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This Chart Illustrates Why Medicare Is in Desperate Need of Reform

Sep. 5, 2012 6:59pm Becket Adams

You know how Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan keeps going on about Medicare and how we need to reform it? Why does he feel like he needs to keep bringing it up –

Zero Hedgs Makes Chart Illustrating Why Medicare Is in Desperate Need of Reform

Courtesy Zero Hedge

Oh, good grief. Look at that.

“In the words of Sesame Street, one of these spending components of the long-run budget plan is not like the others; one of these entitlements is not the same; can you spot which one?” writers at Zero Hedge joke.

As the above chart — based on the CBO’s Updated Budget Projections: Fiscal Years 2012 to 2022 and a Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research report — illustrates, the answer is painfully, shockingly clear.

Maybe this is why Ryan is so insistent on having a debate on Medicare reform.

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Front page photo courtesy the AP.

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Comments (52)

AmericanFightingMan1
Posted on September 6, 2012 at 2:13am
Funny, some of you think our government actually still has your money saved for you. Joke is on you. The money is spent. The treasury is raided. IOU’s litter its vault. A ponzi scheme many of you still cannot see. A joke played on you and me years and years ago.

1945, 40 workers supported 1 on benefits. Now it is 1.5 to 1. No way the system functions. In fact, it has not for a while. That’s why they print money (or electronically create it). Stringing us along to the bitter end.

Jokes on us friends. FDR and a long line of thieves.

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DRAGONSEED
Posted on September 6, 2012 at 1:01am
Please stop lumping together *legitimate programs* such as Social Security and Medicare, with WELFARE programs like MEDICAID, FOOD STAMPS, AFDC/TANF (INSTEAD OF CUTTING OUT CR*P LIKE THIS, THEY MERELY RENAME IT AND ENCOURAGE MORE FREELOADERS TO SIGN UP), FREE CELL PHONES, FREE ENERGY, etc., ad nauseum.

If you want to CUT SPENDING, CUT the d*mned WELFARE programs that are nothing but HANDOUTS to SLACKERS, and leave alone the Social Security and Medicare that WORKING PEOPLE have paid into all their lives. And before they start slashing Medicare, they had better START CRACKING DOWN ON THE FRAUD THAT IS RAMPANT IN THAT COCKEYED, STUPID SYSTEM.

And we need to go back to a generalized societal attitude of “IF YOU CAN’T FEED ‘EM, DON’T BREED ‘EM”–CUT THIS CR*P OF ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GENERATE A BUNCH MORE FREELOADERS BY FEEDING/HAND-HOLDING THE FAT SOWS SPAWNING THEM.

TIME FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY ON EVERYONE’S PART.

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- Patriot Mommy
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 8:39am
  Although I agree with you 100% on the topic. Just cutting out welfare will not get us out of the mess that Government has put us in over the last 60+ years. We are going to have to make some tough cuts in some of the other entitlements also. Look I know it sucks. My parents and Grandmother are relying on Medicare and Social Security to live as are members of my husbands family. I will tell you like I have told them. We have to reduce these programs some. Not do away with them, but make some tough cuts. I will help them in anyway that I can, but I know that if we do not do something my children will be paying for our mistakes. I and my husband are in our mid thirties. We know we are not going to be able to rely on these entitlements when the time comes, and that is OK with me. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that my girls are not in this position when they reach adulthood. Why should they pay for our mistakes? If that means my husband and I have to work past retirement age then so be it. We have to think of the America that we are leaving behind for our children and grandchildren. You are absolutely on spot with welfare, but it is not enough. I am sorry if this offends you, but I do not want to be 80 and have my grandchildren come up to me one day and say “You could have done something. Why did you not stand up for us.”
  
  Report this comment
- contractorniu
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 9:50am
  The biggest welfare program ( entitlements/salary/benefits for US Fed employees ) Government Employees far outweigh any welfare program designed for poor. Place a mandate that limits government size and amount they can earn.
  
