Ross To Talk Importance of Protecting Social Security, Medicare

Press Release

Deborah Ross, Democratic nominee for US Senate, spoke in Greensboro today about how she will work to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare. These discussions are part of a larger statewide tour where Deborah will discuss retirement security.

"I've met people who have worked hard their whole lives, but are putting off retirement because they don't know if they or their families can afford it. They don't know if Social Security will get cut or Medicare will get privatized, and they don't have the money to take that gamble," said Deborah. "Not only is Washington not helping, but politicians like Richard Burr are making matters worse. He voted to cut Social Security and took more than $1 million from insurance companies, while writing a plan to privatize Medicare and raise the retirement age. That may be good for the insurance companies' profits, but it will force seniors to pay more. When I say I'll protect these benefits, North Carolina can count on me to keep my word."

When it comes to Social Security and Medicare, Richard Burr has spent his 20-plus years in Congress looking out for himself and special interests, but not the working people who elected him. Burr voted to cut Social Security and took more than $1 million from insurance companies while also writing a plan to privatize Medicare and raise the retirement age.

Burr supported reducing Social Security payments and voted against protecting Social Security from benefit cuts or privatization.
Burr not only voted against preventing Medicare from being privatized or turned into a voucher program, he proposed his own plan to turn Medicare into a voucher program and raise the eligibility age to receive benefits. His plan would help insurance companies profit while shifting Medicare costs onto beneficiaries.

Deborah knows that America's seniors have earned their Social Security and Medicare benefits through a lifetime of hard work. She will work to protect and strengthen them -- not privatize or end them -- so today's seniors and today's workers can enjoy the financial security they've earned. As Senator, she will work to:

Make sure our country's wealthiest Americans pay their fair share into Social Security
Make it easier for more employers to sponsor retirement plans
Control the cost of Medicare by making sure seniors pay for quality, not quantity
Crackdown on inefficiencies, errors, and those trying to abuse the Medicare program
Engage consumers with information to make efficient and effective healthcare decisions
Make prescription drugs more affordable

During this series of policy discussions with voters, Deborah will discuss her plans to protect Social Security and Medicare and talk about the importance to standing up to big money and special interests who profit off these programs while forcing people to pay more.

Background

Burr on Social Security

Burr Voted Against Protecting Social Security From Benefit Cuts Or Privatization. In March 2015, Burr voted against a: "Wyden, D-Ore., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Enzi, R-Wyo., point of order against the Wyden amendment no. 471 for not being germane. The Wyden amendment would create a 60-vote point of order against any legislation that would reduce Social Security benefits, increase the retirement age for benefits or privatize Social Security." The motion was rejected 51-48. [CQ, 3/24/15, S.Amdt. 471 to S.Con.Res. 11, Vote 84,3/24/15]
Burr Supported Reducing Social Security Payments. "There is a deep need in the long term for change so it is fiscally sound and sustainable for future generations,' Burr said. That might include determining whether to reduce the size of the payments "to reflect what's available in the reserves,' he said." [Winston-Salem Journal, 4/19/11]

Burr on Medicare

BURR TOOK OVER $1 MILLION FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES

Burr Has Received $1.1 Million From Insurance Interests.Over the course of his political career Burr has received a total of $1,129,864 from insurance industry interests. [opensecrets.org, accessed June 1, 2016]

