Dear Friends:

        The last time the Republicans were in the Majority in the House, they tried to “privatize” Social Security. They failed. Now they’re back, and this time their budget plan would not only “privatize” Medicare, it would “voucherize” it, too. Their recently passed budget proposal for fiscal year 2012 would end Medicare for everyone under the age of 55. Medicare’s historic guaranteed benefit would be replaced with a voucher towards the purchase of private health insurance. This voucher is a glorified grocery-store coupon. You’d be on the hook for all of your medical costs over and above the value of your voucher.

       According to the non-partisan and independent Congressional Budget Office, the average senior’s Medicare out-of-pocket costs would more than double by 2022 under the House Majority’s budget plan, from about $6,000 to about $12,500. In addition, the CBO says the voucher payment’s small annual increases would not keep pace with the increase in medical costs, diluting its value every year. Private health-insurance costs more than Medicare because of higher administrative costs. So, the Republican budget plan is just a recipe to shift massive costs onto seniors and enrich private health-insurance companies. Meanwhile, that budget plan would continue the tax cuts for billionaires and maintain huge tax breaks for big oil companies. Those are misguided priorities paid for on the backs of seniors.

       I voted against the plan to dismantle Medicare and, I will continue to fight against any proposal that ends Medicare. With more and more people depending on Medicare every year, the last thing we need to do is take away the guaranteed security of Medicare and put America’s seniors at the mercy of the big health-insurance companies.

       To learn more about the Republican budget plan, you can visit my website.

Sincerely,

Gary L. Ackerman