Posted on 12/15/2011 10:45:48 AM PST by TBBT
Republican presidential frontrunner Newt Gingrich is reacting positively to a bipartisan Medicare reform plan, tweeting, "The Wyden-Ryan bipartisan Medicare reform plan is a major breakthrough with Democrats and Republicans working together to solve big problems."
The plan in question, from Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, would keep traditional Medicare as an option for new retirees when it goes into effect in 2022, though private insurance would also be able to engage in regulated competition with the government-run health care plan. The eligibility age would remain at 65 under the new plan.
Ryan, the House budget chairman, caused an uproar among Democrats for his earlier plan to turn Medicare into a voucher-like program. House Republicans voted almost universally in favor of that plan in April. Democrats, who claim Republicans sought to "end Medicare" (a claim Politifact deemed "pants on fire"), have been planning to use that vote against vulnerable members of the GOP in 2012 elections.
In addition to preserving traditional Medicare, the new plan would offer seniors who opt for a private plan the possibility of a larger fixed payment than they would have gotten under Ryan's earlier plan. (The "premium support" subsidy would increase or decrease with the cost of policies.) The new plan would save far less than Ryan's previous effort.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Well, I suppose it’s a start...
I need much more information than what is contained in this article before I can make any comment one way or the other. On the surface it appears to be light years better than Obamacare. Lets see what the “details” are.
Even with Paul Ryan's plan, now the caving begins.
Big balls become BBs, but now it's "bi-partisan" and the media will become your new best friend.
Sis-boom-bah-Rah-Rah-Rah, now the media loves me, hoooorah.
This all stems from the Medicare advantage program that started in 20056. I know of NO ONE that has ever been on Medicare Advantage and gone back to traditional Medicare. This is the beginning of the replacement of Medicare. Once people are back to a plan like Med Advan they love it.
Is it RIGHT WING SOCIAL ENGINEERING newt? How would newt know what a “right Wing” anything is?
LLS
Any long term plan that still sees the Federal Government issuing payments whether to a private insurance plan or not, is a seriously flawed plan.
We must get to the place where people pay for their own medical care with their own funds. Now that eventuality would be a long transition, but calling it a fix short of that, just extends out an actual sound fix decades more into the future.
I support self-insuring, and government payroll tax reductions to help folks get up to speed on a plan including that early in life.
Large deductible health insurance policies would be the way to go, thus reducing government involvement to zero, and severely reducing insurance companies siphoning off hundreds of billions of health care dollars per year.
What will Newt say tomorrow? “It’s the second most stupid thing I’ve ever said.”?
Newt realizes he can’t win the nomination if Paul Ryan endorses Romney, so he’s doing this to smooth over Ryan’s ruffled feathers.
I have it from a source close to Paul Ryan that he’s still quite miffed with Newt for his “right-wing social engineering comments.”
Newt realizes he can’t win the nomination if Paul Ryan endorses Romney...
Newt was right. Ryan’s original plan never had a prayer of passing both houses. Now Ryan is reworking it with a Dem co-sponsor in hopes of it becoming more than just a pipe dream.
Good for Ryan.
I’m for Newt, but Paul Ryan is a formidible force in the GOP.
I know a lot of GOP insiders who have been hitting him for those comments both publicly and privately.
Newt’s strategy seems to be what they call a “bear hug” in the PR industry.
But Ryan’s not going to endorse anyone, and I have that straight from Mr. Ryan’s mouth.
Here we go again. Why on God’s green earth would anyone want government to touch health care given their stellar record in Medicare or just about anything else they touch?
This is insanity and certainly no REAL conservative would want government within 50 light years of our health care.
Without exception, when ALL and I do mean ALL the costs are factored in, anytime you subsidize ANYTHING, thereby removing market forces it will become much more expensive and at a rate much higher than inflation.
It matters not if the subsidy is from the government or private insurance payed by the employer (actually it is not payed by them it is just part of you salary so you are paying it).
It seems we are well on the road to having just a few group of people who are guaranteed a good wage. Politicians, government workers (the term workers used loosely), lawyers and DOCTORS.
I have not worked all my life so a doctor can suck away my retirement like a black hole. Their pay needs to be exposed to market forces like the rest of us which is why I carry a high deducible policy and I challenge the doctor on every test and medication to make sure it is absolutely needed and he is not just covering his butt from the cancer of lawyers.
Thanks for this thread.
HEY BRIAN MOTOPOLI! YEAH YOU!
You have written a puff piece about why the ALWAYS incompetent US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should try to replace the free market for 1/6 th of the US economy!
These stupid ideas that you are so damned proud of are EXACTLY why we are the Nation with the largest debt in the World.
You, Paul Ryan, ALL the Democrats have learned NOTHING from the Great Recession. REPEAL THE NANNY STATE PROGRAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BTW, just stop trying to replace the free market, as we can’t afford you anymore, because we are TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY!
BTW, BTW, we KNOW all about Romney’s glee at protecting the Entitlement Plantation.
No surprise here: “ - - - In an earlier statement, Romney Spokeswoman Andrea Saul said the campaign was “very pleased to see that Congressman Ryan has introduced a Medicare reform proposal that aligns so closely with what Governor Romney proposed last month. This bipartisan plan proves once again that Governor Romney has thoughtful, workable solutions to the looming entitlement crisis.” - - “
Actually, this is a victory for Newt's perspective. Ryan's earlier plan offered NO alternative to premium support. It was one-size-fits-all. His way or the highway "right-wing social engineering."
This new plan offers alternatives which is precisely what Newt said was lacking in Ryan's plan and lead to the infamously distorted comment.
I'm sure all his knee-jerk critics will now come around and apologize to Newt. /s
WHY are you calling me a liar? ALL that I did was ask a legitimate question. I stand by my statement that newt is not a member of the right wing... far from it.
LLS
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