  |
|
Loading
|
|
|
2012 Ryan Budget Proposal
Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chair of the House Budget Committee, has released a 2012 budget that will eliminate Medicare and Medicaid as "we know them." It keeps Medicare as is for current recipients and for all eligible people 55 and older. For people 54 years old and younger it will not exist as is. It will establish a voucher system whereby the federal government will provide a voucher payment for an insurance policy (if the person can obtain insurance coverage). The voucher payment will go directly to the insurance company and will not necessarily cover the entire cost of the policy.
Prior to Medicare, some 80% of seniors had no insurance coverage and it is doubtful such coverage would be available, especially to seniors advanced in age or with pre-existing conditions.
For Medicaid, the Ryan Budget Proposal block grants the program and sends money to the states. In both, instead of Ameicans eligible for Medicare or Medicaid being entitled to health care, the programs will provide limited fixed amounts in the form of vouchers (Medicare) or block grants to the states (Medicaid).
The Ryan plan will make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and will reduce the top teir of income tax to 25% and lower corporate tax. It also provides a fast track to cut social security benefits in the future.
The Ryan proposal will repeal the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) and will thereby allow insurance companies to once again discriminate on the basis of sex in premiums and to not cover maternity care, domestic violence injuries, etc.
Currently, Medicaid covers some two-thirdsof seniors in nursing homes. Changes to Medicaid under the Ryan proposal would result in thousands of seniors being expelled from nursing homes.
These are just some of the major features of the Ryan plan. The Feminist Majority strongly opposes this inhumane proposal.