Paul Ryan’s Death Panel: Medicare Vouchers

Original Link: http://freakoutnation.com/2011/04/24/paul-ryans-death-panel-medicare-vouchers/

By Mona

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan is clamping down on Medicare, attempting to replace benefits with vouchers, however, he’s reiterated, saying he wants to “protect” people who are 55 years of age or older, in order for them to have Medicare exactly as it exists today.

Elderly Americans can not utilize a voucher if insurance companies barely accept elderly clients without charging an exorbitant fee, and most of them have a preexisting condition.

Insurance companies are for profit, not to aid us when we’re in despair. Mr. Ryan is protecting the insurance companies.

A new McClatchy/Marist poll has 80 percent of Americans opposing cuts in Medicare and Medicaid spending to reduce deficits.

But, this is dismissed by the right, claiming this move is focused purely on the budget.

The CBO has assessed that the value of the voucher would grow significantly more slowly than expected and Medicare spending per person enrolled would grow under current law. Due to the expense, this would result in moving on to less comprehensive health plans while using health care services even less.

The cost of financial risk would be on the beneficiaries for purchasing insurance policies or of obtaining health care services not covered by their new insurance.

While delving into the Internet to find an authority on this controversial plan, this came to my attention.

From Dr. Richard D. Kane:

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposal for the dissolution of Medicare and the use of vouchers instead clearly demonstrates his naivete regarding the cost of health care. I have practiced medicine for 40 years, and I have never seen the cost of health insurance decrease because of competition among insurers.

What Ryan doesn’t understand is that the goal of Medicare is to provide health care to the elderly, but the goal of private insurance companies is to make money for their shareholders and pay exorbitant salaries for the executives.

Ryan has no idea what insurance would cost for those over 65 years old. When I was 62, I paid $18,000 per year for health insurance for me and my wife. By the age of 64, I paid $24,000 per year for the same insurance with a $1,500 deductible. This was the same standard Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan that I provided my employees.

I did look for better rates from other insurers, but I found virtually no difference in price for comparable plans. I cannot imagine what the cost would be for someone Medicare age when the voucher system is to go into effect. Does Ryan actually believe vouchers would allow those over 65 to find insurance they could afford?

Then there is always the Easter Bunny.

Richard D. Kane, M.D.

Raleigh

Ryan said, “We don’t want to pull the rug out from people on their way to retirement.” While he pulls the rug out by making health care less affordable for seniors.

Health Care reform was deemed as ‘Obama’s death panel’ by Sarah Palin. Where is her outrage now? Unless she lied, which of course she did.