Lieberman wants to stab Democrats in the back just one more time before he leaves. Joe along with ethically challenged Coburn came up with a Republican dream medicare plan Most of the plan's savings would come from some form of benefit reductions or cost-shifting to seniors — a stark contrast to the Medicare cuts believed to be on the table in talks over the debt ceiling. Negotiators there are looking at cuts to health care industries after Democrats drew a line in the sand over benefit cuts.
The most important feature of the plan is to save Republicans bacon in the 2012 election by having Democrats put the screws to medicare
The Odious plan raises medicare age, require a co-pay on all medicare services, raises premiums so that medicare recipients pay 35% of all program costs, restructures medigap because the damn old folk are going to the doctor too much. In return for all these cuts the Republicans will not demand to privitize it (at least till they get back in complete power)
Pelosi is having none of it:
Pelosi Statement on the Coburn-Lieberman Medicare Proposal
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after Senators Tom Coburn and Joe Lieberman proposed a plan to raise the retirement age for Medicare beneficiaries:
“Any changes to Medicare must strengthen the Medicare system and improve the health of our seniors. "It is unfair to ask seniors to get less in benefits and wait longer to get onto Medicare – all while Republicans back tax breaks for Big Oil and corporations that ship American jobs overseas. “Just like the Republican plan to end Medicare, this proposal is unacceptable, especially for struggling middle-class Americans."
