In recent weeks, liberal politicians, editorialists, and policy analysts have vigorously attacked reform of Medicare based on defined-contribution financing. In fact, this approach to reforming Medicare has a long bipartisan tradition going back to the 1980s and Representatives Richard Gephardt (D–MO) and David Stockman (R–MI). In fact, much of this criticism is distorted, misleading, or just plain wrong.
Here are some articles that set the record straight:
Commentary
Medicare’s ‘Efficiency’ (Bob Moffit/Alyene Senger)
National Review Online, 10/26/12
“When the comparisons are appropriate, and all factors are considered, government-run health care is seen to be neither cheaper nor more efficient than private insurance. Claims to the contrary depend heavily on omissions of fact and other distortions.”
Why Medicare Must Be Reformed (Donald Schneider)
The Heritage Foundation, 10/26/12
“[T]he status quo in Medicare is unsustainable and unacceptable due to the program’s structural and financing flaws.”
Research
Obama’s Medicare Plan: Seniors Will Pay More (Bob Moffit/Rea Hederman/Alyene Senger)
The Heritage Foundation, 11/2/12
“Today’s seniors are facing higher Medicare costs. Over the next five years, current law, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, also known as ‘Obamacare’), and President Obama’s budget proposals guarantee higher costs for today’s seniors.”
To read the previous Medicare Roundup, click here.