniors would use to buy private insurance.
As part of his strategy, Ryan will try to convince the public that:
1. Medicare is all but dead already (which is why he says things like, “Because of Obamacare, Medicare is going broke."). Rubbish. In fact, the ACA has extended the solvency of the Medicare trust fund by over a decade.Will they?
2. Seniors shouldn’t worry because the changes won’t take effect for a while. Baloney. Medicare is hugely popular with younger people who see how important it is for their parents and grandparents. Remember the Tea Partiers who protested against the Affordable Care Act with signs that said “Don’t Touch My Medicare"?
3. Vouchers will be just as good as Medicare. A lie. If seniors can’t afford any of the available plans with what the voucher is worth, they’re out of luck. And the vouchers won’t keep up with increases in the costs of healthcare.
4. Seniors who want to can remain on Medicare. More rubbish. The Ryan plan is designed to lure healthier seniors out of Medicare, leaving the most unhealthy and costliest in Medicare – thereby drowning Medicare in a sea of red ink.
The Republican attack on Medicare will offer Democrats a golden opportunity to turn the tide and take back Congress. But Democrats have to be smart enough to see the opportunity and act on it.
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