U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, is one of five House Republicans hosting town hall meetings today, according to a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee website that urges party faithful to show up and “Tell Republican Members of Congress to keep their hands off the Medicare benefits that seniors have earned.”

Democrats, who accused tea party members of “Astroturf” protests at town hall meetings in 2009, are supplying talking points, downloadable protest signs and pre-drafted letters to the editor decrying the GOP’s “reckless privatization scheme.”

West and other House Republicans voted for a plan that, for those who are now 54 and younger, would change Medicare from a defined-benefit program to one in which the government subsidizes premiums paid to private insurance plans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the plan would force future retirees to pay higher out-of-pocket costs — about $12,500 for a typical 65-year-old in 2022 under the GOP proposal compared to $5,630 under the current system.

Republicans argue that the hands-off approach advocated by Democrats will lead to the insolvency of Medicare. A Social Security and Medicare Trustees report released Friday estimates that if Medicare remains on autopilot it will no longer be able to pay full benefits beginning in 2024 — when today’s 52-year-olds reach retirement age.

The Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee began airing radio ads Tuesday targeting Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Young and others in senior-heavy districts nationwide for supporting a budget proposal that could reduce Medicare spending.

Young,  80, is the longest serving Republican in Congress and represents Pinellas County. That’s also home to politician-in-waiting,  former Gov. Charlie Crist, an ex-Republican turned independent — oft-rumored to be considering becoming a Democrat. 

But in Tallahassee this week for the unveiling of his gubernatorial portrait, Crist downplayed such talk.

“I’ve heard a lot of that speculation,” Crist said of the party-switch scenario. But I’m paying all my attention to (wife) Carole and the rest of my family. And working hard for the people at (Orlando-based trial lawyer firm) Morgan & Morgan. I’m enjoying being an independent, it’s a great place to be.”

Crist also seemed to distance himself from running against Young, or looking to succeed him should the veteran congressman choose to retire. Asked if he might be on the 2012 ballot, Crist replied, “I doubt it.”

U.S. Reps. Allen West, R-Plantation, and Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, are being targeted in Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee radio ads for voting for a budget plan last week that would change Medicare from the defined-benefit program it is today to a program in which the government provides “premium support” for people to purchase private insurance plans.

The Medicare proposal, part of a budget plan drafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., would apply to those who are now younger than 55. The Ryan budget passed last week on a 235-193 vote with every Democrat in the House opposed.

(more…)

Gov. Rick Scott offered little Tuesday when asked whether he would consider ending his family’s financial stake in Solantic, the urgent care company he founded and which provides drug-testing services.

Scott’s role in the firm was spotlighted when he signed an executive order ordering drug-testing for new state hires and random screening of current employees.

“As I’ve told you, I’m not involved in that company,” Scott said, refusing to directly answer whether he would consider prohibiting the state from contracting with the firm.

Scott, who reported a net worth of $218 million when he filed papers to run for governor last summer, had pledged to put his financial holdings into a blind trust, when elected. Instead, in January, Scott transfered his Solantic stock to his wife, Ann.

Scott built most of his wealth from growing Columbia/HCA health care into one of the nation’s biggest hospital chains. Three years after he left Columbia/HCA, the company paid $1.7 billion to end a federal investigation into accusations of Medicare fraud — the largest settlement of its kind in the nation’s history.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein’s third TV ad is also his third slam on Republican challenger Allen West, calling him “too extreme for South Florida.”

The ad features a clip of West at a tea party rally saying “I’m just honored to be here today with all of my fellow right-wing extremists.”

Asked if West’s remarks might be considered tongue-in-cheek, a Klein spokeswoman said “as always, Allen West’s own words speak for themselves.”

Klein’s ad also claims West favors “destroying” Social Security and believes Medicare “can be cut” — although the Klein campaign doesn’t cite direct quotes of West saying either.

(more…)

The most widely reported exchange from the first debate Monday between Republican gubernatorial candidates Rick Scott and Bill McCollum was about $1.7 billion in fines Scott’s hospital chain paid after a Medicare fraud investigation. From our recap of the debate:

Scott said that while he took responsibility for Columbia/HCA’s actions, politicians typically don’t take responsibility for failures in government.

“Rick, let’s get serious,” McCollum shot back. “You say you took responsibility, but the only thing you took was $300 million. Your company stole that money from the senior citizens of this country.”

As McCollum and Scott prepare for what appears to be their final debate tonight, the video above uses footage from the campaign trail to explore how Scott handles Medicare fraud questions and exactly what he takes responsibility for.

How do you find $455 billion in Medicare savings without cutting benefits to seniors?

The health care legislation approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Sunday assumes Medicare spending will increase by $455 billion less than current projections over the next decade, but the bill’s supporters insist seniors won’t see a reduction in benefits.

The issue has especially big political consequences in senior-heavy South Florida.

The Medicare cuts are key to Democrats’ claims that the $940 billion health care bill will actually reduce the deficit by $138 billion over the next decade. But a look at the Congressional Budget Office estimates raises questions about whether Medicare savings of that magnitude can be achieved.

(more…)

Backers of President Barack Obama’s health care reforms unleashed a television ad in Orlando, Louisville and Washington pillorying Humana’s scare tactics targeting seniors and the plan’s impact on Medicare.

Americans United for Change, Obama’s campaign organization-turned unofficial presidential PR machine, is running the ad and also staging a protest at Humana headquarters in West Palm Beach today at noon.

Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched an investigation into Humana Inc.’s possible misuse of beneficiary information to send anti-health care mailers to its Medicare gap coverage enrollees. The Louisville-based insurer is one of the largest Medicare supplemental insurance providers.

Humana sent mailers to seniors in several states, including Florida, containing what could be misleading information about Obama’s plan, warning of cuts to benefits and increases in costs to the popular government-backed insurance plan for seniors.

According to the AARP’s web site, “None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.”