The Brady Brief - Defending Medicare and Our Seniors

Statement

Dear Friend,

Recently, the Republican Leadership introduced their plan for the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. This budget contains various provisions that would harm the economy, students, and seniors, while giving large tax breaks to Big Oil businesses and the wealthiest Americans. This proposal is rife with harmful provisions, but the most concerning is the plan to dismantle Medicare.

The Republican budget ends Seniors' Medicare guarantee and replaces it with a voucher system where seniors go out into the private market to buy their own health insurance. This plan is dangerous, and will have numerous negative consequences for our nation's seniors.

* Doubles the typical senior's out-of-pocket health care spending, increasing out-of-pocket costs by more than $6,000 according to the Congressional Budget Office
* Gives Medicare payroll taxes a senior paid throughout their working life to a private insurance company, rather than to a guaranteed benefit
* Raises prescription drug costs for millions of seniors and gets rid of the provisions that will close the "donut hole"
* Increases the age at which seniors are eligible for the new voucher program that replaces Medicare to 67

I believe this plan is extraordinarily reckless and will harm our nation's seniors. Please know that I remain committed to preserving Medicare, and I will continue to fight for our seniors. Should you have any questions about this issue, please contact any of my offices.

Sincerely,

Robert Brady
Member of Congress

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