Is it fair to call Paul Ryan's Medicare plan 'Vouchercare'?
The New York Times' Paul Krugman rips the GOP over their gripe that labeling Ryan's Medicare proposal a voucher plan is unfair demagoguery. Well, is it?
Republicans get "huffy" when you call Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) controversial Medicare plan a voucher scheme, says Paul Krugman in The New York Times. But pointing out that they are trying to replace Medicare with "an entirely different program — call it Vouchercare" — isn't "demagoguery, it's just pointing out the truth." Is that a fair characterization of the GOP-backed Medicare plan?
Of course "Vouchercare" is fair game: Liberals say some dumb things about Ryan's plan, but it's Ryan who's being "deeply disingenuous" in insisting that his plan offers "premium support," not "vouchers," says Bob Somerby at The Daily Howler. You can see why: "The term 'voucher' tends to poll poorly," while nobody knows exactly what premium support is. But the end result is the same: "Grossly inadequate" subsidies that make health care unaffordable for seniors.
"How progressives shouldn't argue"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The GOP should defend vouchers: If we're going to save Medicare, we need to "rise above cheap political rhetoric," says Robert Samuelson in The Washington Post. The key to Ryan's plan is that "suddenly empowered" Medicare consumers will use their vouchers to shop for high-quality, lower cost plans, with competition driving down health care costs. That may be "shock therapy," but Ryan's "radicalism" will do more to keep Medicare solvent than Democrats' "tinkering."
"Why we must end Medicare 'as we know it'"
Ryan has a point... sort of: Ryan's plan shares characteristics with both premium support and vouchers, says Rick Ungar at Forbes. It's true that, like premium support, Ryan's version of Medicare would directly pay insurance companies, not Medicare beneficiaries. But with true premium support, the payments go up in lockstep with rising premiums. In Ryan's plan, the payments rise much slower, shifting the costs onto seniors. And "this, by anyone's definition, is a voucher program."
"Is Paul Ryan's Medicare a voucher system or not"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Four key tax changes to prepare for in April
The Explainer With time running out, a last-minute checklist could help you make the most of your allowances
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Covid four years on: have we got over the pandemic?
Today's Big Question Brits suffering from both lockdown nostalgia and collective trauma that refuses to go away
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Katespiracy: is the media to blame?
Talking Point Public statement about cancer diagnosis followed weeks of wild speculation and conspiracy theories
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will North Korea take advantage of Israel-Hamas conflict?
Today's Big Question Pyongyang's ties with Russia are 'growing and dangerous' amid reports it sent weapons to Gaza
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published