If you don't believe that the massive changes to Medicare and Medicaid proposed by the House GOP are killing the middle class then take a look at the new report put out by the House Democrats. The budget passed by House Republicans in April 2011 makes radical changes to Medicare and raises costs for seniors and individuals with disabilities presently enrolled in Medicare, reduces their benefits, and puts private insurance companies in charge of the program. The plan also immediately reopens the "donut hole" in Medicare’s drug coverage for current recipients. But the real impact is on those age 54 and under, Medicare’s guarantee of comprehensive coverage would be replaced with a “voucher” or “premium support” to buy private health insurance. Maybe these people have been watching "Extreme Couponing" too much. The voucher is not expected to keep up with costs and shifts thousands of dollars in medical costs onto the individual. I am 50 years old and have spent 30 years paying into this system and cannot afford to start saving enough now for that extra expense when or "if" I retire.
The House Dems have also created a website showing the impact on every House District in the nation. These are real people and real numbers. interactive map
This analysis shows the immediate and long-term impacts of these changes in the 6th Congressional District in Indiana, which is presently represented by Rep. Mike Pence. The Republican proposal would have adverse impacts on seniors and disabled individuals in the district who are currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:
• Increase prescription drug costs for 11,600 Medicare beneficiaries in the district who enter the Part D donut hole, forcing them to pay an extra $114 million for drugs over the next decade.
• Eliminate new preventive care benefits for 118,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the district.
The Republican proposal would have even greater impacts on individuals in the district age 54 and younger who are not currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:
• Deny 490,000 individuals age 54 and younger in the district access to Medicare’s
guaranteed benefits.
• Increase the out-of-pocket costs of health coverage by over $6,000 per year in 2022 and by almost $12,000 per year in 2032 for the 106,000 individuals in the district who are between the ages of 44 and 54.
• Require the 106,000 individuals in the district between the ages of 44 and 54 to save an additional $24.8 billion for their retirement – an average of $182,000 to $287,000 per individual – to pay for the increased cost of health coverage over their lifetimes. Younger residents of the district will have to save even higher amounts to cover their additional medical costs.
• Raise the Medicare eligibility age by at least one year to age 66 or more for 59,000
individuals in the district who are age 44 to 49 and by two years to age 67 for 383,000 individuals in the district who are age 43 or younger.
The message here is clear. This plan is nothing more than an attack on the middle class of this country. Mike Pence has voted to end Medicare.
9:24 AM PT: Contact Lane at laneforcongress@gmail.com
www.LaneforCongress.com