GOP's Steele Announces 'Healthcare Bill of Rights' for Seniors
With weeks left before Congress returns from recess, Republicans are reaching out to senior citizens who are worried that the Obama administration's healthcare reform would cut benefits from Medicare.
"Under the Democrats' plan, senior citizens will pay a steeper price and will have their treatment options reduced or rationed," Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, wrote in an op-ed published today in the Washington Post.
It's the latest effort by the GOP to garner opposition to the healthcare overhaul put forward by the White House and congressional Democrats.
Steele also outlined a proposed "Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights" that he says Republicans plan to debut today.
Steele said the bill of rights would protect Medicare, prohibit a government-run insurance option, outlaw efforts to limit healthcare decisions based on age, prevent the government from determining end-of-life care, and preserve benefit programs for veterans and military families.
During town hall meetings nationwide, President Barack Obama has repeatedly told senior citizens that his plan would not reduce Medicare benefits.
The Democratic National Committee called the RNC's "feigned interest in Medicare" a scare tactic aimed at seniors.
As Congress struggles to pass a healthcare reform bill with support from both parties, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York told NBC's Meet the Press yesterday that a bipartisan bill is "looking less and less likely." And Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, wasn't optimistic about quick passage of the bill. He said yesterday on CNN that Obama's healthcare reform plan might have to wait until the economy improves.
Obama will be on vacation with his family this week at Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. But Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the president might make a few phone calls to members of the Senate Finance Committee, where some are trying to craft a bipartisan reform bill.
- See photos of anger at town hall meetings.
- See photos of the Obamas behind the scenes.
Reader Comments
What total B.S. !
"Steele said the bill of rights would protect Medicare, prohibit a government-run insurance option..."
Just exactly what does this idiot think Medicare is?
Which lie do you want to believe?
Republicans are now saying that no one should ever limit what Medicare and Medicaid pay, to protect their new found rights. According to the Social Security Administration, ssa.gov, we have maybe a decade before the entire system goes broke, and it only gets worse from there.
Democrats say that they want to reduce the costs of medical care. But their pet bill HR3200, has only provisions that would increase those costs, at least for private insurance. And no bill has put any limits on Medicare and Medicaid, other than to simply cut payments.
Pick you lie, folks; pick your lie.
Obamacare is just a power grab
Obamacare has nothing to do with improving or expanding health care. It's just another power grab that will further destroy our health care, destroy our economy, steal money from our children and grandchildren, multiply our deficit, and enslave us through lies, manipulation, intimidation and coercion.
No wonder the Russians are gloating: “The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more than another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe. http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-american_capitalism-0
Fortunately, as we can see in the town halls, most Americans have NOT been dumbed down and they will do whatever necessary to defend themselves, their children and grandchildren from Obamacare and Marxism.
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