  Report this comment
- Melika
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 12:02pm
  You are 100% right. Even using the chart given, simply taking the money that is stolen from workers and given to free-loaders would put the Medicare/SS programs in the black immediately. There is no way in h*ll we should cut any amount of SS for those who are already on it – they can barely make ends meet as is. I’m all for phasing it out, but cutting those already on it is a ridiculous and cruel idea. You don’t punish good people because they are old or disabled. Start with the welfare whores, move onto the foreign aid, government unions, business welfare (corporate and farm), student loans, and then I’ll be willing to talk about beating up Grandma and Grandpa some more.
  When Glenn Beck et.al. are willing to support my elderly family, I’ll be willing to let a prig like that cut off their SS to “save” the Union.
  
  Report this comment
- drphil69
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 2:09pm
  Social security is now also a welfare program. They raided it long ago. It now makes payments to disabled people who never worked a day in their life nor paid a dime into it. Same with Medicare – if you have any disability that qualifies you for social security, you also qualify for medicare, regardless of age.
  
  As far as being ‘legitimate programs,’ if you want to call a giant intergenerational ponzi scheme that every citizen is forced into at birth, be my guest.
  
  Either way, these 2 programs are busting the budget – BOTH of them are bigger than our military budget (each).
  
  Report this comment
mtsnj
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:16pm
In the words of Sesame street…” which president doesn’t belong here,”. C’mon everybody sing it.

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- milez5
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 3:24am
  Well I want Romney to win, mostly because I fear what America will look like if he does not. Having said that, I also fear that if elected the best he will be able to do is manage this nations decline.
  I really don’t think that Americans have the guts to face up to the problems that we have and if we don’t, no politician ever will.
  
  Report this comment
RGB
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:04pm
A good start would be to have the debate PR wants. Right now the left has their heads buried in the sand on this, and even though the fed govt has no business in any of this business as our Libertarian friends remind us the fact is that they are balls deep into it. Starting the debate is the only way to get this going in the right direction and in incremental ways that ween society off these programs with minimal pain.

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- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 12:19am
  Which following subject would you include in “debate?”
  
  Obama – Amnesty (Dream Act)
  Romney – Amnesty (Dream Act)
  Ryan – Amnesty (Comprehensive Amnesty)
  
  Obama – TARP
  Romney – TARP
  Ryan – TARP
  
  Obama – Signed NDAA
  Romney – Would sign NDAA
  Ryan – Voted for NDAA
  
  Obama – PRIVATE Federal Reserve
  Romney – PRIVATE Federal Reserve
  Ryan – PRIVATE Federal Reserve
  
  Obama – Nation-building
  Romney – Nation-building
  Ryan – Nation-building
  
  Obama – “Patriot” Act
  Romney – “Patriot” Act
  Ryan – “Patriot” Act
  
  Obama – Gungrabber (Endorsed handgun ban and limiting gun purchases)
  Romney – Gungrabber (Gun Control flip-flopper who SUPPORTED Brady)
  Ryan – Gungrabber (Voted for MANDATORY GUNSHOW background check)
  
  Obama – Collectivist healthcare. (Obamacare)
  Romney – Collectivist healthcare (Romneycare)
  Ryan – Collectivist healthcare (Medicare Part D)
  
  Obama – REJECTS the Enumerated Powers and 10th Amendment
  Romney – REJECTS the Enumerated Powers and 10th Amendment
  Ryan – REJECTS the Enumerated Powers and 10th Amendment
  
  Report this comment
TopAssistant
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:45pm
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, S-CHIP and other “ENTITLEMENT” programs are all unconstitutional. Look at the Constitution Article I, Section 8, and the limiting clauses. If the national government wants to do something or spend money on anything and it is not listed in this Article and Section then it reverts to the 10th Amendment which states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

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Mike Benton
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:18pm
When I got “free shoes” from Medicare because a doc said that as a 70 year old diabetic I had a right to them I subsequently got a “bill” via AARP’s monitoring system and they cost you nearly $500.00!!

I called Medicare to complain and got into a discussion about it that went in circles until the bureaucrat said: ” you got the “blank” shoes didn’t you!”.

Consider this: Had I still been working for my company of 30 years I would have called HR and I can be sure that person would have jumped in someone stuff! (Sadly, I might not have seen the bill sent to my company’s offices…but people should). If I was on the Ryan plan I would turn these clowns into my insurance company to keep my premiums down.

So now you chose: which of these scenarios do you want in your health care system?

