As she attempts to distract voters from her decision to cut Medicare by $500 billion in order to fund ObamaCare, Las Vegas Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and her Washington Democrat allies have been busy trying to scare Nevada seniors and demagogue the crucial issue of Medicare.
But in a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the 2011 Medicare Trustees Report yesterday, the two public trustees of Medicare, Dr. Charles P. Blahous and Dr. Robert Reischauer, admitted that Berkley and the Democrats’ plan would “end Medicare as we know it,” “bankrupt” the program and lead to benefit cuts for seniors.
“Medicare’s own public trustees are warning Nevadans that Shelley Berkley’s policies will ‘end Medicare as we know it,’ by bankrupting the program and cutting benefits for seniors,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox. “Why does Shelley Berkley and Byron Georgiou continue to put their partisan interests ahead of the best interests of Nevada families and seniors who count on Medicare?”
Background Information:
REP. DAVE REICHERT (R-WA): “Medicare is going bankrupt, do you both agree with that? And it’s accelerating, true?”
MEDICARE TRUSTEE CHARLES BLAHOUS: “Yes.”
MEDICARE TRUSTEE ROBERT REISCHAUER: “Yes.” (Remarks from Charles P. Blahous and Robert Reischauer, “Hearing on the 2011 Medicare Trustees Report,” Committee On Ways & Means, U.S. House Of Representatives, 6/22/2011)
Cut In Benefits Under Democrat Medicare Plan Is Real, Not Just Hypothetical
REP. PETER ROSKAM (R-IL): “So that cut just so I’m clear, is not a hypothetical cut, it’s not a hypothetical delay, it’s an actual delay in payment to the point of reaching this 17% number based on your own projections. Is that right?”
MEDICARE TRUSTEE CHARLES BLAHOUS: “That’s right. The Social Security Act which deals with these trust fund issues is very explicit that payments can only be made from the trust funds.” (Remarks from Charles P. Blahous, Committee On Ways & Means, U.S. House Of Representatives, 6/22/2011)
Democrats’ Plan For Medicare Will “End Medicare As We Know It
REP. PETER ROSKAM (R-IL): “In fact, Medicare as we know it will end in 2024 absent some change in policy or some change in moving forward. That’s right isn’t it?”
MEDICARE TRUSTEE CHARLES BLAHOUS: “Yes.” (Remarks from Charles P. Blahous, Committee On Ways & Means, U.S. House Of Representatives, 6/22/2011)
