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Weekly Address: Preserving and Strengthening Medicare
Just before the Republicans go to Florida for their national convention, President Barack Obama and his campaign are highlighting the contrasts between the President's vision for Medicare and the Romney-Ryan plans to end Medicare as we know it. This preemptive strike does what it can to ensure that the GOP lies regarding Medicare will not go unquestioned. In this week’s address, President Obama emphasized that the Affordable Care Act has strengthened Medicare for seniors who have already been receiving their earned benefits, as well as preserved it for future generations:
President Obama: This week, we found out that, thanks to the health care law we passed, nearly 5.4 million seniors with Medicare have saved over $4.1 billion on prescription drugs. That’s an average of more than $700 per person. And this year alone, 18 million seniors with Medicare have taken advantage of preventive care benefits like mammograms or other cancer screenings that now come at no extra cost.
That’s progress. It means that seniors everywhere are getting the care they need for less. And if you have questions about what benefits you’re entitled to, you can go to www.medicare.gov to find out.
This news is also a reminder of what’s really at stake when we talk about the future of Medicare. It’s not about overheated rhetoric at election time. It’s about a promise this country made to our seniors that says if you put in a lifetime of hard work, you shouldn’t lose your home or your life savings just because you get sick.
Over the last 47 years, millions of Americans have worked for that promise. They’ve earned it. And for many seniors, the care they’ve gotten through Medicare has made all the difference in the world.
This morning, Susan Gardner posted
Obama in weekly address: Republicans do indeed want to effectively end Medicare as we know it.
"Promises" - Obama for America TV Ad
The TV ad Obama for America released today emphasizes that Mitt Romney would break the promise made when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Medicare Bill in 1965:
Voiceover: "It's a promise that was made long ago. You work hard, pay in. Your Medicare benefits are guaranteed. But Mitt Romney would break that promise...replace your benefits with a voucher."
"Insurance companies could just keep raising rates. Instead of a guarantee, seniors could pay sixty-four hundred dollars more a year. AARP says the plan Mitt Romney supports undermines Medicare. Mitt Romney. An end to the Medicare Promise."
This morning, Drdemocrat posted
BREAKING: Obama goes on Offense on Medicare with attack ad.
This evening, Joan McCarter posted The almost-definitive guide to the Medicare debate, which discusses Jonathan Cohn's article comparing President Obama's position on Medicare with those of Romney-Ryan.
And earlier this month, JanF posted Why I Vote For Democrats: The Medicare Bill of 1965.
President Barack Obama in Colorado Springs—August 9th, 2012
Photo by Scout Tufankjian for Obama for America
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Update from
JekyllnHyde in the
comments:
"Dr. Tough Love ... or How I Learned to Love Privatization"
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Update2 from Angie in WA State in the comments:
ROFL at the timing! Link to Angie in WA State's
Republican Women for Obama diary.
Link to Transcripts and Documents.