Asked about that Republican budget, the one that privatizes Social Security and Medicare, House Minority Leader John Boehner didn’t know quite what to say.
Since he was sort of all over the place, I think we better just translate. Shorter, more direct John Boehner: “I don’t disagree with anything in the budget, but I know it’s terrible politics, so this is me distancing myself from it.”
True, this plan was not officially THE single plan from his party. No, it was the plan of their top budget guy, and one said top budget guy says has a lot of support from his party’s leadership. But if Boehner’s response is any guide, don’t look for anyone else to release specific proposals anytime soon. Because specific proposals have a nasty way of being really unpopular when they’re issued by Republicans, what with all the cutting and privatizing of very popular programs.
Tags: budget, Medicare, social security
Meet the new Republican budget plan, same as the old Republican budget plan.
Privatize Social Security.
Privatize Medicare.
Raise the age of Medicare eligibility to 70.
Freeze nonsecurity spending until 2019.
All that, and a budget surplus at some point in the late 21st century.
We won the Social Security fight in 2005, the last time Republicans tried to privatize it. Since then, we’ve watched the stock market—the source they want people to rely entirely upon for their retirement—collapse. Imagine if Social Security had been privatized in 2005 and America’s retirement security had been shifted into the stock market by fall 2008. What would that have looked like?
Yet they’re back for another crack.
Medicare won’t just be privatized, either. It’ll be privatized with vouchers that grow more slowly than insurance costs. So that’s fantastic policy, too, and should be very popular among senior citizens and people who hope someday to become senior citizens.
This is nuts. It’s also what the Republican party wants, even when they try to pretend otherwise.
Tags: budget, Medicare, social security
Last week, Nicholas Kristof found some more opposition to health care reform.
Critics storm that health care reform is “a cruel hoax and a delusion.” Ads in 100 newspapers thunder that reform would mean “the beginning of socialized medicine.”
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page predicts that the legislation will lead to “deteriorating service.” Business groups warn that Washington bureaucrats will invade “the privacy of the examination room,” that we are on the road to rationed care and that patients will lose the “freedom to choose their own doctor.”
Have you figured out the punchline yet?
Those quotes, familiar as they seem, were actually from the 1960s, when the reform being debated was Medicare.
Indeed, these same arguments we hear today against health reform were used even earlier, to attack President Franklin Roosevelt’s call for Social Security. It was denounced as a socialist program that would compete with private insurers and add to Americans’ tax burden so as to kill jobs.
So apparently, a strong public health insurance option would lead to gloom, doom, and the enduring popularity of Medicare and Social Security.
Tags: health care reform, Medicare, social security
by Jackie Lima—Pennsylvania
Three years ago this man went through a divorce and was awarded custody of his teenage daughter. A consistent worker all of his life, he kept losing his jobs as he struggled with health issues. Each time he lost his job, he would lose his health care. He was eventually sent for a stress test at a hospital and was found to have a bad heart with a string of other problems.
He applied and was accepted for medical assistance BUT because his daughter was receiving cash assistance from social security, he was disqualified and taken off. He could receive assistance for medications but was told he must be on Social Security for two years to qualify for the health care program. Even with a pacemaker, he had no doctor care for those two years. Luckily, his daughter was covered by SCHIP (the State Children’s Health Insurance Program) during this time. Now he is old enough to receive Medicare and all seems to be resolved at this time.
Tags: health care, Medicare, SCHIP
by Rachel Colyer—Pennsylvania
One evening recently I was out canvassing in a very nice neighborhood. It was a newer area and I was unsure how many of the new homes were inhabited, but we took our chances and it was a great experience. Within one hour of canvassing there I have three unique examples of the critical need for a national health care policy that includes coverage for everyone.
I met a woman who opened the door with a child in her arms and two behind her, as well as a beautiful dog. I introduced myself—Working America, community affiliate of the AFL-CIO as usual—while telling her we wanted a national health care policy in this country. She hesitated briefly and then said step inside. (It was bitterly cold and windy this evening.) She indicated that she didn’t normally agree with the unions but that something had to change and she told me her story.
Her husband had recently switched careers and was in between health care coverage when all three of the children got sick. Ear and throat infections were passed among the three and none were covered. This family is not the “typical” family in need- I could tell from the chandelier in the foyer. Yet, this family had to drastically alter their budget in order to provide their children the necessary medical attention and they are still paying for it. This is a fortunate example because they have the luxury of being able to rearrange their budget.
Just down the street, there lived a middle-aged woman who teaches at an independent school. She was telling me that health care when she retires is a major concern in her life because the small school that she works for doesn’t provide health care benefits past employment. She is concerned that Medicare will not provide all of the coverage she needs and that the system will be too complex or restrictive when it is available to her. I told her that was a valid concern because of the complexity of Medicare Part D and the supplemental policies that exist now.
The closing story I’ll share with you was from a nice lady who really understands the rising cost of health care. While on a cruise ship this woman’s husband fell very ill and had to be airlifted off of the cruise ship and sent to the nearest hospital. At the hospital two major surgeries had to be performed and her husband then had to be monitored in the facility for a short time. Think folks, how much do you think this would cost? $100,000+ easily, right? This is a devastating scenario emotionally and financially. Because this couple was on a European cruise and were flown to Denmark there was not a single bill to be paid. Think of the amazement and relief this couple shared when they realized their life would be pretty much the same after this scenario—they were not going to have to sell their house or drain their retirement to keep him in good health. What a relief—I’m sure that helped during recovery.
Tags: health care, Medicare, membership
by Kim Andrews—Pennsylvania
I was canvassing in an area where I used to work nearby. In the past I worked in a large retail store where I socialized with our frequent customers. Tonight I knocked on a house where one of my old customers actually lived. We used to talk about her two kids who were very sick and who she cares for. Strangely enough, the woman herself is 87 years old and her children are in their sixties. Neither of her children have health care although she herself is covered by Medicare. Her son is a Vietnam vet and he still cannot get proper medical care.
She was excited to see that I was now at her door fighting on these issues and providing her a chance to also join with us. We had gone from having weekly conversations about our health care frustrations to working together through Working America to reach a solution.
Tags: health care, Medicare, seniors, veterans
