House GOP debates changing Medicare sooner than they'd planned

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

WASHINGTON -- As Rep. Paul D. Ryan readies the new GOP budget, House Republicans are debating whether to apply the party’s proposed Medicare changes a year earlier than planned, when Americans who are now 56 reach retirement age.

No decision has been made, and Ryan declined to address the internal debate Wednesday. The party’s earlier promise to keep Medicare unchanged for those 55 and older has bumped up against its vow to balance the budget in 10 years.

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Though the White House will almost certainly reject the blueprint, it will provide the opening salvo as Congress and the White House head toward the next pressure point in the budget battles. This summer, Washington will need to raise the debt ceiling again, reigniting President Obama’s calls for a grand bipartisan agreement on new taxes and spending cuts.

Ryan has spent the last several weeks in talks with rank-and-file Republicans who have different views on the best time to start the Medicare changes, which would provide a voucher-like payment that future seniors could apply toward the costs of private insurance or to enroll in traditional Medicare.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-pn-paul-ryan-budget-medicare-20130307,0,5770606.story?track=lat-pick

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The media continues to portray Republicans are serious about cutting the deficit. Yet, they have rejected President Obama's effort to do just that, and are continuing to push to lower tax rates. While Democrats are trying to preserve Medicare, the fact of the matter is that Republicans simply want to repeal it and replace it with a voucher system that itself can be reduced as a mere subsidy, rather than an entitlement. Yet, the media refuses to call Republicans on their hypocrisy and refusal to actually negotiate.

If Republicans were serious about cutting the deficit, a deal would have been done. The problem is that the media refuses to hold them accountable for the fact that their economic plans often defy basic math.

[Dan]

1. Politicians are only serious about two things

1. Getting into office either through an election or appointment;
2. Staying in office, by election or re-election;

Everything else about them is for sell, or lease.

[Kablooie]

2. A few politicians have respectable goals but most just want the prestige and perks.

The house republicans don't have any intererest in doing their job.
They don't seem to care a whit about their constituents or the nation.
I'm sure they only want the power and it doesn't matter to them what is done with it.

And if they stay in for 2 terms, taxpayers will pick up all their family medical bills for life.

[Berlum]

3. "That will teach Americans to trust us. Sneer." - Republigoons (R)

[watoos]

4. Medicare will end quickly if Repubs get their way.

Once the younger, healthier, people are removed from traditional Medicare it will quickly begin to die. Doctors and hospitals will refuse to treat traditional Medicare patients. My point is that people already on Medicare will end up losing benefits, saying that people who are 55 or 56 will not be affected is a trgic joke.

[wilt the stilt]

5. Hey you clowns

any of you especially you paul Ryan ever buy your own insurance. Try it sometime. Let's s tart by all elected official(House and senate) have to buy your own insurance. Your voucher is $5,000 for a family.

[NorthCarolina]

6. The question is whether the administration will sell these programs cheap

like in exchange for closing a few tax loopholes (with likely work-arounds)? Or will they get something meaningful? I think at this point there is little doubt that Social Security and Medicare WILL be cut. What will the exchange be? Will it really be an equitable tradeoff, or will these programs be sold cheap, on a ruse?

[kiranon]

7. Members of Congress need to be on Medicare and no other health insurance

plan so they can personally see/feel the effect of their efforts to curtail Medicare.