Saturday, August 20, 2011

Republican Plan to End Medicare

House Republicans voted to end Medicare - but protect tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, and Big Oil.

This reckless privatization scheme is an insult to every hardworking American who has paid into Medicare.

Medicare belongs to the people who worked their whole life to pay into the system. It's not the government's piggy bank to balance the budget on the backs of seniors.

Seniors, our children, and grandchildren deserve better than an extreme Republican scheme that would impose dangerous benefit cuts to Medicare.

GOP Budget would almost double health care costs for seniors. "The Republican congressman's proposal to privatize Medicare would mean a dramatic hike in U.S. health care costs for the elderly, an independent analysis finds. Seniors would pay almost double - more than $12,510 a year." [Los Angeles Times, 4/7/11]

The Republican Budget will force nearly 4,000,000 seniors to pay $2.2 billion for prescription drugs next year alone. "Since passing their reckless budget plan last week, Republicans nationwide have continued to make the false claim that their plan protects today's seniors. But seniors need to know the facts about the GOP plan. The Republican-passed budget will force nearly 4,000,000 seniors to pay an additional $2.2 BILLION for prescription drugs next year alone. [DPCC, 4/21/11; Associated Plan, 4/6/11]

AARP: Budget undermines vital initiatives for older Americans. "Among its provisions, the proposal would drive up costs for people in Medicare, take away needed coverage for long-term care from millions of older and disabled Americans and reduce critical help for seniors facing the threat of hunger." [AARP, 4/7/11]

CBO: Elderly people would pay more for health care under the Republican Plan. According to the CBO, "most elderly people would pay more for their health care than they would pay under the current Medicare system." [CBO, 4/5/11]

Medicare Cost would rise for many under Ryan Plan. "The House Republican for overhauling Medicare would fundamentally change how the federal government pays for health care, starting a decade from now, likely resulting in higher out-of-pocket costs and greater limits to coverage for many Americans." [WSJ, 4/6/11]

GOP Budget raises health costs for retirees. "Most future retirees would pay more for health care under a new House Republican budget proposal, according to an analysis by nonpartisan experts for Congress that could be an obstacle to GOP ambitions to tame federal deficits." [AP, 4/6/11]

Republicans' War on America Because They Hate Pres. Obama or any Democrat in Office

Their Agenda:

Destroy 700,000 middle class jobs.

Zero out federal funding for National Public Radio and public television.

Slash $1.3 billion from community health centers and eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood.

Slash nearly a billion dollars in food and health care assistance to pregnant women, new moms, and children.

Slash support for Head Start, dropping 200,000 vulnerable children for pre-school.

Slash support for education to states which will eliminate 65,000 teachers and aides and dramatically increase class size.

Slash financial aid for 9.4 million low- and middle-income college students.

Slash $1.6 billion from the National Institutes of Health, a cut that will 'send shockwaves' through cancer research.

Eliminate $400 million in support to the U.S. Weather Service's early warning system for tsunamis, hurricanes and tornadoes.

Slash by 50% the number of veterans who get housing vouchers this year, which will increase homelessness among veterans by 10,000.