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Medicare: plan unfairly targets elderly

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EDITORIAL: Rep. 's plan to revamp, cut Medicare unfairly targets elderly.

Though Medicare requires cost control, 's proposal is too radical. Friday,

Apr. 08, 2011 The Fresno Bee

Rep. , R-Wis., widely touted as an " honest, deeply serious thinker, "

has offered his blueprint for America. Unfortunately, his plan takes a hard

whack at health care for the elderly -- shifting costs to individuals and the

states.

It is worth remembering that before 1965, nearly half of the elderly people in

this country had no health insurance. The problem was how to provide insurance

against high medical costs in old age after people completed their working years

and had less income. Medicare, which passed in 1965, effectively resolved that

issue for our grandparents.

But 's plan, embraced by House Republicans, tries to roll back the clock.

Under his proposal, which he borrowed from former California Rep. Bill '

dead-on-arrival 1999 idea, the elderly no longer would receive the traditional

Medicare card, with choice of doctors. Instead, older folks would get a voucher

to help buy a health insurance policy. Payments would go to private insurers,

not directly to hospitals and doctors, as occurs under traditional Medicare.

The Congressional Budget Office analysis said that most elderly people " would

bear a much larger share of their health care costs than they would under the

current program. " Not surprisingly, to avoid squawking from people most strongly

attached to Medicare, would allow individuals 55 and older to keep

traditional Medicare.

assumes those folks will not fight for their children and grandchildren

born after 1956. We hope he's wrong.

Certainly, Medicare is under financial strain, requiring cost control measures.

But it does not need 's radical transformation.

Medicare is not the only tool uses to whack the elderly. Since 1965, a

federal/state Medicaid partnership has provided health insurance for low-income

individuals. proposes steep cuts to the states by providing a fixed

lump-sum annual payment to each state in a block grant.

Who does this hurt? The elderly.

Medicaid covers about seven of every 10 nursing home residents, because few

individuals (even upper middle-income folks) can afford to pay for long-term

care on their own for any length of time.

While elderly and disabled people make up only 25% of Medicaid beneficiaries,

they account for 70% of Medicaid expenditures, according to the Kaiser

Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

That's why 16 governors, including Gov. Jerry Brown, have signed a letter

strongly opposing 's block grant approach.

says, " This isn't a budget. This is a cause. " And his cause is an attack on

the elderly.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/04/07/2341509/editorial-rep-ryans-plan-to-revamp.h\

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