Republican States, like Texas, would Privatize Medicare, Cap Medicaid. GOP Real Death Panel.

Perhaps Politifact can take into consideration the attempts by other Republican state majorities to KILL Medicare-privatize it, before they claim the GOP has no intention of doing that. You think? Take Texas:

Think Progress: Texas lawmakers in the state house passed a 142-page measure in special session that could drastically change how 6.6 million Texans benefiting from Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP programs receive their care.

Convert Medicaid into a block grant: The state would convert the existing Medicaid financing structure into a capped block grant that would increase only for population and the general rate of inflation, not medical inflation.


Privatize Medicare: Texas would enter a compact that would exempt the state from the federal eligibility and benefit rules in the Medicaid program and from all Medicare rules, allowing lawmakers to “possibly sweep Texas seniors on Medicare into private health insurance policies.”

It’s not like Republicans are hiding their real intentions. And what about the slippery slope of partial privatization evolving into total privatization?

But conservative voters do have a point; it saves the government money...if you exclude the inhumane impact it’ll have on Americans. But bottom lines are bottom lines.

One of  the funnier and more ironic end results mentioned in this story, is the lower frees paid out in a private system using taxpayer money. If doctors and hospitals thought their rates were low now, just wait.

State medical providers are already raising concerns, arguing it could lead the state to lower its rock-bottom reimbursement rates. The medical groups note that the proposals would bring less federal dollars into the state and prevent Texas from receiving more funds during economic downturns. A recent analysis of the effects of the GOP’s budget on the states from the Kaiser Family Foundation concluded that Texas could lose 38.4 percent of its federal dollars and may have to cut enrollment in Medicaid by up to 52 percent.

Deal with it. Beware of what you wish for….

Rep. Lois Kolkhorst (R), who sponsored the measures, promised that the state would be able to use “innovation” to stretch the more limited federal contribution. She did not provide any further details.

What a typically ridiculous conservative plan.