The House passed the controversial GOP budget plan Friday. The plan, proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), delegates Medicaid to the states in the form of block grants. It also would basically privatize Medicare for everyone who is younger than 55 today. President Obama said the plan will end Medicare as we know it. He brought forward his own deficit-reduction plan, which he said would get the country back on track within 12 years.
Gov. Haley Barbour said Republican governors will present their recommendation on health care reform to Congress in May. Photo by Alicia Ault
Meanwhile, Republican governors are working up their own recommendations on health reform, which, according to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, would include a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Listen to this week’s Policy & Practice podcast to hear more. Stay tuned for more updates on May 2, after Congress returns from its two-week break.
–Frances Correa
The discussions surrounding Ryan’s Medicare Voucher Program should include a frank discussion of the medical bankruptcy rates in the US. Excessive medical costs trigger bankruptcy more often than anything else; 62% of bankruptcies are currently caused by medical bills. Forcing more costs on consumers after a set allowance amount has been reached could result in an even higher bankruptcy rate. Check out our post on this with links to the research.
http://amjmed.blogspot.com/2011/04/ryans-medicare-overhaul-would-it.html