Social media reactions to the Ryan budget proposal

 

“Implementing these reforms in Medicare can have the effect of lowering healthcare costs for everyone,” he wrote.

 

 

“When health plans compete against each other, there can only be two outcomes: they compete for the healthiest individuals, or they cut costs of services they provide,” commented Alec Davidson. “We don't face up to the fundamental questions that plague our health care system.”

 

Davidson continues by proposing a solution to how we can implement cost control in a type of situation where every loved one gets the right care.

 

Other audience members agree with Ryan’s proposal set forth this week, saying that it favors women and Hispanics long-term interests. “Ryan’s plan saves Medicare for those who need it most, and costs for those who can afford to pay part of their premium,” commented Maureen DiRienzo.

 

Ryan’s plan though, would transform the Medicare program. In order to deal with the surge of baby boomers for example, the GOP budget would switch the program to a “fee for service” structure, where the government subsidizes purchases of health insurance. It’s important to note there are direct differences between this financial plan in relation to Obama’s.

 

“Paul Ryan got forced to admit that his party has done nothing to fix the healthcare system, and he promised that he would make sure to not continue to ignore the problem,” commented @Liam-still on a related story from the Washington Post.“But now here he is trying to make things worse for old sick people.”

 

Twitter user @MulliganStew63 says Ryan’s plan is misleading. “ARRA will reduce spending on Medicare by $500B, not make cuts (or shift costs to seniors, as Ryan budget does),” he tweeted. “Ryan’s budget would create a death spiral for Medicare as we know it.”

 

In a statement Tuesday morning, the White House responded to the budget, saying more or less the same thing.

 

“Paul Ryan’s new budget plan is the same as his old budget plan,” tweeted @ElleLamar. “Ends Medicare, shifts tax burdens to middle-class Americans, doesn’t grow economy.”

 

Republicans have insisted, nevertheless, that these new approaches would force competition in the healthcare sector, lowering cost increases and giving seniors more options. Democrats on the other hand, say the new system would cut the costs too much, giving seniors not enough options and creating higher out of pocket expenses.

 

On the Yahoo News Facebook page, user @theecmo remarked that in his opinion, the way you revamp Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance premiums is by dealing with the cost of care. “Until you can bring down the cost of care, the cost of insuring it and paying for it will continue to rise. It's that simple. They're all telling you the way to deal with pneumonia is to reduce the fever and ignore everything else involved.”

 

Evan Hegi added that the Medicare changes don’t go far enough. “There should be a provision to allow those close to or in retirement to opt out of Medicare if they choose,” he wrote.