Akin, Hartzler, Emerson, Luetkemeyer, Graves & Long Vote for Medicare Elimination Plan

Todd Akin, Vicky Hartzler, Jo Ann Emerson, Blaine Luetkemeyer and Sam Graves voted Friday in favor of the GOP's Medicare Elimination Plan.  Included as part of the Paul Ryan budget, it passed today despite bipartisan opposition.

We look forward to hearing from all of the Congressmembers why they voted to

• dismantle Medicare and Medicaid while giving even more tax cuts to the already very wealthy
• double health-care costs for seniors
• increase taxes on the middle-class to finance tax cuts for the rich and
• endanger vital Medicaid services
• make huge education cuts
• undermine another important part of the social safety net

and a whole bunch of other terrible stuff. 

Did I mention that the already very wealthy will get tax cuts while Medicare gets phased out?

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The DSCC has already released statements in response to the vote attacking Akin and Sarah Steelman (no love for Crazy Ed yet).  Here's what they had to say about Akin's vote:

UNBELIEVABLE! TODD AKIN VOTES TO END MEDICARE

Akin Officially Joins The GOP’s War On Seniors By Voting To End Medicare, Give Billions In Tax Breaks To Big Oil Companies

DSCC: “If Missourians needed any more proof of Todd Akin’s extreme priorities, his vote to end Medicare removes any doubt – Todd Akin simply won’t stand up for everyday Missourians”

In an unbelievable vote today, Todd Akin chose to stand with right wing extremists by voting for a dangerous plan to end Medicare and cut taxes for special interests, all at the expense of Missouri seniors and middle class families. Akin’s vote slashed $1.4 trillion dollars in funding that help Missouri seniors and families receive essential medical care, all while giving billions in tax breaks to big oil companies and the richest one percent.

“Today Todd Akin officially joined the GOP’s war on Missouri seniors by voting to end Medicare and hand out special interest tax breaks, all at the expense of Missouri seniors and middle class families,” said Matt Canter, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “If Todd Akin had his way, Missouri seniors would pay double their current costs for vital health care services while big oil companies get a tax break. If Missourians needed any more proof of Todd Akin’s extreme priorities, his vote to end Medicare removes any doubt – Todd Akin simply won’t stand up for everyday Missourians.”

In addition to ending Medicare, the extremist plan Todd Akin voted for today will actually raise the federal debt and also cuts critical funding for nursing homes. In Missouri, the impact of Todd Akin’s budget would be devastating:  Missouri would lose $28.2 billion in benefits and at least 307,872 could lose their Medicaid coverage entirely.

Background:

• Wall Street Journal: GOP Plan Would “End Medicare.” According to the Wall Street Journal, “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/04/11]
• The GOP Budget Would Cut $1.4 Trillion In Benefits For Seniors, Families And Those In Nursing Homes, While Shifting Huge Burdens To State Governments.[Democrats.Senate.Gov, 4/07/11]
• CBO: Beneficiaries Would Pay More Under Ryan’s Plan Than Under Traditional Medicare. “Under the proposal, most beneficiaries who receive premium support payments would pay more for their health care than if they participated in traditional Medicare under either of CBO’s long-term scenarios.”  [CBO, 4/05/11]
• Seniors Would Pay Twice as Much Than Under Current Medicare Coverage. According to analysis by the Center for American Progress, under the Ryan budget seniors would pay twice as much out of pocket as they would under the current Medicare plan. The analysis found “In 2022 65-year-olds would be forced to pay twice as much for care than they would under Medicare: $12,500 compared to $6,150.” [americanprogress.org, 4/12/11]
• Budget Office: GOP Medicare Plan Could Lead To Rationing. According to an NPR report, the CBO report on the GOP budget proposal warns that the plan could lead to rationing of care. [NPR, 4/06/11]
• Plan's Author: Budget Will Not End Subsidies. When challenged by Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace about whether his budget will include reductions in oil and gas subsidies like the President’s Fiscal Commission did, Ryan responded that “we don't have a tax problem." [Fox News Sunday, 4/3/11]

The GOP Impact on Missouri:

• 89,546 Missouri Seniors Would Pay More for Prescription Drugs. On day one, 89,546 Missouri seniors would pay more for prescription drugs. In 2012, these seniors would pay $50 million more and by 2020, they would pay $1 billion more. [Democrats.Senate.gov, 4/14/11]
• Proposal Could Force 307,872 Missourians Off Medicaid. Medicaid currently provides health coverage to roughly 817,500 Missouri residents, with the federal government picking up 64.51% of Missouri’s Medicaid costs. At a minimum, the House Republican budget could remove at least 307,872 Missouri residents from the program. [Kaiser Commission on Medicaid, 2/2011; Kaiser Commission on Medicaid, 5/2010; Kaiser State Health Facts, accessed on 4/1/2011]
• Proposal Could Slash $28.2 Billion in Health Benefits for Missouri. The House Republican budget could slash $28.2 billion in health benefits from Missouri over the next ten years, including $16.3 billion in federal investments and $11.9 billion to expand eligibility in the state. Missouri is already facing a $704 million budget shortfall in Fiscal Year 2012, and a block grant system would force the state and local governments to either slash benefits or raise taxes to cover the shortfall. [Congressional Budget Office, 11/17/10; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/9/11; Kaiser State Health Facts, accessed 4/5/11]

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