While seniorsacross the country are worried about cuts to Medicare under health care reform, Dick Armey thinks that the popular program is "tyranny."
The former House Majority leader and current chairman of conservative group Freedom Works, Armey characterized Medicare as such on "Meet the Press" because seniors are forced to participate.
"Why do they not let people who don't want to be in, out?" Armey asked, highlighting the cost of the program to the federal government.
"This is important... The anti-healthcare reform lobby thinks that Medicare is tyranny," said an incredulous Rachel Maddow, who was seated next to Armey on the panel.
Dick Armey's gig is to scare seniors into thinking Obama's cutting funds to Medicare. He's not. He's finding savings. Services provided and paid for are not changing. He's finding savings in the billions we pay in subsidies to PRIVATE Insurers in Medicare Advantage. He's finding (mitigated)billions from Pharma. That's where the savings/cuts are coming from.
No Dick - You don't understand the world is shifting beneath your much burdened feet.
UPDATE I - Per Comment by Elise -
The only part of Medicare that stays even if you don't want it is Part A hospital coverage - and that's only if you qualified for it by working 40 quarters. So, some don't even qualify for that.
But Part B - medical coverage - has a premium each month and if you don't pay it and Medicaid doesn't pay it for you, then you lose it AND you have to pay a penalty to get back in at a later date.
Link to MSNBC