House GOP budget to propose major Medicare change

[jefferson_dem]

House GOP budget to propose major Medicare change
10:08 AMYahoo! BuzzShare
By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY

House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., will unveil a long-term budget plan that includes major changes to Medicare and Medicaid. CAPTIONBy Susan Walsh, APHouse Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said he'll unveil a long-term budget plan this week calling for "more than" $4 trillion in spending cuts that will also overhaul Medicare, Medicaid and other entitlement programs that drive up the nation's debt.

Ryan, speaking on Fox News Sunday, said final numbers are still being tweaked. He broadly outlined his 10-year plan that will surely get attacked by Democrats for thits scope and breadth.

A major issue will be Ryan's plan to dramatically overhaul Medicare, the health care program for seniors, and Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for low-income people.

Ryan will unveil his proposal on Tuesday. He told Chris Wallace of Fox News that he's prepared for his plan to become a rallying cry for Democrats in the 2012 election. But he insisted that Republicans are showing leadership on long-term fiscal issues.

"Yes, we are giving them a political weapon to go against us," Ryan said. "But they will have to lie and demagogue to make it a weapon. ...Shame on them. We can't keep kicking the can down the road."

Ryan's Medicare plan, similar to a proposal he crafted with former Clinton budget director Alice Rivlin, is already being attacked by congressional Democrats on Ryan's committee. Ryan said Sunday he prefers to call it a "premium support" program, but it has been called a voucher program in various news stories.

The proposal, Ryan said, would allow people to choose from a menu of health insurance plans that are run privately -- instead of now all enrolling in the federally run Medicare program. His proposal would not affect anyone currently taking part in Medicare, but is aimed at people who are now 55 years and under.

On Medicaid, Ryan said his plan will call for transferring the program back to states in the form of block grants. He declined to give a specific number on how much would be saved, but said it would be "over" $1 trillion.

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http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/04/paul-ryan-republican-budget-medicare-/1

[Exilednight]

1. Obama holds the veto pen. If it passes, let's see if he signs the bill. n/t

[bbgrunt]

5. I'd prefer NOT to wait and see.

[Skink]

2. which state would drop this first?

[high density]

3. "...surely get attacked by Democrats for its scope and breadth"

I love that the media keeps thrusting healthcare as a red vs blue issue. One political party wants everybody but the top 1% to work for nothing and then die off as fast as possible, and this is presented as if it's a valid path for our country to take.

[jwirr]

4. Turn Medicaid back to the states in the form of a block grant? The

states already administer Medicaid. So what exactly is he talking about?

[Arkana]

6. It'll never make it out of the Senate.

And even if it did, this kind of Draconian cut would never pass the President's desk.

[daa]

8. You trucdt Obama and the senate dems? what party

is Warner in?

[Arkana]

9. I trust Harry Reid, Tom Harkin, and Chuck Schumer

who have repeatedly said "No touchy Social Security/Medicare".

[daa]

7. We need to respond in kind.

Remember the tea party with HRC? Well we need to march in the town meetings and yell about cutting Medicare. WTF are we letting these republicans remove the social safety net of this country. Ryan Warner they all need taught a lesson that we want health care not some fucking government token payment to buy insurance. Old people have enough problems without getting fleeced by slick insurance salesmen. I thought we were beyond that.

The time is coming to respond like the tea part. the tea party has 20 % approval and over 50% disapproval.

We are in the majority and we need to take back our country from traitors like Ryan and Warner and Koch Brothers. We are not giving back our standard to the rich bastards that stole it anymore.

When are we going to stand up and be counted. They count 200 tea party idiots who ignore a billion dollars for one week of bombs.

We need to change tactics starting with Obama. I have no confidence he will stand up for us. If we wanted a repug we would have voted for McCain.

Make your voice heard. Tell Ryan to go fuck himself.