Obama changing Medicare for worse

A few weeks ago, a special congressional election was held in New York state. The winner's campaign was engulfed in misrepresentation and false information. Pretending to be sympathetic to the Tea Party and running television ads demonizing Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan and his proposal to adjust Medicare for future seniors was more successful than telling the truth.

This deception caused me to question whether Iowa's seniors will fall prey to this same type of entrapment.

The day ObamaCare was signed into law, $575 billion was pulled from Medicare to expand the Medicaid program. In past years, the government paid approximately $16,000 per senior for health care. Under ObamaCare and the Independent Payment Advisory Board, that figure is $14,000 and going downward.

It isn't the Republicans or Paul Ryan changing Medicare as we know it. It is this administration and the Democratic Congress.

Ryan's reform would repeal ObamaCare, thus restoring the $575 billion and ending the Independent Payment Advisory Board. Medicare would return and, beginning in 2022, each new Medicare enrollee could choose a private health plan and the government would pay the premium as they today pay Medicare. Seniors would be safer making their own decisions.

Connie Armstrong

Cedar Rapids