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Heritage Foundation health policy director Nina Owcharenko explains why she's on board with Rep. Ryan's budget plan.
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Okay chairman of the House Budget Committee Paul Ryan of course because you viewing.
Improve national budget plan yesterday with some free -- health care reforms.
-- -- would -- director of health policy studies at The Heritage Foundation joins me now to tell us if she thinks he's reforms will sink or swim you know welcome to you.
Thanks for having me OK so the White House says you know.
Came right out after -- -- his budget out yesterday saying that all the tax breaks proposed by the Ryan budget would be paid for by.
Under mining Medicare essentially get rid of it all together what's your take.
-- I think that the Ryan proposal actually takes a serious look at our health care entitlement programs.
It puts out a really solid plan to move these programs to statement for the future.
The Ryan plan wouldn't that give seniors the ability to make choices in their health care decisions.
And forces insurance companies to actually compete for seniors for their business.
That is in sharp contrast from what the administration wants to do.
The administration says would fix Medicare by cutting us services and reimbursement for for providers in the Medicare program.
Which results in less access and less services for seniors across the board.
So it truly is kind of two competing visions what's the best way to fix this entitlement program.
We can either turn it over to the seniors and allow seniors to engage in the market place.
Or we can just let the government continued what their flawed policies that just depend on price controls.
That end up hurting people rather than helping them.
The line really is drawn in the sand between Republicans and Democrats on this -- Democrats saying that Ryan's Medicare reform cut costs too steeply and we provide elderly.
With a steadily shrinking menu of options higher out of pocket -- In direct contrast to what you're just telling me.
Is -- common ground well I think there.
Can we find it -- we well employ another he's spending battle.
Well liked.
-- you know rhetoric seems to be what's coming out right now rather than thinking about what's good policy.
And this administration -- their health care law we have to remember cut 500 billion dollars out of Medicare.
To help offset the cost of a massive expansion in the Medicaid program.
And in providing new subsidies for people for their health care -- So you can't really have it both ways and I think unfortunately.
With this proposal.
Out there I think that.
Congressman Ryan is really showing -- as you said -- the line in the sand and now it's time to for the Democrats to figure out and be honest that the American people about how they plan to save Medicare for the future.
And again and play devil's advocate here because as you know a lot of house Republicans are even skeptical about this -- partial privatization of Medicare so.
Number one.
Reform idea because we know we need entitlement reform to have any kind of meaningful improvements -- ballooning national debt.
Well I think we have to be realistic that actually Medicare RD is partially privatized if you look at.
The Medicare Advantage plans those -- the private insurance plans that offers seniors a whole host of health care benefits.
And they choose the plan that they want there and even -- prescription drug benefit which is completely privatized.
Provides drug access for seniors in the Medicare program so the idea that this is some kind of a new idea is absolutely ridiculous.
And actually the Ryan plan is actually building on the successful parts of Medicare.
Not on the failed policies which the administration is holding on to I would that Medicaid this idea of block grants indexed for inflation and population growth will that work.
Well you know I think that this is a very important step from a federal level the -- RD have Medicaid on a budget.
This is the problem the federal government has no budget for the Medicaid program.
So this is -- really important step to kind of -- us up with what's going on at the state level.
And actually start providing a little bit of fiscal stability moving forward in the program.
I do think additional reforms like providing premium assistance for low income families is a critical component to it.
But again in sharp contrast to what the administration has done in this entitlement program.
The administration their health -- -- lot decided not to do anything to reform the Medicaid program and instead -- we're just gonna -- sixteen million more people -- -- this cripple programs.
No wonder states are I'm worried about the future at this time.
And the economy sure doesn't help the situation now in one quick other point -- -- you know we touched on this earlier but the country is absolutely exhausted by.
Well you know it is -- budget so I think you know if we can get some progress in the senate which I don't think is likely.
On May be some dialogue -- -- but I do think it's important to show the contrast from what this administration has done.
And an alternative vision that actually puts these programs on a sustainable path forward.
You know -- Chernenko The Heritage Foundation many thanks to you your time this afternoon.
