Medicare Cuts Are Real

Many of you have recently received mail from AARP and if you have not, you have definitely seen President Obama on every television channel possible telling seniors that the health care reform bills before Congress do not cut Medicare benefits.  President Obama even chastised Members of Congress in his recent address for saying that eliminating $538 billion from Medicare would restrict senior's access to care and reduce the benefits they have paid for their entire lives. 

Unfortunately for AARP and President Obama, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) strongly disagrees.  In testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, the head of CBO, Douglas Elmendorf, made it clear that the 25 percent of seniors in Florida that receive their health care through Medicare Advantage can expect to see their benefits reduced.  

If that's not enough reason to question the claims being made by President Obama and AARP, let me leave you with a quote from the 2008 campaign made by then Sen. Obama.  In regards to Medicare cuts he said, "if you count on Medicare, it would mean fewer places to get care and less freedom to choose your own doctors.  You'll pay more for your drugs.  You'll receive fewer services.  You'll get lower quality care.  I don't think that's right."  

I don't think that's right either, Mr. President.  As long as Congressional Democrats and the President continue to advocate for dramatic cuts to Medicare to pay for insurance subsidies for the young, the healthy and the wealthy, I will continue to oppose their plan.  

Thank you,