December 23, 2014
Will Medicare be Privatized?
Congressman Marc Veasey held a “Labor Breakfast” at Lupe’s Mexican Grill in Arlington on December 19. In his comments and responses to questions, it is apparent that Veasey is still the best thing to happen to North Texas retirees in many years. Mark York, head of the Dallas AFL-CIO, called Veasey a “beacon of light” for working Texans.
Congressman Veasey talked about the omnibus spending bill that was just signed into law by President Obama. The progressive wing of the Democratic Party, including Marc Veasey, voted against it. The bill had “some good things” in it, Veasey said, but he and other Democrats felt that they could have gotten a better deal. For retirees, the worst thing in the bill was cuts for pensioners of multi-employer plans. See the analysis on this site. While Republicans voted for pension cuts of as much as 60%, Republican Congressman Ralph Hall will be retiring with a $139,000 federal pension, according to the Dallas newspaper. The article also says that Hall will get another $67,748 from his stint in the Texas legislature!
Congressman Veasey warned of major anti-worker legislation that will be attempted in 2015.
According to the “Friday Report” of the Alliance for Retired Americans, there is a very real danger of an attempt to privatize Medicare in the congressional session beginning January 6. They write:
“Paul Ryan’s Way of Cutting Medicare to Reemerge in New Congress
‘The next Republican budget will look a lot like those written by exiting House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), the incoming House Budget Committee Chairman said last Friday. That would mean eliminating deficits in 10 years by calling again for massive cuts to the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs. Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), who takes the reins of the U.S. House budget panel in January, told reporters he will “build on” Ryan’s proposals by devising ways to put more federal benefits programs under the control of states. Ryan will take over as chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.
‘Price said a Republican-controlled Congress can now advance policies pioneered by Ryan, including his controversial Medicare plans. Those plans would cut Medicare by limiting beneficiaries to a set amount of money every year to buy private health care insurance. Known as “premium support,” the program would mark a dramatic shift from the current Medicare system, under which the federal government helps pay for all medical services that an individual uses.
“‘Premium support’ is vouchers and would gut Medicare and shift costs to seniors,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “It is another way of saying, ‘Here’s a nickel, you’re on your own for the rest of your health care costs.’” More from Reuters at http://tinyurl.com/nuuhany.”
The Texas Alliance for Retired Americans will be fighting to keep and extend the right to retire in America.
–-Gene Lantz, President
PLEASE contribute any amount, or make a monthly pledge, to Texas Alliance for Retired Americans by clicking here.
Sign our petition to Dallas Mayor Rawlings asking him to stop pushing to privatize the school district.
We’re also still gathering petitions for health care implementation in Texas. Sign that petition at:
http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4055/c/1254/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4684
Contact Gene Lantz at labordallas@sbcglobal.net
Judy Bryant at 214-729-0063
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