Rep. Paul Broun Proposes Bill That Would Privatize Medicare
Rep. Paul Broun Proposes Bill That Would Privatize Medicare
One of the great success stories of the modern American welfare state has been the Medicare system, which — since 1966 — has provided health insurance for all Americans age 65 and done so much more efficiently than private insurance. While Medicare may be a very popular program today, it was bitterly fought by the right when it was proposed. (Ronald Reagan even produced commercials claiming that the single-payer health care system for the elderly would lead to a dictatorship.)
In an attempt to reclaim the right’s rich tradition of opposing Medicare, Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) has proposed legislation that would roll back the Medicare system and replace it with a system of vouchers that seniors could use to purchase private insurance:
U.S. Rep. Paul Broun introduced his own health care reform bill last week that would, among other things, privatize the Medicare insurance program for seniors.
Broun’s bill would replace government benefits with vouchers that could be spent on private insurance or put in tax-free medical savings accounts.
“We’ve got to fix Medicare,” he said. “It’s headed in a direction that’s unsustainable.”
While Medicare is facing future budgetary problems, privatization isn’t the solution. Medicare Advantage, the Medicare plan under which the administration of the program is farmed out to private insurance companies, has more than five times the administrative costs of the traditional public Medicare plan.
Earlier this year, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) — who is a strong supporter of extending a program like Medicare to all Americans — introduced an amendment that would eliminate Medicare. Not a single member of Congress voted for Weiner’s amendment, including Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA), despite his long-held belief that the program is unconstitutional.
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And the right is telling the same lies today they told then. They arent even bright enough to make up NEW lies they just recycle the old ones that didnt work last time HOPING Amerians are that much stupider. Just how sad are these Mammon worshipping sub humans anyway?
October 26th, 2009 at 1:33 pmIs this guy serious? Hey Republicans, want to lose the health care debate? Try screwing around with Medicare.
Oh and thanks for ushering in true reform by the way, keep shooting yourself in the foot.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:33 pmYeah. Because plans to privatize social security wound up so well.
He Who Commands An Army Of Stuffed Reactionary Bears is a joke. I wonder if he’s polled his constituents (or his colleagues who partake of Medicare) about this?
In Broun’s world, a $5k tax credit makes up for $15k of medical costs with nothing to prevent the insurance industry for jacking up rates or dropping you because reaching 65yrs is a “pre-existing condition”.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:35 pmOf course. We should trust the private health insurance companies. That will happen when hell freezes over.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:35 pmThe Republican Party, looking ahead to the 50’s, the 1950’s that is….
October 26th, 2009 at 1:35 pmHow big would those vouchers have to be to make it worth the while of a private company to underwrite the risk of an 85 year old man?
October 26th, 2009 at 1:39 pmor a 25 year old with busted kidneys…
October 26th, 2009 at 1:39 pmGive it up Paul. You tried to privatize the army with Blackwater, how’d that work out for you?
October 26th, 2009 at 1:40 pmdeebaser says:
——————————————————————————–
How big would those vouchers have to be to make it worth the while of a private company to underwrite the risk of an 85 year old man?
I’m guessing pretty damn big. But then, he’s covered so he can afford to make BS offers like this.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:42 pmThe rightwing gets hysterical everytime the government spends a DIME that is not filtered through a rich mans pocket. In their view the ONLY function of gov is to deliver the money from the pockets of the working man into the pockets of a rich man
October 26th, 2009 at 1:43 pmPaul–behind you!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:45 pmPrivatize Paul Broun!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:53 pmYes, those long suffering shareholders need more money to gamble with
October 26th, 2009 at 1:53 pmVoucher: it’s always a voucher with these clowns.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:54 pmAnd just how would senior citizens be able to get private health insurance at ANY price? How many people over the age of 65 have a “pre-existing” condition that would disallow them getting any type of insurance.
I guess they all should just “go to work for the government”.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:54 pmAIO
Exactly. For the reason I stated in my above post.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:55 pmYeah! Eliminate his government funded, SOCIALIZED salary. He’s so deep in the pockets of corporate interests, he won’t miss the money.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:56 pmWe need feudal states, Kings and private armies so shareholders can invest in money making operations by sacking neighboring states!
