McCain Plans To Cut Medicare And Medicaid

The Wall Street Journal:

John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal

Comments

[Sparty1]

11:27 AM on 10/07/2008

Wow. I wonder if we'll hear about this with the MSM. Please oh please let Obama make an ad about this one with Douglas Eakin's name spread across the screen.

[mervr1]

11:12 AM on 10/07/2008

McCain you just kissed the Senior and disabled vote good bye. No one but elitist and elistist wannabes, undercover and outright racists is voting for you next month. At one time you probably were a good man and maybe deep down inside you still are, but what's being shown on the surface is someone that people don't believe or trust. You've pretty much ruined your credibility and career.

[loax]

08:49 AM on 10/07/2008

Wher is the MSM on this One? Nothing like cutting off Seniors and the diabled people of America, and then tax them on a tax credit! Where is the outrage!

[susie1776]

03:56 AM on 10/07/2008

Now, THAT's the headline that should run in an Obama ad! Show that in Florida and see what happens!!!

[DeSwiss]

01:00 AM on 10/07/2008

If You Had Any Doubts That John McCain Has Lost The Election....

I must say that I'm surprised at the sparseness of posts on this story. Considering how this story is about the "Death Knell" of John McCain’s Presidential campaign. I’m serious. He should just concede the election to Barack Obama -- now. And save himself further embarrassment.

Oh yeah, it’s over baby. McCrappyPants just handed the state of Florida to Obama. The state with the second largest population of retirees in the country. And who have come to depend upon their Medicare and S.S being there. The first he claims he can cut $1 trillion of fraud from. Good luck with all that. And the other he wants us to invest with his buddies in the stock market. On Wall Street. Except is was the feds who were supposed to be watching for fraud on Wall Street. Yet it went unnoticed. And landed us where we are, in this death spiral.

Right, John. Good thinking.

Is John McCain about the most stupid politician that you've ever seen, or what???

Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PuAyRlcYLU

:-)

[Finchy13]

11:33 PM on 10/06/2008

OBVIOUSLY MR. HOLTZ-EAKEN & SENATOR MCCAIN DO NOT REALIZE - OR CARE - TAX CREDITS GIVEN TO Medicare & Medicaid recipients - don't mean a damn thing to a majority of those people who have incomes low enough to qualify for M&M.

MOST DO NOT HAVE INCOME TO EVEN FILE TAX RETURNS - MUCH LESS GET A TAX CREDIT.

-Quote
But Douglas Holtz-Eakin...said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid.......these government health-care programs serve seniors, poor families and the disabled.

-Quote
..on Sen. McCain's plan to offer a new tax credit of $2,500 per person and $5,000 per family toward insurance premiums. This would allow people to buy health coverage on the open market....
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After 40+ years in corporate administration - my Social Security is less than $10,000 per year, and yes, I get Medicare and Medicade benefits - but if that is taken away or reduced, I can't even consider a doctor or hospital visit, if necessary - and - soon no one will even accept M&M patients!

A tax credit would do ME and millions of others no good, because private insurance as a senior - have premiums that equal $8400 to $9600 per years And THAT is my whole Social Security check.

II surly wish this man, who can't remember how many houses he has - had to live solely on Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid benefits for 1 year - BET

[Lisette]

10:43 PM on 10/06/2008

Wow! and how popular does he think this will be?
Better idea--close out the war! Spend the money here

[newdreams]

10:37 PM on 10/06/2008

Sleazeball.

[BrickSykes]

09:51 PM on 10/06/2008

The AARP is just as sick as all the other 'Health Care Insurance Companies'! You know why? Because they want to be another middle man in the Health Care Business!! Health Care is way too important to entrust to For Profit Businesses! Period! 'Modern Business Models' have become too Draconian for American consumption! There is a nearly adversarial mindset between the two; Business considers the 'Consumer' its worst enemy and will do anything to take money from his pocket and put it in theirs! That is the fallacy in "The Business of America is Business!"

The Business of America is DEMOCRACY!

Brick

[jsarets]

09:46 PM on 10/06/2008

Key figures: McCain's plan costs $1.3T over 10 years for insuring 5 million more Americans. Obama's costs $1.6T over 10 years for insuring 35 million more Americans. Which is the better deal?

[bibb]

06:55 PM on 10/06/2008

Where is the AARP on this travesty???? They need to get out for their membership and take a stand.

[BrickSykes]

09:53 PM on 10/06/2008

Sorry. The AARP has been taken over by America's Insurance Companies and is just another for-profit middle man in providing health care 'Insurance.'

Brick

[karela]

06:49 PM on 10/06/2008

Non partisan Tax Policy Center says McCain's plan would cost $1.3 trillion over ten years and might provide health insurance for about five million people. It is also likely to make many lose their health insurance because it takes away the incentive for a business to offer it. Tax Policy Center says Obama's health care plan would cost about $1.6 trillion over ten years and would likely provide health insurance to an additional thirty four million Americans. If you take that as a per capita cost, Obama's plan is unbelievably cheaper. And Obama's plan doesn't involve making it hard for your grandma to see a doctor when she's sick. McCain wants to cut Medicare and Medicade, which means he's cutting health benefits to some in order to pay only a small portion of cost for others. (My sister pays $6,000/yr. for one person and it's not deluxe coverage. ) McCain's plan gives you a $2500/person decuction or $5,000 per family. At this time the average cost of moderate health insurance for a family of four is $12,000-14,0000/year plus deductions and co-pay. Most private insurance policies do not even cover Dr.'s office visits or prescriptions. Mine doesn't. I don't take two different medications my Dr. has prescribed because they cost $250.00 per month each. I got bronchitis last winter that wouldn't go away but wasn't bad enough to be hospitalized. It cost me $1,000.00 with prescriptions, Dr. visits and tests.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

05:36 PM on 10/06/2008

Obama needs to bring this up during the debate for sure.

McCain wants to give more tax cuts to the rich and corporations and take away health care benefits away from the elderly and poor.

McCain rich people first.

[luvienne]

05:09 PM on 10/06/2008

Why isn't this a bigger news story?

[Lisette]

10:45 PM on 10/06/2008

maybe because no one in their right mind will vote for McCain
so it is a non issue

[DeSwiss]

01:03 AM on 10/07/2008

I was wondering the same thing.....

:-|

[breakfast]

03:57 PM on 10/06/2008

After raping the citizenry and the Treasury for years and bringing financial ruin to the Republic, budget cuts are necessary.

Naturally the first instinct of the Republicans is to cut Medicare and Medicaid, and any other social program they can target.

But not the bloated defense budget, can't cut that. Corporate welfare? No room to cut there. Rein in the Empire, not a chance.