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- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:38pm
  Or…. we could just follow the Constitution, return everybody’s STOLEN earnings, PROSECUTE THOSE WHO STOLE IT, DISSOLVE Medicare and Ryancare (Medicare Part D)… and we return to the American FREE-MARKET that created the best medical system in the world.
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:26pm
  @brother liberal
  
  Ref: Earmarks
  
  We could just follow the Constitution, return everybody’s STOLEN earnings, PROSECUTE THOSE WHO STOLE IT,
  
  Report this comment
DOra Glasberg
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:03pm
Vouchers are NOT reform. A little common sense here.
The system is a mess BECAUSE OF THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY,
How does Ryan throwing Seniors back to the insurers reform anything.

Have you noticed Romney/Ryan no longer use the word VOUCHER?

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- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:16pm
  @Dora The Explorer
  
  The system is a mess because of the liberals who are trying to socialize it and yes Romney/Ryan are still talking about vouchers.
  
  I think Debbie is calling you.
  
  Report this comment
- t00nces2
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:20pm
  Insurance is not medical care. Give the money to the seniors to use on medical care and insurance as they see fit. The free market will take care of the rest. The course we are on is a definite failure of the program and that will leave millions without any hope of care.
  
  Report this comment
- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:20pm
  Yes, Dora. RomneyRyan are Socialists, same as Obama/Biden. NO DIFFERENCE. They can use ANY political euphemism they want to… but it’s ALL UNCONSTITUTIONAL Central Government Planning.
  
  Report this comment
- mactlman
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:25pm
  vouchers only apply to those under 55 and ONLY if they want to go that route! better then bankrupt system and NO one gets any services ain’t it???
  
  Report this comment
- TopAssistant
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:47pm
  Dora: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, S-CHIP and other “ENTITLEMENT” programs are all unconstitutional. Look at the Constitution Article I, Section 8, and the limiting clauses. If the national government wants to do something or spend money on anything and it is not listed in this Article and Section then it reverts to the 10th Amendment which states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
  
  Report this comment
- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:12pm
  You are extremely dense.
  And the 50 million uninsured.
  Your solution please.
  
  Report this comment
- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:55pm
  Dora, meet solution:
  (hint: he’s the DOCTOR the leftist republicans rejected)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foXQbmZxWYY
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 11:02pm
  @brother liberal
  
  Dora The Explorer works for the DNC. Sorry, I forgot you two work together.
  
  Report this comment
Brother Winston Smith
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:56pm
Which Enumerated Power authorizes Medicare? Ryancare (Medicare Part D)? Social Security?

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- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:04pm
  @brother liberal
  
  Which Enumerated Power authorizes earmarks?
  
  Report this comment
- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:18pm
  Well, “therealconservative” answer my question and I shall be happy to answer yours.
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 9:06pm
  @brother liberal
  
  None. So answer my question and why your leader still put earmarks in the budget.
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:07pm
  @brother liberal
  
  Too busy at the convention?
  
  Report this comment
- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:49pm
  Correct, therealconservative. What Obama, Romney and Ryan are doing IS ILLEGAL! Criminal.
  
  Now, as for your Alinskyite-redirect question, that is unrelated to anything… earmarks are not unconstitutional, as long as they are for Enumerated items. But Ron Paul, who respects both the Constitution and his constituents requests to have their UNCONSTITUTIONALLY-stolen money returned (his job as a rep), NEITHER SUPPORTS, NOR VOTES FOR UN-ENUMERATED PORK. Furthermore, Ron Paul has INTRODUCED many, many, many bills to REVERSE this theft, INCLUDING ELIMINATING THE UNAMERICAN INCOME TAX. FURTHERMORE, his 2012 platform (that leftist republicans rejected) included the ELIMINATION of 5 major UNCONSTITUTIONAL departments.
  
  Many FAKE-conservatives use this mangled logic in attempt to smear Dr. Paul. They will try to equate CREATING UNCONSTITUTIONAL DEPARTMENTS/AGENCIES with RETURNING THE STOLEN MONEY THOSE DEPARTMENTS/AGENCIES HAVE PILFERED. Quite dishonest and very transparent. Same as claiming, since SS is unconstitutional, it is, likewise, unconstitutional for me to “collect” my STOLEN earnings.
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 10:59pm
  @brother liberal
  
  I see your free since the convention is over for tonight.
  
