Would you mind supplying the quotes from Rush’s transcripts to support your argument, please? Personally, I haven’t heard Limbaugh say anything along those lines (leeches) about MediCARE recipients, unless it was a slip of the tongue when he was meaning MediCAID. I have heard him in the past question SSDI and Medicare Disability in the past. According to CNS News, there is a record 10,978,040 people drawing Social Security Disability (more than the total population in 43 states). Why is Medicare being drained? It’s not from the retirees. Look no farther than the epidemic of disability.
Social Security’s Disability Insurance (DI) program satisfies neither the Trustees’ long-range test of close actuarial balance nor their short-range test of financial adequacy and faces the most immediate financing shortfall of any of the separate trust funds. DI Trust Fund reserves expressed as a percent of annual cost (the trust fund ratio) declined to 85 percent at the beginning of 2013, and the Trustees project trust fund depletion in 2016, the same year projected in the last Trustees Report. DI cost has exceeded non-interest income since 2005, and the trust fund ratio has declined since peaking in 2003. While legislation is needed to address all of Social Security’s financial imbalances, the need has become most urgent with respect to the program’s DI component. Lawmakers need to act soon to avoid reduced payments to DI beneficiaries three years from now.
I haven't heard him use the word 'leeches'; I have heard him periodically say that recipients get the service 'for free' and somewhat indignantly implying we are ungrateful for the largess. As I have said repeatedly on this thread: I do not mind if they cancel Medicare...
Despite many folk being incapable of reading this post, I have signed my Medicare benefits over to a private insurance company because if a private insurance company cannot make insurance pay, they will go out of business. Since too many FReepers are incapable of reading, they have totally missed this critical point.
I hold no brief against Rush... I simply cannot understand why he continues this misunderstanding. If I misunderstood yesterday's Rush program then the fault is mine on this occasion. Still, I HAVE heard Rush say that Medicare is 'free' to its recipients.