Paul Ryan gets defensive over “shocking” NY-26 GOP loss seen as “rebuke” to his plan to end Medicare

May 25, 2011

Paul Ryan gets defensive over "shocking" NY-26 GOP loss seen as "rebuke" to his plan to end Medicare

In response to these sobering headlines this morning …

Associated Press: ‘Medicare key to shocking Dem win in NY House race’

New York Times: ‘Democrat Wins G.O.P. Seat; Rebuke Seen to Medicare Plan’

…Congressman Paul Ryan, architect of the wildly unpopular, “radical” Republican plan to “essentially end Medicare” and double seniors’ out-of-pocket costs so millionaires, Big Oil and job-outsourcing corporations can have another tax break, had this to say on MSNBC’s Morning Joe this morning:

‘There is a Medicare story to be told here ... and it's that the president and his party have decided to shamelessly distort and demagogue Medicare…. If you can scare seniors into thinking that their current benefits are being affected, that’s going to have an effect. And that is exactly what took place here. So yes, yes, it’s demagoguery, it’s scaring seniors.”

A) It must have been another Paul Ryan from Wisconsin who during the health care reform debate took to the House floor to “shamelessly distort and demagogue” the Affordable Care Act and “scare seniors”, falsely claiming the reform would “take coverage away from seniors”.  Not only do seniors on Medicare have all the same guaranteed benefits they’ve always had since the ACA was signed into law, Medicare is today stronger than ever before and seniors are today enjoying new benefits that will get even better over time.  As the AARP wrote to their membership: “The New Health Care Law and You. If you are on Medicare: Your guaranteed Medicare benefits are protected and you will receive improved benefits. Changes to Medicare will lower the out-of-pocket cost for the prescription drugs you need to stay healthy and expand the preventive care you can get for free.” 

B) Ryan doesn’t deny that future seniors under 55 will see their guaranteed benefits disappear under his plan after leaving them to the mercy of the private insurance industry. But Ryan doesn’t pass the laugh test claiming today’s seniors wouldn’t see their current benefits affected under his plan –Ryan seems to think pointing out the facts about his plan is “demagoguery”:

• In 2012 alone, nearly four million seniors nationwide would pay $2.2 billion more for prescription drugs under the Republican plan.  [DPCC Report]
• Wonk Room: ‘Why Seniors 55 And Older Will See Changes In Medicare Under Ryan’s Budget’
• Under The Republican Plan, At Least One Million Seniors and People With Disabilities Will Pay Over $110 Million More For Their Annual Wellness Visits In 2012. At least 1,000,000 seniors are expected to see their physician for an annual wellness visit in 2012. These visits are critical to positive health outcomes for seniors across the country. As a result of the Republican plan, these seniors would each pay an additional $160 for the first visit and $105 for a subsequent visit. [HHS, 3/16/11; Kaiser State Health Facts, accessed on 5/5/11]
•  All Seniors Enrolled In Medicare Will Be Forced to Pay More for Health Care Services Under the Republican Plan.  The Republican plan will require that seniors pay deductibles, co-insurance, and copayments for many preventive services currently covered by Medicare; including cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies as well as annual wellness visits. Seniors could be forced to pay for many other health services that Medicare currently covers free of charge to the patient, including mammograms; colorectal, cervical and prostate cancer screening; cholesterol and other cardiovascular screenings; diabetes screening and flu shots. [HHS, 11/4/10]

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Posted by Kombiz