KECI: GOP Budget Plan Redefines Medicare, Medicaid
It’s called “The Path To Prosperity.” The Republicans 2012 budget would trim $5.8 trillion in government spending over the next 10 years. Among other things, it would re-define Medicare and Medicaid.
Under the Republican budget, Medicaid would change. It’s now jointly funded by the feds and the states.
The plan would call for the feds to send each state a lump sum, then supporters say each state could tailor its own Medicaid program.
The plan calls for changes to Medicare as well. It would no longer be a government insurance program. Instead, the government would give seniors a fixed amount of money to buy insurance from regulated private companies.
Montana Sen. Max Baucus doesn’t like it. He said, “it takes money away from senior citizens and transfers that money to health insurance companies that will then drive up their profits, pay their CEO’s salaries and pay their bonuses.”
