Get the real facts in the Medicare debate

Re: Sen. Tom Harkin column (“Ryan budget would end Medicare as we know it,” Aug 17):

Voters deserve to be told the truth to make educated decisions. Unfortunately Democrats are attacking Mitt Romney by making false claims about Ryan's Medicare plan.

Passage of ObamaCare has already ended Medicare as we know it. According to the Congressional Budget Office, ObamaCare will steal $716 billion from the Medicare fund from 2013-2022. Worse yet, over the next decade, ObamaCare adds at least $340 billion to projected budget deficits.

What this means to seniors is (says Heritage Foundation) more difficult access to care for hospital, nursing home, home health and skilled nursing services. The Medicare trustees report says 25 percent of these institutions will have to cut back services or close their doors by 2030.

Harkin states “Romney and Ryan would raise seniors' health costs by thousands of dollars while leaving millions of seniors across the country to the whims of insurance companies.” False, says the non-partisan site Factcheck. org.: “The newest Republican budget, proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, keeps traditional Medicare - unlike his plan from 2011 - and the increased cost claim is no longer applicable to it. ... For seniors who are now in Medicare, nothing changes. They can stay with the traditional program as it is.”

Kevan Bakewell

Hiawatha