The Ryan-Romney plan to voucherize Medicare is not the only way to save it

The other day, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's running mate, was booed at the AARP convention for advocating the repeal of Obamacare.  We can speculate that the reason was AARP supports Obamacare because it does extend the life of Medicare by 8 years, closes the drug donut hole (saving seniors over $600 a year now), and preserves Medicare as we know it.  They seem not to have swallowed the GOP fear raising line that Obama cuts Medicare by $716 billion, because they know that cuts comes from cutting waste, particularly from the Medicare Advantage subsidy that proved to be only an advantage to the insurance companies. 

The Ryan plan in its final form would have immediately repealed Obamacare with no replacement of the measures to cut waste and fraud and would have ended donut hole coverage. That Ryan's replacement would not affect seniors over 55 only applies to Ryan's proposal to privatize Medicare with an option to stay on traditional Medicare, with no guarantees any subsidies would keep up with future expenses.  The donut hole coverage and waste and fraud savings would take effect immediately if Romney had his way, but even Ryan originally proposed to cut the $715 billion, too. He has been extremely quiet about that lately.

The fear raised by Ryan/Romney is that Medicare will go broke and that only their plan can save it.
AARP has listed 15 various alternative measures that could save Medicare.  Visit www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-05-2012/future-of-medicare-proposals.html

For more on Medicare, the AARP website, www.AARP.org  is full of information... if you click on tabs regarding health/medicare-insurance and the politics tab.

Below is a summary of the AARP proposals as found on their website. To learn more, go to the web site and the list will link to the details.

• Raise the Medicare Eligibility Age 

• Raise Medicare Premiums for Higher-Income Beneficiaries

• Change Medicare to a Premium Support Plan

• Require Drug Companies to Give Rebates or Discounts to Medicare

• Increase Medicare Cost-Sharing for Home Health Care, Skilled Nursing Facility Care and Laboratory Services

• Generate New Revenue by Increasing the Payroll Tax Rate

• Increase Supplemental Plan Costs and Reduce Coverage

• Raise Medicare Premiums for Everyone

• Strengthen the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)

• Redesign Medicare’s Copays and Deductibles

• Address the Sustainable Growth Rate (Physician Payment) Formula

• Increase Penalties for Health Care Fraud

• Allow Faster Market Access to Generic Versions of Biological Drugs

• Enroll All Beneficiaries Covered by Both Medicaid and Medicare Managed Care

• Prohibit Pay-for-Delay Agreements