By choosing Wis. Rep. Paul Ryan to be his running mate, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney has put Medicare on the table as a major 2012 campaign issue.
Ryan has had a long-standing interest in restructuring the health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. In 2010, Republicans won a majority in the House of Representatives and chose Ryan to lead the Budget Commitee — a platform he has used to advance ideas that have won widespread support from Republicans and equally widespread denunciations from Democrats.
Kaiser Health News has extensive coverage of Ryan’s proposals for Medicare — and of competing proposals — a sample of which you will find below.
FAQ: How Paul Ryan Proposes To Change Medicare
Aug. 11, 2012 — Mitt Romney’s choice for vice president has provoked consternation from Democrats and anxiety among some congressional Republicans with his proposals to reshape Medicare.
FAQ: Obama v. Ryan On Controlling Federal Medicare Spending
May 3, 2012 — Here are some questions and answers about the Democratic and Republican approaches to moderating spending on the popular program, which covers 47 million seniors and disabled people.
New Ryan Budget Would Transform Medicare And Medicaid
March 20, 2012 — The Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee surprised no one when he released a spending blueprint that would drastically reshape the Medicare and Medicaid programs for the elderly and poor in an attempt to rein in their soaring costs.
Video: Ryan On ‘Moral And Legal Obligation’ To Fix Entitlements
March 20, 2012 — House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as well as Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., said that the sweeping changes proposed to Medicare in the GOP 2013 budget would protect the program for seniors and the disabled.
Can GOP Deliver On Its Promise To Preserve Traditional Medicare?
March 8, 2012 — Proponents see the new proposal as more politically palatable than last year’s House budget that would have eliminated traditional Medicare. But critics argue it would change the current program so fundamentally that it might no longer be a desirable – or affordable — option.
House GOP 2013 Budget Proposal — Health Programs
Selections from “The Path To Prosperity,” the House Budget Committee’s 2013 budget outline (PDF).
Analysis: Wyden-Ryan Plan Could Neutralize Medicare In 2012 Election
Dec. 15, 2011 — Even with just two congressional supporters, a new Medicare overhaul plan could have big implications for next year’s congressional election.
Ryan-Wyden Plan
A proposal for Medicare “premium support” by Rep. Ryan and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released in December 2011 (PDF).
Understanding Rep. Ryan’s Plan For Medicare
April 4, 2011 — Ryan lays out a plan to convert Medicare into a premium support program for which the government will spend a specific amount for beneficiaries’ care, a fundamental shift from the current fee-for-service program.
Republican’s Controversial Proposal To Mend Medicare
Nov 2, 2010 — Ryan wrote the book, “Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders,” with fellow House Republicans Eric Cantor of Virginia and Kevin McCarthy of California. Because the GOP is taking control of the House, they will be in position to advance their ideas.
Rivlin-Ryan Plan
A proposal by Ryan and Clinton OMB director Alice Rivlin, released in November 2010.
Resources And Proposals On Curbing Medicare Cost Growth
A Kaiser Health News resource with details on the competing proposals.
via Paul Ryans Plan For Medicare: Essential Reading – Kaiser Health News.