March 26, 2012

Paul Ryan Budget Round Two – Cuts to Medicare & Social Security

Last week, Congressman Paul Ryan released the Republican’s proposed 2013 federal budget. Their proposal would expand tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, while pulling away critical Medicare and Social Security protections from the middle class.

After voters wholeheartedly rejected the Republican’s effort to privatize Medicare in Ryan’s 2012 budget proposal, the Republican’s have taken a more indirect approach to weakening and eventually destroying Medicare as we know it. Their proposal would give seniors an option to use a government voucher to buy coverage from traditional Medicare as well as private insurers. This plan would undermine seniors’ access to quality health care, increase their out-of-pocket costs and drive up health care costs for all consumers.

Ryan’s proposal also would create an unprecedented new fast-track procedure to ram through Social Security benefit cuts. In a radical departure from the way Social Security changes have been legislated since 1935, the Republican budget would force Congress to fast-track legislation determining the future of Social Security. Within two months of the president submitting Social Security legislation, Congress would have to consider it “under expedited procedures.” This procedure, which appears neutral, is designed to force through Congress Social Security changes that are poor policy and unpopular with the public.

For more details about Ryan’s plan, please see the Ryan Budget fact sheet in the Medicare section under the Issues button.