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Flake voted for Medicare 'cuts' he now opposes
Fact checks show Flake knowingly making false claims about Medicare
In an attempt to mislead Arizona seniors and rewrite history, 12-year incumbent Congressman Jeff Flake and his campaign are recycling proven falsehoods to divert attention from Flake's own record of slashing benefits for seniors.
Flake's campaign recently stated that "Carmona supports Obamacare, which cuts $716 billion from Medicare.” Not only has that $716 billion figure been repeatedly proven false by fact checkers around the country, but Congressman Flake voted for the exact same Medicare savings as part of the Ryan Budget, which would also turn Medicare into a voucher system.
"Congressman Jeff Flake is knowingly lying to Arizonans about Medicare savings he voted for. Even for a career politician and former lobbyist, that's a stunning level of hypocrisy," said Carmona for Arizona Communication Director Andy Barr. "Dr. Carmona will protected Medicare and firmly opposes Congressman Flake's plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system, raising out-of-pocket health care costs for an average Arizona senior by $6,400 a year."
CLAIM: AFFORDABLE CARE ACT “CUTS $716 BILLION FROM MEDICARE”
Flake Campaign: Affordable Care Act Cuts $716 Billion From Medicare. On the campaign’s website, in a section headlined “Democrat Carmona supports Obamacare, which cuts $716 billion from Medicare,” Flake spokesman Andrew Wilder said that “Obamacare means devastating consequences for Medicare, because it cuts $716 billion from the program. It’s irreconcilable for anyone to support Obamacare while also claiming to support protecting Medicare for seniors. Yet that’s Richard Carmona.” [RubberStampRich.com, retrieved 9/12/12]
FACT CHECK: CLAIM THAT AFFORDABLE CARE ACT “CUT” SPENDING DEBUNKED "TIME AND AGAIN" BY FACT CHECKERS
PolitiFact: Claim That Affordable Care Act Cut $700 Billion From Medicare “Mostly False” According to independent fact checkers PolitiFact, the claim that the Affordable Care Act would cut 700 billion from Medicare is “mostly false.” The fact checkers conclude that the law did not “cut a dollar amount from the Medicare program’s budget,” instead “the health care law instituted a number of changes to try to bring down future health care costs in the program,” including payment reductions to “at insurance companies and hospitals, not beneficiaries.” [PolitiFact, 8/15/12]
Claim That Obamacare Cut Medicare Debunked “Time And Again” By Independent Fact Checkers. Washington Post found the claim that the ACA cut hundreds of billions from Medicare "misleading." Instead of cutting Medicare, Washington Post found that the health care bill "actually puts Medicare on a more solid financial footing." Other independent fact checkers agree with the Washington Post and stressed that "time and again" they've pointed out exactly how misleading this claim is. FactCheck.org emphasized that Medcare savings represent a “reduction in the growth of future spending over 10 years, not a slashing of the current Medicare budget or benefits.” [Washington Post, 6/14/11; FactCheck.org, 9/17/10, 8/20/
Health Care Reform Does Not Cut Any Medicare Benefits. AARP, found that the Affordable Care Act "strengthens Medicare by protecting and improving your guaranteed benefits and cracking down on waste, fraud and inefficiency." AARP examined the Affordable Care Act and concluded that the "Affordable Care Act will help millions of Americans afford insurance coverage, will strengthen Medicare and will add new benefits and protections that will help you and your family." [AARP, 3/1/11; 7/2012]
FACT CHECK: JEFF FLAKE VOTED FOR THE EXACT SAME SAVINGS
PolitiFact: “The Ryan Budget Plan Included Cost Savings That Were Part Of The Future Health Care Law.” According to independent fact checkers PolitiFact, the Ryan budget included the Medicare savings that were part of the health care law. Congressman Paul Ryan “confirmed his budged includes the Medicare savings, saying that “our budget keeps that money for Medicare to extend its solvency.” [PolitiFact, 8/15/12]
Flake Voted For Rep. Paul Ryan’s Budget. Jeff Flake joined 227 of his GOP colleagues in supporting Paul Ryan’s budget. [Vote 151, 3/29/12]