BURR INTRODUCED A PLAN TO REFORM MEDICARE WHICH WOULD TURN IT INTO VOUCHERS AND RAISE THE ELIGIBILITY AGE

2012: Burr Unveiled His Own Medicare Voucher Plan, Similar To The Ryan Plan. "Two Republican senators unveiled a Medicare overhaul Thursday that features an accelerated transition to private health insurance for many seniors, a gradual increase in the eligibility age, and higher premiums for middle-class and upper-income retirees. […] Like Ryan, Coburn and Burr would gradually raise the eligibility age to 67. But their plan also differs in several important ways. It would start the transition to a system dominated by private insurance plans in 2016 instead of waiting a decade, as Ryan has proposed. Private plans would compete with a government-sponsored program, a retooled version of today's Medicare. Seniors would get a fixed amount from the government which they could apply toward a private plan or the government plan modeled on Medicare. Benefits would not be spelled out, but all plans would have to meet a test of basic insurance value." [Associated Press,2/16/12]
Burr Proposed Turning Medicare Into Vouchers, Raising The Eligibility Age, And Increasing Premiums By 9 Percent. "Republican U.S. Sens. Richard Burr of Winston-Salem and Tom Coburn on Thursday unveiled their plan for changing Medicare, the government-run health-care program for seniors. The plan would offer seniors, starting in 2016, the choice to stick with the government-run fee-for-service program, or choose health insurance policies offered by private companies that would bid for the right to participate in the Medicare program. According to Burr, the Seniors' Choice Act also would: Provide a maximum out-of-pocket protection so that a senior would not have to pay more than $7,500 per year in medical expenses. Gradually raise the age of eligibility for participating in Medicare by two months for each year until age 67, starting with people born in 1949. Gradually increase the premiums on Medicare by an average of 3 percent each year beginning in 2013 so that a 9 percent increase is accomplished by 2016." [Raleigh News & Observer, 2/18/12]
Burr-Coburn Plan Increased Medicare Part B Premiums By 9 Percent Of Part A And B Program Costs Prior To Implementation Of Premium Support, And Beneficiaries Would Pay The Difference Between Their Defined Federal Contribution And Their Plan. "Burr-Coburn "Seniors' Choice Act' February 16, 2012 Part B premiums would be increased by 3 percent of Part A and B program costs each year, beginning in 2013, to achieve a 9 percent increase prior to implementation of premium support in 2016. Beneficiaries would pay the difference between the defined federal contribution and the bid for the plan in which they chose to enroll. Unclear how the Part B and Part D formulas would be calculated or applied beginning in 2016." [Comparison Of Medicare Premium Support Proposals, Kaiser Family Foundation, 7/26/12]
Burr's Proposal For Medicare Included An "Increased Shift Toward More Privatization Of The Medicare Industry." "Under the legislative proposal put forward by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., seniors would be limited in how they use private supplemental Medicare insurance and maximum out-of-pocket medical expenses under Medicare Parts A and B would also be limited. The proposal would also increase out-of-pocket requirements for wealthy seniors. But perhaps the biggest change is a provision that would give seniors the right to choose the Medicare plan that best meets their needs. That means that in 2016, there would be an increased shift toward more privatization of the Medicare industry. Traditional Medicare fee-for-service plans and private plans would "be forced to compete head-to-head,' Coburn said in a statement." [A.M. Best, 2/21/12]

BURR'S PLAN WOULD HELP INSURANCE COMPANIES PROFIT

Insurance Companies Are Prospering Through Expanding Their Roles In Government Health Care Programs. "Despite the sluggish economy, the nation's major health insurers have prospered in large part by expanding their role in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, according to a study released Thursday. The share of large insurers' revenues contributed by their Medicare and Medicaid business has jumped from 36 to 42 percent over the past three years….During last year's first three quarters, the combined operating margin of the five largest publicly traded insurance companies averaged 8.65 percent -- the best three-quarter performance of the past three years. This occurred even as revenues from traditional private-insurance business have remained virtually flat since the end of 2008." [Washington Post, 1/4/12]
Private Plans Through Medicare Advantage Cost The Government 113 Percent More Than Traditional Medicare. A paper by the Kaiser Family Foundation stated that "The government pays 113% more for beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage than for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare… While some have supported the expanded role of Medicare Advantage plans as a means to improve benefits and lower costs under Medicare, the role of private plans in Medicare has been called into question in part due to the fact that the government actually pays these plans more per enrollee than if they were in traditional FFS Medicare, according to analysis by government entities." [kff.org, accessed June 2, 2016]

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