Do You Want to Keep Medicare?

 Posted by at 3:21 pm  Politics
Mar 182012
 

I, for one, depend on Medicare.  Were it not there, I would have no health care, so I consider it important for me to keep it, but more important than I am, millions of other Americans either have Medicare or have invested in Medicare for their future retirement through payroll deductions.  If the Republican Party has their way, we will all lose Medicare.

GOPNinjaAre Republicans ready to be trusted with the reins of power?

If you’re thinking of answering this in the affirmative, you might want to pause long enough to learn what transpired on the third floor of the Capitol on Thursday. There, four prominent Republican lawmakers announced their proposal to abolish Medicare“sunset” was their pseudo-verb — even for those currently on the program or nearing retirement.

In Medicare’s place would be a private plan that would raise the eligibility age and shift trillions of dollars worth of health-care coverage from the government to the elderly. “This will be the new Medicare,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the proposal’s author, announced.

For years, Republicans have insisted that they would not end Medicare as we know it and that any changes to the program would not affect those in or near retirement. In the span of 20 minutes Thursday, they jettisoned both promises.

“The president and Harry Reid have been licking their chops for over three years now waiting for Republicans to actually try to deal with the large problems like Medicare,” Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) told reporters. “So, this is the moment they’ve been waiting for.”… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Washington Post>

So, do you want to keep Medicare?  If you do, there is only one way to accomplish that goal, and that is to remove the Republican Party from power.  The only way to do that is to keep Obama in the White House, strengthen the Democratic majority in the Senate, and empower a Democratic majority in the House.  All your votes are needed.

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  21 Responses to “Do You Want to Keep Medicare?”

  1. I’m still hoping that the Republicans move so far right they fall off the Earth. In fact I’m willing to go trip them if they can’t find it alone. Yes Medicare must be preserved. I’ll be donating to the cause (getting Dems elected) this time round as well,

     

    • As have I, Blue.

    • Hi Blue, Nice to meet you LOL  The way they are going that goal is being  accomplished.  Three right wing nuts running for president and one millionaire.  But like you I would be more than happy to go trip them if they lose there way.

  2. Where Medicare is concerned, the Republicans have only one goal – to destroy it! Their next target is Social Security. Any senior or woman who votes for a Republican is contributing to their own demise.

  3. “Are Republicans ready to be trusted with the reins of power?”

    We’ve needed Health Care Reform for 70 years as Republicans gave Health Insurance companies an exemption from anti-trust law suits… Medicare must be saved from GNOP and Tea-Baggies…..

  4. So, do you want to keep Medicare?  If you do, there is only one way to accomplish that goal, and that is to remove the Republican Party from power.  The only way to do that is to keep Obama in the White House, strengthen the Democratic majority in the Senate, and empower a Democratic majority in the House.  All your votes are needed.!!

    Can’t say more—-this is scary as hell to this retired person and her husband- both on Medicare– , with health issues , and dependent on the programs we both worked over 50years for-

  5. Medicare MUST survive in the US otherwise your for profit health care system will eat up the elderly, those with chronic diseases and anyone who cannot afford the exorbitant prices.

    In early 2001, my step-father and mother were snowbirds in California.  He became ill with what turned out to be colon cancer.  They had out of country medical insurance, but the insurance company refused to let him be treated in the US and he was flown by air ambulance, along with a doctor and nurse, to a town 3 hours and 1 ferry ride away from home.  Transfered from one ambulance to another at the ferry dock, he had surgery the next morning to remove a large tumour.  The trip lasted 2 days.  During those 2 days, part of the tumour “erupted”.  This was the beginning of a 3+ year battle.  After over 3 years, 3 surgeries and 2 rounds of chemo, he died in agony in 2004.  I feel that his agony and death might have been delayed further had the insurance company not refused to let him be treated in the US.  Their reason — the cost!  To add to it all, they refused to pay for the air ambulance which was their choice.

    So what is the going price for a human life? 

    Canada has universal health care or socialised medicine, and while it is not perfect, it is still there for those that need it, even the greedy 1%.  PM Harper, Canada’s Baby Bush wannabe and leader of the Conservative government, is currently playing Russian roulette with our healthcare system.  The current federal-provincial health accord expires in 2013 or 2014 and Harper has refused to come to the bargaining table.  As to eye care and dental, in BC at least, if you have diabetes (and maybe some other chronic diseases) or are a senior, eye care is included in your provincial medical.  Dental is still not included.  Also here in BC, we have FairPharmacare which, based on annual income, assigns a deductible.  After that deductible is paid, then drugs are picked up by FairPharmacare.  For me that is very important as my drug costs are approximately $4K per year.

  6. And I’m very disappointed to learn that Sen. Wyden (D-OR) appears to be the lone “bipartisan” backer of repubican’s idea for “Medicare”

    • Wyden’s office has told me that this is not what Wyden is backing.  Wyden’s plan is to offer private plans, but to keep Medicare as a choice permanently.  If you have info to the contrary, please let me know.

  7. Why are the still trying to fuck with a government program that actually works?

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