Wooo Hooo go tribalism!!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:56 pmThese dimwits never learn, do they? The problem with privatizing Medicare is the same problem with privatizing public schools.
Just as giving a kid from an underprivileged home who has learning disabilities a voucher and a command to go find a private school who will take him might create a problem for that kid, giving an elderly person with a number of pre-existing conditions and chronic health problems a voucher and a command to go find their own insurance might be a problem for them.
Broun’s bill will never gain any traction — Medicare is a sacred cow no sensible politician is willing to mess with (he might get the crazy ones like Bachmann on board, though).
October 26th, 2009 at 1:57 pmI’m interested in the right-wingers’ reaction to the privatization of medicare to see whether they’ll blindly support it because it comes from one of their far right politicians. I remember how they all, led by Newtie and Boehner, tried to tie the low level of the stock market to Obama’s success as president shortly after his inauguration. I expect them to forget how the stock market and Wall Streeters are responsible for the near collapse of our entire financial system. They’ll also conveniently forget that if Bush, Jr. had had his way, many on social security would now not be getting their checks every month or possibly, no checks at all. They’ll fail to realize that had social security been privatized it would have increased the deficit because the government would have had to bailout the banks and social security.
What am I thinking? The fringe won’t make the connections unless Becky Boy or Limbaugh tells them, and I won’t wait on that.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:57 pmIDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:58 pm—-I meant greatly reduced amounts in their ss checks or no checks at all—
October 26th, 2009 at 1:59 pmBill That Would Privatize Medicare = Code for “Rape and Pillage Americans”
October 26th, 2009 at 2:00 pm‘No Medicare’, says the man with Government health insurance.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:00 pmBroun wants to privatize Medicare because he claims the system is unsustainable now.
I don’t suppose he’s explained how subsidizing the elderly to be insured by private companies with 30% overhead (and the need to make a profit on top of that) is more sustainable than subsidizing the elderly through a government program with about 3% overhead and no profit?
I didn’t think so. But then, he’s just preaching to the wingnut choir, and they don’t require explanations. Just red meat.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pmPrivatization will not decrease but increase federal debt
October 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pmEveryone who has a Republican representitive should contact them to tell them to support Broun’s bill.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pm…who keeps voting people down without posting anything…?
Seriously. If you have the courage to click the button, you have the courage to post.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pmSurprise, surprise. According to his campaign contributions list on opensecrets.org, Rep. Broun’s largest industry donor to his campaign committee (after “Retired” and “Republican”)for his very short career is…
Healthcare.
And the 3rd largest donor for his career is AFLAC.
You corporate wh0re.
Quack, quack.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:02 pmEnnuiDivine says:
…who keeps voting people down without posting anything…?
Lurkers, Lackeys & Limbaugh Lovers?
October 26th, 2009 at 2:03 pmI see the cowardly votedown troll is sliming his way through this thread
October 26th, 2009 at 2:03 pmTwaj, Earache Odumb, Koldy, Pee are lacking genitalia of any sex.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:03 pmPrivatize Paul Broun!
An excellent rallying cry for Democrats in the 2010 re-election campaigns: “Privatize _______”. If these alleged “public” servants can’t serve the public, then they need to be made private citizens again.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:04 pmIf ya can’t beat ‘em, BUY ‘em.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:08 pm“Rep. Paul Broun Proposes Bill That Would Privatize Medicare”
Here we go again. Another clown from the Party of No following the former clown President’s blueprint. Bush wanted social security privatized and now Broun wants to privatize Medicare. And this is becoming a joke when the GOP accused Obama of creating death panels and pulling the plug on Grandma in the healthcare reform bill. And now Broun is suggesting to privatize Medicare in a time when seniors won’t get the cost of living increase in their social security? GOP is a gift that keeps on giving. Stay classy Paul.
p.s. What’s up with the bear next to Broun in that pic? Is that his spokesperson?
October 26th, 2009 at 2:08 pmShorter Broun: Screw the constituents.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:09 pmEveryone who has a Republican representitive should contact them to tell them to support Broun’s bill.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:10 pmSure, because I make enough to throw another 150+ out the window every month, give me a break.
