Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan for his vice presidential candidate brought his budget and its proposed changes to Medicare into the spotlight. Mr. Ryan’s plan for Medicare would offer seniors the option of staying within the current system or enrolling in a private insurance plan. It would not affect any Seniors currently receiving Medicare payments and Mr. Ryan believes this would lead to lower costs for everyone.
How does Mr. Ryan’s proposal compare to the Presidential Candidates?
Mitt Romney: Reform
Agrees with Mr. Ryan’s proposal. In the past he has said he would raise the eligibility age for Seniors to receive Medicare in an effort to cut costs.
Barack Obama: Expand
Medicare coverage will be expanded to smaller hospitals and will be funded by tax increases on individuals making over $250K per year.
Gary Johnson: Reform
Control of medicare coverage would be turned over to individual states. The federal government would issue grants to each state and allow them to develop their own Medicare plans.
Ron Paul: Dismantle
Dr. Paul would eliminate Medicare. Every American who is under 25 years of age in 2013 would no longer pay into the Medicare system which would be phased out completely by the time they were 65.
Jill Stein: Expand
Medicare coverage would be offered to everyone under a single-payer healthcare system. It would be funded by one insurance pool funded by the federal government.
Stewart Alexander: Expand
Medicare coverage would be offered to everyone under a single-payer healthcare system. It would be funded by one insurance pool funded by the federal government.
Virgil Goode: Keep “as is.”
The system would remain in its current state. Costs would be cut by implementing tort reforming and lowering the costs of malpractice insurance.
Where do you side on Medicare? Find out by taking our presidential election quiz.
I would have to stay true to the Presidents plan.Some single payer plans I liked , but it has to remain the way it is so we can get beyond the partisan bickering. The bill can be modified and fine tuned down the road. The President has done the right thing!
Frank Mulhall
I have the Presidents back in doing the right thing for the whole country!
Monica Castner
All the president is going to bring you is communism.
Michael Ward Burdick
Thank you Fox Pundit
Marvin L Eason
President Mitt Rommney NOT Barak Hussain Obama or Barry Soweto.
Pat Pisani
expand
Sally Nurkowski-thornton
I need my ss and mediccare joann.
Joann Ekensten
I still wonder if these guys are willing to give up all the benefits that congress men get? Can't we decide to stop that for them?
Cynthia Massheimer
If your state allows voter ballot initiatives to amend your state constitution you can push for an amendment to limit government pay and benefits while also prohibiting pay raises.
Niles Aronson
BHo will be heading back to Chicago where he belongs and R and R will get this country back on track.
Carolyn Tagatz
lol how
Marvin L Eason
Back to the 1800's maybe
Tom Millender
Happy Birthday Carolyn.Have a great day.
Joan Phelan
How much does race influence your disapproval of Obama?
John Bailey
I'm sorry, I've lost faith in any of them. Social Security is an INSURANCE PAYED BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE and was formed as an assurance that individuals would have something towards retirement and needed medical care. Social Security was funded by the hardworking citizen's of this country....not, the government! Social Security has been and is currently being derailed by Congress. If they had kept their greed from draining the coffers of Social Security in order to fund their PORK-BELLY PROJECTS we would be alot better off in regards to the future of Social Security and Medicare. I'm pretty certain that Romney, Ryan, Obama, Congress....isn't too worried either way, as they more than likely won't need to count on SSI and Medicare...like some of the rest of us who have worked and payed into these two 'Insurance Programs' all of their lives.
Susan Dowsett
My exact sentiments Susan. I have become so cynical towards our political system, no one wants to work together to do the right thing. Seems all they're interested in is blaming each other for why the problem exists and go right on appeasing their own constituents with special interest projects to ensure their reelection. Congress' use and abuse of those funds caused their depletion.
Cathy Sperry
Yes, I am in full agreement.
Susan Dowsett
We need reform, but no just in medicare. We need to make Congress and all eected officals have the same program that we have...for "all" Americans.
Charles Hargett
I agree, why should they be a step above us.
Cynthia Massheimer
Johnson did wonders in New Mexico with Medicare. He reformed it. Saved millions of dollars, and also provided all Medicare recipients with the same health coverage that he himself.had as governor. Dollars and cents...Romney knows nothing about that, Nor does the messiah BHO
Niles Aronson
medicare is a federal program, what could he have possibly done with it in new mexico? Unless perhaps your referring to medicaid.
Tom Millender
Promising Medicare for current seniors leaves the rest of us in the under-60 crowd out in the cold. http://www.withjillstein.com/
Christian Alberto Ledesma
I always find it funny when people are apposed to a universal healthcare system, because if you really think about it, aren't you a part of a universal healthcare system provided by the insurance company that you belong to? All members of an insurance group contribute a large pool of funds that are distributed amongst other members of the group as needed. Isn't that the point of insurance? So it should not be that difficult to understand something functioning that you are already a part of, and if that is not enough, just take a look at other nations that have instituted a Nationalized Healthcare System. England tried to let everyone in on the secret at the London Olympics, why? Because "The measure of a civilization is how it treats it's weakest members".
