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Print7 News Features: Pres: Medicare
Posted: 10/18/12
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Leisa Williams
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Social Security and Medicare are two key election issues for people here in Florida. Tonight we show you where the candidates stand.
WSVN -- As the race for the White House heats up, Medicare the government guaranteed health insurance program for seniors is turning out to be a heated topic.
Mitt Romney: "I can't understand how you can cut Medicare $716 billion for current recipients of Medicare."
Team Romney attacking the president saying Obama raided Medicare to pay for his so-called Obamacare health plan.
Mitt Romney: "I want to take that $716 billion you've cut and put it back into Medicare."
Paul Ryan: A third of Florida seniors get things like Humana Gold Medicare complete that's called Medicare Advantage, 43 percent of them are projected to lose that benefit because of Obamacare. One out of six hospitals and nursing homes are expected to go out of business."
But the president says it was not a cut, it was a savings which allows more people to be treated.
Obama: "$716 billion we were able to save from the Medicare program by no longer overpaying insurance companies by making sure that we weren't overpaying providers. And using that money, we were actually able to lower prescription drug costs for seniors by an average of $600."
Romney believes the U.S. should switch to a system which would pay people to find their own health coverage.
Mitt Romney: "They'll have at least two plans that will be entirely at no cost to them."
Obama: "I don't think vouchers are the right way to go."
The president says it's just wrong to make seniors search for health coverage.
Obama: "Then what you've got is folks like my grandmother at the mercy of the private insurance system precisely at the time when they are most in need of decent health care."
While they have different views, both candidates agree Medicare must be restructured before it runs out of money in 2024. Both candidates also favor changing Social Security since there is only enough money to pay benefits through 2033.
Romney's solution slowly increase the retirement age and reduce benefits for those with higher incomes.
Mitt Romney: "I'd lower the rate of inflation growth in the benefits received by higher-income recipients and keep the rate as it is now pretty high for lower income recipients. And I'd also add a year or two to the retirement age under Social Security. That balances Social Security."
Obama does not want to increase the retirement age or reduce benefits. He supports a bipartisan plan to work on legislation to strengthen the program.
Obama: "We'll keep the promise of Social Security, but we'll not be slashing benefits or turning it over to Wall Street like some have proposed. That's the wrong way to go."
Both candidates also believe there should be more programs for people to save for their own retirement.
If you would like to read each candidates positions on Medicare and Social Security, you can find the links on our website at wsvn.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
OBAMA ON SOCIAL SECURITY:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/seniors-and-social-security
ROMNEY ON SOCIAL SECURITY:
http://www.mittromney.com/issues/social-security
OBAMA ON MEDICARE:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/08/25/weekly-address-preserving-and-strengthening-medicare#transcript
ROMNEY ON MEDICARE:
http://www.mittromney.com/issues/medicare:
Mitt Romney: "I can't understand how you can cut Medicare $716 billion for current recipients of Medicare."
Team Romney attacking the president saying Obama raided Medicare to pay for his so-called Obamacare health plan.
Mitt Romney: "I want to take that $716 billion you've cut and put it back into Medicare."
Paul Ryan: A third of Florida seniors get things like Humana Gold Medicare complete that's called Medicare Advantage, 43 percent of them are projected to lose that benefit because of Obamacare. One out of six hospitals and nursing homes are expected to go out of business."
But the president says it was not a cut, it was a savings which allows more people to be treated.
Obama: "$716 billion we were able to save from the Medicare program by no longer overpaying insurance companies by making sure that we weren't overpaying providers. And using that money, we were actually able to lower prescription drug costs for seniors by an average of $600."
Romney believes the U.S. should switch to a system which would pay people to find their own health coverage.
Mitt Romney: "They'll have at least two plans that will be entirely at no cost to them."
Obama: "I don't think vouchers are the right way to go."
The president says it's just wrong to make seniors search for health coverage.
Obama: "Then what you've got is folks like my grandmother at the mercy of the private insurance system precisely at the time when they are most in need of decent health care."
While they have different views, both candidates agree Medicare must be restructured before it runs out of money in 2024. Both candidates also favor changing Social Security since there is only enough money to pay benefits through 2033.
Romney's solution slowly increase the retirement age and reduce benefits for those with higher incomes.
Mitt Romney: "I'd lower the rate of inflation growth in the benefits received by higher-income recipients and keep the rate as it is now pretty high for lower income recipients. And I'd also add a year or two to the retirement age under Social Security. That balances Social Security."
Obama does not want to increase the retirement age or reduce benefits. He supports a bipartisan plan to work on legislation to strengthen the program.
Obama: "We'll keep the promise of Social Security, but we'll not be slashing benefits or turning it over to Wall Street like some have proposed. That's the wrong way to go."
Both candidates also believe there should be more programs for people to save for their own retirement.
If you would like to read each candidates positions on Medicare and Social Security, you can find the links on our website at wsvn.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
OBAMA ON SOCIAL SECURITY:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/seniors-and-social-security
ROMNEY ON SOCIAL SECURITY:
http://www.mittromney.com/issues/social-security
OBAMA ON MEDICARE:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/08/25/weekly-address-preserving-and-strengthening-medicare#transcript
ROMNEY ON MEDICARE:
http://www.mittromney.com/issues/medicare: