Posted on 10/23/2015 7:11:11 AM PDT by ghost of stonewall jackson
Republicans have fended off accusations for years that they'd gut Medicare for seniors and end the program "as we know it."
Not Ben Carson. The former neurosurgeon acknowledges he would abolish the program altogether.
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Carson, who now leads the GOP field in Iowa according to the latest Quinnipiac Poll, would eliminate the program that provides health care to 49 million senior citizens, as well as Medicaid, and replace it with a system of cradle-to-grave savings accounts which would be funded with $2,000 a year in government contributions. While rivals have been pummeled for proposing less radical changes, Carson hasn't faced the same scrutiny -- and his continued traction in polls has left GOP strategists and conservative health care wonks scratching their heads.
"This isn’t a borderline issue. The politics of this are horrific," said Doug Holtz-Eakin, head of the American Action Forum and health care adviser to Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.
Carson's stance on the third-rail issue of Medicare is especially risky given his strength among elderly voters. In Iowa, Carson draws a quarter of the senior vote -- more than double any other candidate except Donald Trump, with whom he’s statistically tied among seniors. Carson’s support is even higher among voters between the ages of 55 and 64, who are on the verge of Medicare eligibility. He draws 34 percent of that age group, double Trump’s level of support, according to the Quinnipiac poll.
Carson's GOP rivals are largely holding their fire so far. Trump's campaign declined to comment, as did the campaigns of Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
I support the idea but question the politics.
But notice they don’t mention what already comes out of our paychecks to fund Medicare. It’s just transferring the money but they make it sound like we’re losing something.
that’s putting it mildly, my friend. the biggest pro-GOP voting block is old people. how will they react when HRC pulls out this quote?
what’s health insurance for an old person cost? gotta be at least $20,000 per annum. carson wants to give grandma a $2,000 and a pat on the back?
Carson........shove it. Sure have gotten uppity lately.
Yeah he’s someone’s boy, just don’t know whose yet...
He’s so stupid, he doesn’t know he’s being used just like Carly, and the rest of them that the GOPe riled up....
You kind of have to feel sorry for him, because he wouldn’t see a 2x4 coming right at him....
An HSA is only good if coupled with catastrophic coverage. Also, typically health care spending is skewed towards the last years in life. While a 20-something can build up quite a nice balance before odds are they’d need to dip deeply, what is this going to the 70-something? Without more details, this sounds like a “Duty to Die” policy.
Well I see Rove’s plan is working beautifully. The Vichy Conservatives are falling all over themselves to shoot each other in the back.
And in 2016, they will be screaming again how they got screwed just like they did in 2008 and 2012
Until all the GOPE candidates are out of the race, Conservatives need to focus fire on the REAL enemies.
I agree....someone’s “boy”...
So all “old people” become socialist once they retire?
If Carson is running on taking seniors medicare away he is toast.
Doctor Carson is not stupid.
Have you ever heard his ideas for medical care? It is very logical and well thought out. I sincerely hope President Trump or President Cruz picks it up and runs with it.
Don’t go C. Wife on us.
Carson is a good man. The hit pieces on him are rediculous.
Just for clarity I am a Cruz and Trump supporter.
These wonks can’t get the same responses because they only ever see the question as a choice between more government meddling vs government meddling more.
I don't disagree with the concept, just not sure it works for those who run to the doctor for the most expensive medication and treatment they can get every time they stub their toe.
Good problem solving is identify the problem before you solve the problem. The problem is that medical care is too expensive.
The GOPee is desperate, but they have forgotten that Trump has a HUGE base, a lot bigger than theirs and his friends have a lot more money than the GOPee, so if the GOPee wants to waste their money trying to take Trump down, let them...easier for us to win....as for Cruz, it's not going to be him in the White House, the people don't like him because he is a sitting senator, and they are picking ‘outsiders’ this election....Cruz will be good at something else, but not to lead this Country at this time...
I have a question for Dr. Carson right off the bat. What would the annual health care premium be for a 80 year old male with diabetes and a heart condition which would provide the same level of coverage Medicare offers? And while he’s at it, what would be the health care premium for an 86 year old female with Alzheimer’s, again offering the same coverage as Medicare? If he can’t answer that then how can he know how much his plan will cost?
Nobody knows what a premium would cost because nobody has every had to calculate it; Medicare automatically kicked in at 65. So if you're talking about a person with Alzheimer's or someone with congestive heart disease then I imagine your $20,000 annual premium estimate wouldn't come close to covering it.
“The hit pieces on him are rediculous.”
He’s going rouge! 8^)
I don’t know the details either, but I assume he is not proposing cutting off the program for those too old to save adequately. Personally, I think catastrophic insurance is the way to go, and if insurAnce didn’t cover routines visits and procedures the providers wouldn’t charge so much for cash payments, and people people would budget their healthcare.
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