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AARP Legislative Policy Director David Certner on the risks that the debt ceiling will lead to cuts in Medicare and Social Security.
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-- talk about is that 32 million number 32 million more people onto the rolls.
And what you believe there is a poll out and Associated Press TFK pull up that whole people who actually believe.
That we don't have a problem here that we can somehow figure this out without cutting Medicare Medicaid.
How was that possible -- the nation's largest group represented retired Americans.
Who use a lot of health care says that the greatest threat to Medicare and Social Security is the debt ceiling so what are we to -- about it.
That's David certain.
FA RP he's joining us now from Washington DC.
In this Fox Business exclusive as part of our special series entitlement nation.
David first Ashley Webster was just talking about all of the billions we're going on -- how could we possibly pay for that act about the fact.
That people are getting older living longer and using more health care so why is the debt ceiling the number one threat.
While the -- -- as the number one political threat the next few months because our concern is here that.
With the debate around the debt debt ceiling there could be a deal in which people wanna make cuts to Medicare Medicaid and Social Security as part of the deal to raise -- debt ceiling so there's a political.
Problem that there may be cuts to key programs as people looking at the debt -- this summer so that's a political concern but -- of course are -- concerns that you raised earlier.
OK now you you represent the aging population of America people who really use up a lot of the health care.
And the question now becomes when these polls show that they believe that we can figure out the debt problems without cutting Medicare.
Is such as planet X kinda thinking I mean it does everyone have to suffer including my mother who is eighty -- so.
Well that's really the key question.
If we don't get a handle on health care costs in this country then -- will be suffering because we've just heard -- state governments are struggling.
The federal government is struggling individuals are struggling employers are struggling they're all struggling because health care costs are rising so fast.
If we can hold down health care costs then we can help pay for Medicare Medicaid and all the other health care programs in this country.
The problem right now is we're not doing -- -- job to hold down health care costs and the result is that we're shifting more and more costs on to people who can barely afford.
-- part of the the massive amount of the cost is of the drugs the cost of drugs right now you have endorsed a real plan.
To it to what bring these costs down by a holding the feet of big pharma to the fire how do you do that I -- what does always shocked me.
Is that in Canada they get one price in Africa they get another in here in America we get on the hook for the most expensive costs of the same drunk.
Well there's no question that right here in this country -- -- paying high drug prices in the world the cost of prescription drugs is a bit about three times the rate of inflation over the last five years.
We need to basically tackle prescription drug costs is one of the fastest growing costs and health care arena.
We think we have there's a number of strategies we can take we need to import lower prices from abroad.
We need these speed generic drugs to market we need to give Medicare -- -- to negotiate lower drug prices all these strategies.
You help us lower drug costs and hear what about David long term care that's an average minimum of 75000.
A year when.
Let's say an 88 year old turned 92 year old is in long term care.
And and many people can't afford that they've already used up their retirement in com.
How do we solve this problem and how do we at the same time cut down on the entitlements that are.
Weighing on our debt deficit and our entire nation.
Well we don't have much of a long term care.
Solution here in this country a lot of it is done by informal and family care giving but many people of course end up on Medicaid because they can't afford.
-- to pay for long term care Medicare doesn't cover -- they run out of their money in the end up on the Medicaid program.
One of the things we need to do is move people more to home and community based care for example in -- -- from nursing homes.
Most people want to -- in their home they don't want to move into a nursing home.
We could take care of three people at home and community based setting for every one person in nursing home.
So that is one way we can treat individuals.
More humanely how they want agent at lower cost.
My mom's mad at me for saying her age on the year.
It happened some -- but it can't thank you David good to see we appreciate it.
Thank you -- actually she's not match is totally cool and she looks great.
