Aug 07, 2011

FACT CHECK: Paul Ryan Falsely Claims Republicans Want to “Reform” Medicare

Today on Fox News Sunday, Republican Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (WI-01) repeatedly and falsely said that he and House Republicans want to “reform” Medicare. 

In reality, Ryan and House Republicans have voted three times to end Medicare and raise health care costs for seniors.

FACT CHECK

Ryan Voted for the Cut, Cap and Balance Plan that is More Extreme than the Republican Budget . The non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities wrote: “The measure […] stands out as one of the most ideologically extreme pieces of major budget legislation to come before Congress in years, if not decades. […] The legislation would inexorably subject Social Security and Medicare to deep reductions.” [H.R. 2560, Vote #606, 7/19/11; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]

Ryan Voted to Deem the Republican Budget as Having been Passed by Congress. Representative Paul Ryan voted to end Medicare by supporting a “deeming resolution” in H. Res. 287 which states “the provisions of House Concurrent Resolution 34 […] shall have force and effect […] in the House as though Congress has adopted such concurrent resolution”. [H. Res. 287, Vote #382, 6/1/11]

Ryan Voted for the 2012 Republican Budget Proposal that Would “End Medicare.” In April, Paul Ryan voted to end Medicare by supporting the Republican budget. The Wall Street Journal reported “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” [H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]

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