TPM: Romney’s health care plans don’t exempt today’s seniors

[flpoljunkie]

Romney’s health care plans don’t exempt today’s seniors
Posted by Sarah Kliff on September 17, 2012

It has been a central campaign promise from Mitt Romney: His Medicare overhaul plan would not touch benefits for anyone older than 55.

That may not, however, be the case with the Republican presidential nominee’s other health-care proposals. A growing body of research suggests that his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and cut Medicaid funding would have a direct impact on the health care that seniors receive.

Repealing the health law would mean higher Medicare premiums, the Kaiser Family Foundation found in a recent analysis. Wellness visits and prescription drugs also would cost more. Although under the current law, reductions in doctor payments could create an access issue.

The impact could be greatest for the lowest-income seniors, who qualify for both the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and there could be a significant slowdown in federal funds available for their care.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/17/romneys-health-care-plans-dont-exempt-todays-seniors/

[beac]

1. I've never understood this "over 55 vs. under 55" business.

Most people over 55 have children or other loved ones under 55. Does the GOP really think that the 55+ers won't give a crap what happens to the under 55s??

I'm under 55 and acknowledge that some changes may need to happen, perhaps including raising the retirement age slowly over time. But the "Don't worry! If you're over 55, nothing will change for you! We're going to screw over the young ones instead!" sales pitch is just insane. (Especially since, like all of his proposals that's a LIE-- everyone will get screwed under Romey's plan.)

Says a lot about the GOP's general "I got mine. F you." attitude. They can't seem to understand that not everyone is a selfish ass.

[socialist_n_TN]

2. The sales pitch is insane to YOU maybe, but.......

This is the way the rulers in our capitalist system work. They take ANY and ALL means to divide us because the thing that they fear the MOST is unified action by the working class and (in this case) the former working class.

And you are correct in your assumption that everyone will get screwed under Romney's plan. Even if it doesn't start out changing Medicare for the current beneficiaries, it won't necessarily stay that way. Since older folks are sicker as a factor of age generally and Medicare money is being taken away from the system, within a couple of years the current Medicare system will become unworkable and way too expensive. Then the long knives will come out for the CURRENT beneficiaries too.

It's just another way to slash the social safety net for the rest of us. Oh and don't get fooled by the "there's no money for this" meme. There's PLENTY of money and wealth out there. More than there's ever been in history. It's not a matter of wealth, it's purely a matter of the distribution of that wealth.