GOP gets its turn on Medicare hot seat

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

The GOP budget expected to go to the full House this week would remake health care programs for the elderly and the poor that have been in place for nearly half a century. Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says his approach would "save" Medicare by keeping the financially troubled program affordable for federal taxpayers.

But it turns out that people now 54 and younger would pay the price.

By one authoritative estimate, they'd be on the hook for most of their own health care costs after they become eligible for Medicare as retirees. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the typical beneficiary would be expected to pay more than two-thirds of his or her medical costs by the year 2030.

* * *

Buying the Medicare benefit package from a private insurer would turn out to be significantly more expensive. Medicare typically pays hospitals and doctors less than private insurance. Without some kind of effort to control private health care costs, the government contribution toward premiums wouldn't go very far.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42533070/ns/politics-more_politics/

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While Medicare costs need to be addressed, simply shifting them to seniors while allowing them to grow without the bargaining power of Medicare is not the answer.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Let's see how that flies with the other half of the boomers. n/t

[Uncle Joe]

2. The only people protected by the GOP are the mega-wealthy, everyone else can go to hell,

do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

Thanks for the thread, TomCADem.

[Bandit]

3. Do you think the thirty something Nascar fan really gives a shit?

The ONLY thing important to them is winning. Their side is winning so they are happy and don't bother them with details..

[Myrina]

5. Yes actually ...

... alot of them have elderly parents and they know that if momma can't afford her meds or a trip to the doctor, they're going to have to pay for it using funds they would have used for themselves.

I'm actually a 40-something female NASCAR fan and am a little offended by your blanket -ism. :evilfrown:

[Action]

7. What repubs do best

Pit the young against the old. How immoral!

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wilt the stilt]

4. This jerk Ryan like a lot of these bozos

talk about the "free enterprise system" yet never worked a day in the private sector. This guy is so pathetic that he even changed his wikipedia entry to make it look like he worked in the private sector. Three month's ago it was glaringly obvious that he never worked in the private sector. This idiot also took social security when his dad died. Where was his principles then.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

6. The greedy white male "me generation" doesn't want to pay any taxes but loves war a go go.

The 750 billion dollar gorilla sits in the corner being ignored while no one talks about cutting all the waste that is inherent with a policy of continuous war. Right now we are spending 90 billion to increase the size of the army to fight the WAR ON TERROR against people hiding in mountain caves and third world country slums without being any military threat to this country. Gotta love Paul "the Slasher" Ryan since he wants to cut taxes and get all those lazy poor off the gobermint dole.

[Action]

8. Hope

The ranks of the angry while male and female are dying out. Yea!
(I am white)

[stubtoe]

10. This is where the rubber meets the road.

I predict doom for the tea baggers.

[defendandprotect]

11. k