Ha, the troll voted down my post urging people to support Broun’s bill. Looks like the fool is a bit conflicted.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:11 pmUSN, any Republican who supports this bill will be voted out of office. Broun himself will be gone, unless he backs off before the seniors get wind of this.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:13 pmDamn, I made a troll out of myself. That’ll teach to look closer at the poster. :)
October 26th, 2009 at 2:13 pmIs there a way so we can book this idiot to appear with the bigger idiots Limpo, Tammy Glenn Becker, Billdo and KKKlownnity?
Put the spot light on this maggot, then ask him to give up his TAXPAYER guaranteed retirement and benefits.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:14 pmGreat. Privatize medicare and that way we can assure it becomes too big to fail instead of unsustainable.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:14 pmUnsustainable = bad bad bad
Too big too fail = Good bah Good Bah Good.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pmHelp me out with the slogan here:
Privitizing Medicare: Beacase Privitizing Social Security would have worked so good.
Privitizing Medicare: Because privitizing the drug reimbursement makes things so easy.
Privitizing Medicare: Because privitizing the Post Office worked so good.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pmshoeless says:
October 26th, 2009 at 2:17 pmMy mistake dude, I should have took a second to realize you were being sarcastic before I voted down. Knee-jerk mouseclick on my part.
Braun is courting the 20% of his party – and he somehow believes that they will ensure his reelection….that, and the insurance industry promises to contribute heartily to his campaign.
There is no other explanation for his irrational, incredibly stupid amendment – one that he voted AGAINST a short time ago.
Repugs are not listening to their party conservatives; they are listening to the Limbaughs, Becks, Coulters and other like-minded fools who dominate the media.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:17 pmFrankly, it does not make me unhappy — it assures that their party will remain in the wilderness for the next decade if not longer.
From Zaid’s post;
“We’ve got to fix Medicare,” he said. “It’s headed in a direction that’s unsustainable.”
While Medicare is facing future budgetary problems, privatization isn’t the solution. Medicare Advantage, the Medicare plan under which the administration of the program is farmed out to private insurance companies, has more than five times the administrative costs of the traditional public Medicare plan.
Why, of course, why didn’t we all see that? If Medicare is unsustainable, let’s make it more-so by farming it out to people who’ll run the overhead up to five or more times that of the government administered version. WTF?
Paging Dr. Broun – they’s some gents here with a nice white coat with straps on it for your fitting session…
October 26th, 2009 at 2:19 pmDeficits dont matter!!
/snark
October 26th, 2009 at 2:20 pmOT (sort of)
October 26th, 2009 at 2:21 pmJohn McCain says he has never found a government health care something he could support — this from the veteran who has all of his health care paid for by the VA and Medicare.
More recently, his mother fell while in Europs (Spain? I am not sure.) and she will be fully covered under their universal health care.
What will McInsane have to say about that?
Hypocrisy is rampant in the party.
All of this talk of Medicare and Social Security being in peril are a joke. If our government can bail out Wall Street and banks with taxpayer money they sure as hell can bail out Medicare and Social Security too!
As for Broun’s plan to privatize Medicare…Go phuck yourself Broun! That is the answer to all the republicans problems. They want to privatize everything…Screw them…!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:22 pmare = is (a joke)
October 26th, 2009 at 2:22 pmit sucks for all of the people who paid into the medicare system for years & years on the false hope that their government could actually manage their lives & their healthcare for them better than they can manage it themselves.
Now the program is going broke, and people are screaming about the problems with the private system?
http://www.businessinsider.com/medicare-insolvent-in-8-years-2009-5
October 26th, 2009 at 2:23 pmActually, I wasn’t being sarcastic. I got more than one down vote, so even the troll knows this is big trouble for his masters. I have been waiting for the Republicans to attempt to eliminate Medicare. I hope they all jump on board. It will be the last nail in the GOP coffin.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:24 pmHe must have really hated that bear.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:24 pmOOHHhhhhh, I get it now.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:25 pmThis is re-enrollment period for Medicare and other insurance carriers — let’s about from all the increases being mailed to clients who have the Medicare Advantage programs — you know the alternative to Medicare? The ones that cost 20% MORE than Medicare to administer? All while Medicare subsidizes them with taxpayer dollars?