  “earmarks are not unconstitutional, as long as they are for Enumerated items”
  
  Nice ducking the question (Duck of the day award) now show me in the Constitution (the U.S. Constitution) where it states that ANY earmarks are allowed.
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 11:08pm
  @brother liberal
  
  “his job as a rep”
  
  Where in the Constitution does it state that the JOB of a member of Congress to ‘add taxpayer money onto the current budget (adding to the debt)’
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 11:13pm
  @brother liberal
  
  “since SS is unconstitutional, it is, likewise, unconstitutional for me to “collect” my STOLEN earnings.”
  
  But I know you will.
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 11:16pm
  @brother liberal
  
  What Ron Paul has don with earmarks IS ILLEGAL! Criminal.
  
  BTW, where’s the budget that Ron Paul introduced on the floor and had pass?
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 11:19pm
  What’s wrong Brother Liberal? No cut-and-paste reply?
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 6:48am
  @thereal
  
  You attack anything we say, even if it is the truth.
  
  The earth is round……there, have some more fun
  
  Report this comment
- therealconservative
  Posted on September 6, 2012 at 7:15am
  @soysauce
  
  What truth?
  
  No I only comment when you and brother liberal or the rest of the “FOLLOWERS” try to spread your BS.
  
  Report this comment
soybomb315_II
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:36pm
What is included in that “other” category – and how does it go down? You know federal spending NEVER goes down

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Aiser
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:34pm
Medicare and all the other programs don’t need “reforms”. They need ton be abolished. It’s just like how the Europeans are whining about their supposed “cuts” demanding instead for things like “pension reform”. It’s always “x reform”, which is a desperate attempt to say “hey we can’t sustain this program at current rates so lets find a way to keep funding it”. Fact is such programs can’t be funded for the long or short run as they come at the expense of future taxes on the young and on the yet unborn.

You can reform any entitlement you want as many times as you want, the end result is always the same.

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- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:05pm
  And replaced with what?
  The MESS we have now is all a market driven mess.
  What does the country do with the 50 million people who cannot afforc health insurance?
  Enlighten us.
  
  Report this comment
- Mike Benton
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:28pm
  The health care mess is in main cause d by government interference dictating what will or will not be covered. Let the buyer decide.
  
  Report this comment
The_Jerk
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:29pm
When you took healthcare out of the private market and separated those who pay from those who receive the service, what did you think the result would be? When you make healthcare free to those who do not work, will not work, stay at home, what did you think the result would be?

Fools suffer the foolishness of fools, and America was pretty foolish in 1965.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:23pm
I’ll be the Dr. for the day and I prescribe euthanasia for medicare and all other unconstitutional programs.
The sooner the better,we shed all these unconstitutional programs and our financial problems are gone.

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- Jenny Lind
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:31pm
  Thank you, that includes shedding me. My husband served 26 years serving our country, they promised us health care in retirement. I am forced to go to medicare before tricare (military) kicks in. So the hell with the promises that were made right?
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:34pm
  I dont see these programs getting erased by either party. Unfortunately, the only way it will happen is if the entire system goes bust and resets
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:40pm
  @Jenny
  The government promises A LOT of things….it is a shame they are full on liars
  
  Report this comment
- progressiveslayer
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:50pm
  Jenny it’s not personal,what I’m saying is medicare and all other social programs are unconstitutional,just because congress created these programs doesn’t mean they’re constitutional.
  Of course everyone needs health care,I’m saying the government has no business being in the business of health care.The private sector could handle it if DC allowed the private sector to do it.
  
  Government screws up everything it touches and if this so called obama care goes into effect fully our health care will be just as good as Cuba’s.
  
  Report this comment
- MLeo
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 8:15pm
  @Jenny Lind: Thank you to your family for service to our country.
  
  Report this comment
nobull14
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:22pm
The good thing is ?. I will be dead or 124 years old and with Oblamo care kicking in i am sure I will be dead .!!!!!!

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The Jewish Avenger
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:18pm
I thought Charlie Brown said “Good Grief”?

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Exrepublisheep
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:09pm
WE’RE DOOMED! Nothing will change by 2082!

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- Salamander
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:21pm
  Wow, great chart! At least something is going up! (Lunacy in the mind of a progressive that will bury us!)
  
  Report this comment
- marine249
  Posted on September 5, 2012 at 7:22pm
  lets [ hope ] thing change by 2016!
  
  Report this comment

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