NANCY ALTMAN, naltman [at] socialsecurityworks.or
Altman is co-director of Social Security Works. She just wrote the piece “Medicare Will Be Gone By Next Thanksgiving If Republicans Have Their Way.”
She writes: “Today’s Republicans are not just threatening to end Obamacare. Ironically, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is threatening to convert Medicare into Obamacare. He is plotting to end government-provided health insurance and force those with Medicare to buy insurance on the private market, with only subsidies to offset the cost of what the private sector wants to charge. If the Republicans succeed, I and my fellow Medicare policy holders will be on our own, forced to negotiate on our own with for-profit companies, rather than enjoy the protections of our government. Thanks, but no thanks.
“Ryan is using two lies to support his radical agenda. First, he claims that ‘because of Obamacare, Medicare is going broke,’ when in fact Obamacare strengthened Medicare’s financing. Second, as he does with Social Security, Ryan claims his motive is to save, not destroy, Medicare.
“How ironic! After railing against Obamacare for years, Ryan and his fellow Republicans want to turn Medicare into Obamacare. The Affordable Care Act was better than nothing but far inferior to Medicare. Medicare-For-All is easy to explain, easy to understand, and far superior, in virtually every way, to Obamacare. Despite the fact that Medicare covers those with the greatest health needs — old people and people with disabilities — it has lower administrative costs, per capita, than private insurance. We could cover everyone and save money, as a society! …
“Donald Trump ran on a promise NOT to cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid. …
“Democrats should propose Medicare-For-All as a substitute for Republican plans to repeal Obamacare and destroy Medicare. And all of us should call our members daily to protest Ryan’s proposed gutting of our successful and popular Medicare. I urge everyone — Trump supporters, Clinton supporters, and everyone else — to join the fight. The message is simple: Keep your hands off our Medicare!”
