nhboy
08-13-2012, 02:52 PM
Link to original article. (http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/08/13/fox-spins-ryans-harmful-medicare-plan-as-safe-f/189308)
"Fox claimed that Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) proposed changes to Medicare would not affect today's seniors. In fact, Ryan's budget would force the cost of health care higher for today's seniors by forcing them to pay thousands of dollars more for prescription drugs, creating a voucher system that would drive health care costs higher, and sharply cutting Medicaid, a program heavily utilized by seniors. "
.....
"The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Originally Contained A "Doughnut Hole" Requiring Seniors To Pay Thousands Of Dollars For Prescription Drugs. The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit as passed in 2003 paid a percentage of prescription drug costs when seniors spent up to $750 per year on prescriptions. After that, it required seniors to pay the entire costs of their prescription drugs until they had spent a total of $3,600 per year. By 2009, seniors were required to pay more than $3,000 per year on prescription drugs. [Northwestern University, 2009]
The Affordable Care Act Closed The Prescription Drug Benefit "Doughnut Hole." FactCheck.org reported that the Affordable Care Act closed the doughnut hole that required seniors to pay thousands out of pocket.
From FactCheck.org:
The Democrats' bill also boosts certain benefits: It makes preventive care free and closes the "doughnut hole," a current gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors. [FactCheck.org, 3/19/10]
But The Ryan Budget Would Re-Open The "Doughnut Hole," Costing Seniors Billions. In a March 28 report, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found that the Ryan budget's repeal of health care reform's doughnut hole fix would "adversely affect current Medicare beneficiaries as well as those not yet eligible." The report expanded on this finding, explaining:".....
"Fox claimed that Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) proposed changes to Medicare would not affect today's seniors. In fact, Ryan's budget would force the cost of health care higher for today's seniors by forcing them to pay thousands of dollars more for prescription drugs, creating a voucher system that would drive health care costs higher, and sharply cutting Medicaid, a program heavily utilized by seniors. "
.....
"The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Originally Contained A "Doughnut Hole" Requiring Seniors To Pay Thousands Of Dollars For Prescription Drugs. The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit as passed in 2003 paid a percentage of prescription drug costs when seniors spent up to $750 per year on prescriptions. After that, it required seniors to pay the entire costs of their prescription drugs until they had spent a total of $3,600 per year. By 2009, seniors were required to pay more than $3,000 per year on prescription drugs. [Northwestern University, 2009]
The Affordable Care Act Closed The Prescription Drug Benefit "Doughnut Hole." FactCheck.org reported that the Affordable Care Act closed the doughnut hole that required seniors to pay thousands out of pocket.
From FactCheck.org:
The Democrats' bill also boosts certain benefits: It makes preventive care free and closes the "doughnut hole," a current gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors. [FactCheck.org, 3/19/10]
But The Ryan Budget Would Re-Open The "Doughnut Hole," Costing Seniors Billions. In a March 28 report, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found that the Ryan budget's repeal of health care reform's doughnut hole fix would "adversely affect current Medicare beneficiaries as well as those not yet eligible." The report expanded on this finding, explaining:".....