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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Tuesday, December 15
Rutledge: Protect Medicare for future generations
FOREST HILL, Maryland - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim Rutledge today added his voice to the millions of Americans who now strongly oppose plans by Senate Democrats to irresponsibly expand the federal Medicare program by tens of millions of people age 55-64 while at the same time cutting the program for seniors and the disabled by $500 billion.
Rutledge noted that such drastic changes would prove catastrophic to the venerable program that now serves as a critical lifeline to some 45 million elderly and disabled Americans who rely on its life-sustaining medical benefits and services.
"Now is the time to stand up and say 'no' to Democrats' plans to rob Medicare in order to pay for President Obama's trillion dollar health care program," Rutledge said. "Ms. Mikulski and her fellow Democrats should go back to the drawing board and leave Maryland's seniors alone."
Rutledge echoed growing public sentiment that Senate Democrats' proposed cuts to doctor and hospital reimbursement rates in legislation now being considered will force hundreds of thousands of doctors to refuse to treat Medicare patients. And the result of applying these lower reimbursement rates to patients 55-64, Rutledge noted, likely would be to drive more doctors away from practicing medicine and discourage others from entering the field in the first place.
"First it was a failed attempt at job creation through Democrats' so-called stimulus program, and now they've tightened their grip on what they're selling as health care reform," said Rutledge. "The Democrats' desire for federal government control of every aspect of our lives just doesn't sit well with us, the American people. We aren't buying what they're selling."
For more information about Jim Rutledge and his campaign for U.S. Senate in Maryland, please visit the campaign online at www.rutledgeforussenate.com.
Paid for by the Rutledge for US Senate 2010 Committee.
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