October 26th, 2009 at 2:26 pmO/T: Statisticians reject global cooling
Oops….facts and data once again win out over reich-wing opinion.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:27 pmThis crap is getting to be a little much, a little too deep. I’m beginning to think reeducation camps might not be such a bad idea after all. Problem is, can proto-fascist-bozitos such as Broun be repaired or rehabilitated? Doubtful, looks like.
Remember Benito Mussolini (entry in Encyclopedia Italiana)?
America came at it through the back door: not via the ‘merger of state and corporate power,’ but instead via the merger of corporate power with the state. A subtle difference, true enough, perhaps better stated as The [American] Fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the [Corporation] and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with the [Corporation]
Hmmm. Reverse the ‘Corporate’ and ‘State’ context and … Wow! I think I’ve just redefined today’s undercurrent mission of the GOP!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:28 pmRep. Broun: “I would like to propose a bill….”
Madame Speaker: “The gentleman from Georgia needs to remember which party he belongs to. We the Democrats are the Majority Party. We will decide who may introduce bills. Now go over in your corner and STFU.”
October 26th, 2009 at 2:30 pmGood citizens of Georgia!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:32 pm(especially you senior citizens!)
Please vote this clown out of office, ASAP.
Before he does serious damage to your country.
Rep. Paul Broun (R-Slave State-Georgia) says, “We’ve got to fix Medicare. It’s headed in a direction that’s unsustainable.”
Actually, the most unsustainable item in America’s budget is the $3 trillion annual budget for the Pentagon, not the $382 billion for Medicare.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:32 pmStatistics have a well known liberal bias.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:35 pmYeah, that’s right, so people like Rick Scott and Tim Phillips can defraud them even more easily. When did vouchers ever cover the full cost of anything? give someone a voucher for a service, and those offering the service simply add their regular fee on top of the voucher. (Ever go to one of those ‘free dinners’ restaurants give out?)
Same with those health savings plans; they are created to allow fraud and thievery.’
October 26th, 2009 at 2:37 pmshoeless says:
Statistics have a well known liberal bias.
Maybe that’s because they are “facts”? ;)
October 26th, 2009 at 2:39 pmPrivate insurance has done so well, lets just have them handle everything! LOL! Wow, republicans have to be the stupidest people on this planet!
October 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pmU.S. Rep. Paul Broun introduced his own health care reform bill last week that would, among other things, privatize the Medicare insurance program for seniors.
Broun’s bill would replace government benefits with vouchers that could be spent on private insurance or put in tax-free medical savings accounts.
“We’ve got to fix Medicare,” he said. “It’s headed in a direction that’s unsustainable.”
In short, give your money to my corporate masters, so I can have yet another huge, fat bribe.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:11 pmLeave it to a rethuglican to try and kill a successful program and give the resulting loss to a profit driven greedy corporation. The GOP is bad for american citizens.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:25 pmI suggest that hearings on his proposed bill be scheduled with the first ones in his home district. It will make the teaparties look tame.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:33 pmYeah, I wonder if the teabaggers will show up to support him in his efforts to take away their Medicare?
October 26th, 2009 at 3:43 pmNext on Broun’s agenda…privatize Congress. We can save all kinds of money if we skip the whole election thing and just let the special interests, lobbyists and corporation hire Congress people.
Kinda like we have now except we still keep up the charade of elections.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:09 pmThank you Rep Broun for reminding me that Crazy Shelly (InsaneR-Mn) isn’t the only stupid/crazy GOoPer in Congress.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:22 pmGeorge Bush did such a good job of privatizing everything he could get his hands on except Social Security. I’m sure this bill will pass without any Democratic objections. It’s apropos for Rep. Broun to come up with a “no brainer” bill. He is truly missing something fundamental in order to properly represent his constituency.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:20 pmIf Medicare becomes privatized, then is will no longer be Medicare. It will be just another health insurance program. And if you thought health care is expensive now, just wait until the private sector gets a hold of non-medicare.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pmThe Republicans just love looking for ways to give away the American taxpayers money to their Wall Street friends and their Corporate friends. They didn’t steal enough last year so they are coming back for more. They can’t wait to get their grubby fat hands on more of our money.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:19 pmBrounn proves himself yet again to be a total dork.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:28 pmWe shouldn’t let the seniors in on the fact that there’s gonna be several hundred million in cuts to Medicare in the “Free Abortions! Step right up and get your Free Abortions” health care bill.
