Are Politicians Using Scare Tactics With Medicare?

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-- -- -- -- -- -- thanks Charles Wolf for weeks and counting until the Treasury Department says -- the United States must -- its debt ceiling to avoid dire consequences.

It's looking likely that any deal to -- -- will include major cuts -- health care.

How old this impact health care for millions of Americans what actually could potentially get chopped or -- Joining us now is Teddy Troy the former health and human services -- -- secretary under George W.

Bush and visiting.

Senior fellow at the Hudson Institute banks and being on our -- -- -- Thanks for having me so I have said that you know there's a lot of back and forth on one hand you have you have the Republicans who do not wanna increase any taxes on the other side you have.

Democrats who say that they don't wanna -- a harsh cuts to be entitlement programs that are needed to reach that middle ground.

So that being a side where do you think the two parties will eventually you -- where it really is there cutting room.

For Medicare and Medicaid.

The look.

There have to be some changes there have to be cuts that senator Lieberman said the New York Times.

That we've got about -- hundred 23% of the overall budget spent on Medicare and Medicaid -- the cuts have to come.

I'm -- excited about it I'm not eager for it but if you really want to find where the money is in the federal budget.

-- -- deficits are aware that the data is you have to look at Medicare and.

Can I think there's any doubt Jersey and block granting roll back revenue health care a lot -- some specific ideas here.

Yeah well I mean that you say Yemen vouchers -- that is the Paul Ryan premium support plan I think that is one way to approach should I know the the Democrats don't like that they've been engaging in a -- -- scare campaign.

But you also have Tom Coburn and Joseph Lieberman.

Who have this bipartisan effort -- know it's not a Democrat Republican as much as an independent -- Republican.

But they're looking at ways of making -- wealthier Americans for example pay a greater share the New York Times also identified -- another a number of couple a couple of other possible.

Approaches for this that we're down.

And that would look -- excessive overpayments perhaps to it to hospitals.

Or two to states to to find a way to go at this but it but I like.

The idea of some kind of cleaner fix that really addresses the long term difficulties that Medicare has rather than just a a whack mole game of -- cut here cut there.

Well can you give us an example that -- some of those long term fixes because -- -- -- ordered today.

Nowak -- exactly has been -- -- -- -- -- and it's not working.

In terms of a long term -- I think right now the Medicare budget is open ended we don't really know how much we're gonna spend from one year to another year so I think the -- premium support is one way.

To go about this where we say there's X number of seniors -- intelligence senior gets lower income seniors get more.

And if we do that then we'll have a defined amount in the Medicare budget that will make it easier for us to plan.

For the future and I know -- some people don't like that but what Paul Ryan said about that is.

You don't like my plan don't just -- -- jump on me come up with an alternative and that's what we need alternative but to get bipartisan support.

I don't know about.

Alternatives getting bipartisan support -- we've got thirty seconds.

Well is this something that ultimately it somehow will just still be pushed down the road that we -- despite all of the publicity.

That somehow we're gonna miss an opportunity to make something new something meaningful -- do you think that's really helps -- to turn out.

There's a -- even said to the Palestinians never miss an opportunity missed opportunity I think we might be.

Falling into the same category so we will have a short term fix but I don't think we're gonna solve the big problems that we face.

RA Teddy -- thanks for joining us today.

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Are Politicians Using Scare Tactics With Medicare?

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