Democrats said Trump’s proposed $845 billion in Medicare cuts would balance the budget on the backs of the elderly and poor.
By Toluse Olorunnipa and Toluse Olorunnipa White House reporter Email Bio Follow Sean Sullivan Sean Sullivan Reporter covering national politics Email Bio Follow March 11 at 7:31 PM A new proposal by President Trump to slash Medicare spending puts Republicans in a political bind ahead of the 2020 election as Democrats are pitching an expansion of the popular health-care program for all Americans.
“Make no mistake about it: Trump’s budget is a massive transfer of wealth from the working class to the wealthiest people and most profitable corporations in America,” Sen. Bernie Sanders , a Democratic presidential candidate, said in a Monday tweet that highlighted Medicare cuts. Since taking office, Trump has largely left untouched Medicare and other programs heavily used by seniors. Republicans have followed his lead, ditching previous proposals to raise the retirement age or impose other restrictions to save costs and reduce the $22 trillion national debt.
But Trump’s proposed Medicare savings are more than three times as large as those in his previous budget, and industry lobbying groups said the reductions would hurt hospitals and seniors. “Just this week, more than 100 Democrats in Congress signed up for a socialist takeover of American health care,” Trump said earlier this month at the Conservative Political Action Conference, claiming that a Medicare-for-all plan would “take away private coverage from over 180 million Americans.”
“President Trump has the right mind-set regarding his proposed budget,” said Adam Brandon, president of FreedomWorks, a conservative group. “Congress, however, needs to make entitlement reform a priority if we are to address the nation’s burgeoning national debt in the long term.”
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion | Democrats Hope Scandal Trumps Economic Growth in 2020Opinion: The Democrats plan to investigate their way to victory. Here’s why it won’t work, writes jasonrileywsj
Read more »
Awkward: How Trump’s past donations could haunt 2020 DemsDonations from Trump and his family add another wrinkle to a Democratic primary where candidates are trumpeting their distance from the president.
Read more »
Apple CEO trumps Trump, reframing his name gameSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — To President Donald Trump, it was an awkward slip of the lip. To Apple CEO Tim Cook, it was an opportunity to poke some sly fun at a president who has often clashed with the...
Read more »
Trump slams 'grandstanding' California governor on asylum shelters“I hope the grandstanding Governor of California is able to spend his very highly taxed citizens money on asylum holds more efficiently than money has been spent on the so-called Fast Train," Trumps said.
Read more »
'Medicare-for-all' vs. public option: How health care could shape the race to take on Trump in 20202020 Democratic presidential candidates agree they want universal health coverage. They only differ in their views on how to get there.
Read more »
Analysis | The Health 202: Jayapal's Medicare-for-all bill reflects influence of hard-line progressive groupsThe Health 202: Jayapal's Medicare-for-all bill reflects influence of hard-line progressive groups
Read more »
Trump budget would put an end to some drug-cost help under Medicare Part DThe proposal includes allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, yet also makes other changes that could mean recipients with high drug costs pay more.
Read more »
Trump proposes big cuts to health programs for poor, elderly and disabledThe blueprint also proposes trims to Medicare spending, partly by targeting fraud and abuse.
Read more »
On Medicare, Trump arrives at his 'Read My Lips' momentAs a candidate, Trump swore up and down that he'd never try to cut Medicare. With his new budget plan, he's now breaking that promise.
Read more »
Opinion | The Unforced Error of Medicare for AllOpinion: Democrats should try to reform current health care systems instead of chasing revolutionary measures like single-payer health care, writes vinguptaMD
Read more »