Gabriel Cornejo
I don't think anyone is opposed to the idea of everyone having health care, I think they just have different ideas on how that is best accomplished. As an analogy, I'm pro-everyone having access to computers, but I don't think the government taxing the population and handing out computers is the best way to accomplish that. Of course healthcare is a more complicated issue, but I look at it somewhat similarly. I think everyone should have access to healthcare, I just don't agree that a single payer government run program is the best way to do it.
Seamus Tucker
Naaaaaa naaaa Naaaaaa. If I am rich I want to hope to the front of the line! And we need to take after the animal kingdom....... Natural selection. Let the week fall victim to the lion!
Matthew Jackson
I'm hungry! Lol
Nastassja Hall
That's not really how insurance works. Insurance isn't a giant bank account that people access when needed. Insurance isn't a "fund"....it's a bit more complex than that. Would I like "Free" healthcare? Yes...but that would only come at an extremely high tax rate. Money has to come from somewhere. Let's say I'm running a small textile business. Now suddenly I have to pay for all of my employees' healthcare. However, a textile company in China doesn't have to. I wonder which business will survive..........
Peter Tam
Did you support the bullet train also? There's no such thing as a free lunch. Everything has a cost. Everything has a cause and effect.
Peter Tam
I like Gabriel's comment of "The measure of a civilization is how it treats it's weakest members".Believe me , as a senior citizen, I don't see very much understanding amoung the youth of today. I do not believe in living like the animal kingdom, only the strong sevive. I had hoped that we were a step above that.
Cynthia Massheimer
I hope that you’ve traveled through Europe. It’s not the utopia you’re making it out to be. I know, I’ve spent some time there in my life. I’ve traveled all around this world. I’ve been to 58 countries on 6 different continents. There is no perfect country, government, or health care system in this world. Each has its own problems. May of Europe’s countries are on the verge of a financial collapse partly because of trying to provide more than they have to its citizens (that’s a very simple way of putting it). Government only brings in so much in tax revenue; they are not a bottomless pit of money. Yes, everyone should have the ability to have health care. But if you want the government to provide it for you, like some parts of the world, you’re taxes (not just the wealthiest 2% in our country) would have to go up to provide that benefit to everyone just like those countries you like to site. There would be a decrease in quality, because the government would have to budgets its money to provide a single pay system. It’s always shoots and latters, give and take. The devil is in the details. If you think the current health care plan (“Obama Care”) is perfect, you need to read it yourself and stop believing what Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC tells you about it. You may just find out it is worse than what is already in place. But as an informed citizen, that’s your choice to make when you research it.
James Jorgensen
James, I can appreciate your input and you taking the time to share your experience. I have no delusions about there being a perfect system in place, but I do believe that "We" should be striving for better. The way I see it with my own experiences are citizens of this nation without healthcare, a healthcare system that incentives treatment rather then cures, and this same healthcare system that is setup for putting its priorities on profit margins rather than people's actual care.
Gabriel Cornejo
Peter, I know that's not how insurance PRESENTLY work, because currently it is focussed on profit rather than budget management. Think of it this way though, at the principal of how insurance is supposed to work, members contribute to subsidize for each other in times where events would otherwise financially cripple an individual. I would say that with my experience having survived a major car accident I am grateful for the fact that I had the good fortune of having health insurance. I think we all would do better to put our selves in others shoes and consider what a scenario would be like to not have insurance, or not enough. With a single payer program, proper budget management we can all contribute towards looking out for each other instead of only looking out for ourselves. Of course, taxes would increase to cover the cost, I've lived in a nation where this works and I have seen prevention being a more successful approach, both financially and biologically, rather than treatment approach.
Gabriel Cornejo
Gabriel: Trouble with your statement is this: Social security did not ration. Health Care under Obama will ration, pick and choose what you get, and charge a family $13,450 per year just for very basic coverage. It is denied to collect and not pay out.
Helen Paradis
Ron Paul is correct - dismantle in a controlled fashion before it collapses in an uncontrolled one.
Tom Martin
Healthcare is an essential component of a healthy society and it should be provided thru an Universal system and should be funded in the same way the public school system is currently funded i.e tying it to the local tax system instead of to Federal and State taxes.
Bhujangarao Inaganti
Americans are very poor savers of money. We need Medicare. We also need a government run program of saving for retirement just like in Sweden etc. The Swedes pay high taxes but they don't have the stress of saving for retirement because the government does it for them. How many people in this country have lost their savings to Wall Street? Trying to ensure your 401K will go up and not down is something no single person can control. The safe guards put in place to ensure another depression where like the safety seperated tanks in a tanker. Starting in the 1980's all the safe guards economy had in place after the great depression were removed by the Bankers and the Senators they paid off. Get rid of all the individual stuff and there would be plenty of money for Medicare. Also, we do not need troops in all the locations they are in now. Lower the troop deployments there is where the money for Medicare would come from. Lets start with bringing our troops back from Europe. Europe can take care of itself. We do not need 150,000 troops there. WWII is long over.
Craig Cothren
I'm with Ron Paul - Medicare should be dismantled!
Tom Alvord
How would that be accomplished?
Mary Alvord Kiplinger
1. Allow young folks to opt out. 2. Require Docs to show the bill to the patient. 3. Require the patient's signature on every item. 4. Keep paying for those who have paid into the system and who meet these requirements. 5. It will never happen because "entitlement mentality" has infiltrated too many citizens across broad political and socio-economic strata.
Tom Alvord