A budget bill that tears down the foundation of both senior and poor
Americans' health care security passed in the House of Representatives
on April 15 with near unanimous support from Republicans and complete
opposition from Democrats.
The Path to Prosperity, crafted by the House Budget Committee Chair,
Paul Ryan (R-Wis), would cap government spending on Medicare and
Medicaid, and transfer costs in the form of higher health premiums
and reduced care for millions of Americans.
Republicans argue that America can no longer afford the same health
social safety net as enjoyed in the past. They argue an aging population
and health care innovations, which prolong lives with the help of
expensive drugs and technology make the programs unsustainable.
Ryan's plan would cap current government spending on Medicare, which
pays for services for seniors and the disabled, at a fixed rate. Medicare
payments would go directly to insurance companies. Individuals would
get vouchers to pay for part of private health insurance premiums.
Hospitals and doctors would then collect their remuneration from insurers.
The program would give greater powers to insurers to decide what and
how much coverage an individual can receive (????)
The change would apply to Americans currently 55 and younger, and would
result in rising premiums for individuals wanting the same level of care
as what is currently offered.
With Medicaid, the Ryan propsoal would again cap the costs, but turn
federal payments into block grants to be transferred directly to states.
The responsibility would then fall to individual states to deliver the
services, supposedly with greater flexibility. Medicaid is meant for
people in poverty, including children.
Ryan's plan is heavy on the side of spending cuts and light in terms of
revenue. John Boehner (R-Ohio) specifically states that "we can't tax the
very people that we expect to reinvest in our economy and to create jobs.
Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem." Actually,
Mr. Speaker - - WASHINGTON has both. We are attempting to address the
spending problem but the TAX CODE also need to be rewritten in parts to
redistribute the wealth. Ryan's plan calls for a permanent extension of
the Bush era tax cuts which benefit the weatlhy. ALL AMERICANS NEED TO
PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES NOT JUST THE POOR AND THE MIDDLE CLASS!!!
GIVING THE INSURANCE COMPANIES THE POWER TO MAKE
MEDICAL DECISIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH COVERAGE AN
INDIVIDUAL CAN RECEIVE IS DEFINITELY NOT THE ANSWER!!!!!
Sheila McKinney