They might try to revolt. We should order granny some aspirin, STAT!
October 26th, 2009 at 6:30 pmmostlylurks because you are a moron
You win the stupidest comment of the day prize. Collect it onl your way to your marching MORON meeting
October 26th, 2009 at 7:05 pmSome interesting news that explains a lot about Paul Broun, Jr. MD’s seemingly endless bad medical lawmaking:
So there you have it…Broun is one ‘wacky’ quack. Anyone having information that verifies the above assertions about ‘Dr.’ Broun’s credentials and physician practice and practices is encouraged to comment
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/amanda_lang/2009/09/witness-recalls-ga-rep-paul-br.php
October 26th, 2009 at 7:48 pmYup. Let’s get govmint’s hands off Seniors’ Medicare. Thay kin pay the same premiums fer health insurance as the rest of us – heck, they should pay lots more, cuz their end of life care is way higher than us workin folks.
And once their reverse mortgage drys up to pay fer their Medicare Insurance, they kin go live with their kids. Seniors should quit takin my tax dollars fer their health insurance!
/snark
October 26th, 2009 at 9:51 pmPrivatize Medicare? The only idea more insane than this is to try and get George W Chimp to run for President again (Which our Constitution mercifully prohibits.) This butt monkey has a MEDICAL degree? Would any of YOU have this idiot as your primary care physician?
I’m on Medicare. Doctors are already getting paid a fraction of what their services are worth. Finding new doctors that accept Medicare gets harder every day. Our Republican colleagues want to cut Medicare payments even further? (An alternative to privatization.)
For the FIRST time in nearly 70 years, we have a President with enough sand to actually make REAL POSITIVE change in the health care industry. Does President Obama get cooperation, even from fellow Democrats? NO! The Republicans aren’t worth mentioning as that party is owned and controlled by the very wealthy – in my opinion. And many Dem’s as well belong to the same country clubs. They are all helping each other get rich at our expense.
This all may be off topic, but when I fell, got a head injury, I got actual CT scans and treatment. (A Government Insurance Plan) My best friend’s mother who has Kaiser, coincidentally fell a week earlier, but Kaiser wouldn’t DO a CT scan. Her brain swelled from the trauma. But because a tiny hole in her skull wasn’t drilled to release the building pressure in her skull, she DIED. She was a great lady and sorely missed. Her death was totally unnecessary. Profits, not human life, WILL become the motivation if Medicare is privatized. We MUST stop this from happening!
Yes, I’m angry. I’m furious. YET those soul-less Republicans and blue-dog Dems who support Medicare’s privatization (and cuts to payments made to doctors) have NO idea what they are talking about.
Will THEY come by and explain to the grand children WHY their grandmother had to die so some corporate executive could get his/her $100 Million dollar bonus?
These are the same swine blocking the public option for health care – working hand in hand with the drug companies and health insurance companies.
Shocking as it might seem there are some intelligent thinking and compassionate people who are currently Republicans who are planning to leave, have left already or who left some time ago.
These people are enraged, betrayed, know they have been lied to and deceived. The scales have fallen from their eyes and guess where they are going? Many are becoming Democrats (Progressives) others Libertarian, and the gun shy, Independents. We have an incredible recruitment opportunity here. Progressives have answers that actually work that these people are looking for. Maybe I just want to see the good in all people. But isn’t leaving the Republican Party a sign that some “goodness” still lingers inside them?
My apologies for the overly long post and rambling topics. I know violence is NOT the Progressive way. But haven’t ANY of you wanted to just grab Rush and slap the snot out of his face?
October 27th, 2009 at 2:27 pm