Although Kamala Harris continues to spout false claims that former President Donald Trump wants to cut Medicare funding, the vice president herself cast the tie-breaking vote on Democrats’ scheme to siphon more than $200 billion away from Medicare to fund the left’s “Green New Deal” fantasies. As Trump and other conservatives continue to hammer this point, it could become a major vulnerability for Harris – particularly with high-propensity senior voters – in the final weeks of the campaign.
In 2022, in her role as President of the Senate, Harris broke a 50-50 deadlock in the upper chamber on the egregiously misnamed the “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA), which President Joe Biden signed into law. That bill effectively makes gigantic cuts to Medicare to provide lucrative subsidies and handouts to Democrats’ allies in the “green” energy industry.
Thomas Phillipson, an economist at the University of Chicago and former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, estimates that the IRA will result in $237 billion in cuts to Medicare by 2031. “The Inflation Reduction Act’s poorly conceived government price-setting will disrupt access to medicines for millions of Medicare patients with diabetes, cancer, atrial fibrillation, rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases,” he warns. “The law’s price controls are likely to raise annual out-of-pocket costs for 3.5 million Medicare beneficiaries who take price-controlled medicines.”
Among the outrageous provisions this Medicare cut has gone to pay for is a $7,500 in tax credit for well-off Americans purchasing electric cars—the average cost of which is more than $56,000.
As Joe Grogan, a former advisor to President Trump, put it in piece for Real Clear Policy, “Biden cut benefits from people with a median income of $36,000 per year to subsize cars purchased by individuals who earn five times as much” – amounting to a $240 billion “raid on Medicare.” Moreover, Grogan adds, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this from Democrats. The Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – cut at least $450 billion from Medicare.
Trump himself is also now hitting the disastrous consequences of the IRA for seniors on the campaign trail – and tying Harris directly to the policy. “As vice president, Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to cut Medicare by $273 billion dollars,” the former president said during a rally in July.
Nonetheless, Harris has continued to celebrate the IRA, touting it during a recent campaign stop by bragging that, “we are dropping trillions of dollars on the streets of America right now.”
Along with a litany of Green New Deal policies, the IRA also contained a Medicare drug price fixing scheme that threatened major tax increases on manufacturers and distributors who refused to bow to the government’s wishes.
While the White House promised that the changes would lower costs for patients, the exact opposite has occurred. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), Medicare prescription drug plan premiums increased by more than 20 percent in the year after the IRA became law.
Harris desperately needs to perform well among high-propensity senior voters for Democrats to have any hopes of holding the White House this fall. But raising prescription drug costs as a result of a far-left Democrat spending package falsely labeled as “inflation reducing” is unlikely to win her much support among that demographic.
Moreover, as AMAC Newsline has previously reported, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are about to be hit with cuts for the second consecutive year after the Biden-Harris administration again reduced base payments.
In total, more than 31 million Americans receive benefits through Medicare Advantage plans, which are particularly important for middle- and low-income seniors. Not only will Medicare Advantage recipients see their funding drop, but they will also be required to provide more documentation to receive any financial support – likely leading to a decrease in healthcare access and patient choice.
More than half of Medicare Advantage enrollees live below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, and they save about $2,400 per year compared to traditional Medicare. As The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has pointed out, “Medicare Advantage plans send notices of annual plan changes in the autumn—a few weeks before the November election. Seniors may be in for a rude cost and benefit shock when they try to renew. If seniors like their doctor, they might not be able to keep her.”
Harris, meanwhile, has continued Biden’s strategy of falsely accusing President Trump of wanting to cut Medicare and Social Security – even drawing a rare rebuke from CNN for false and misleading statements.
For his part, Trump has pledged to not touch Social Security and Medicare. The former president has also floated ending taxes on Social Security – another policy which may go a long way toward earning the all-important senior vote.
While Harris can fearmonger all she wants by openly lying about Trump’s Social Security and Medicare agenda, she can’t erase the past or run from her own voting history. That may well prove to be too much for her to overcome this November.
Shane Harris is a writer and political consultant from Southwest Ohio. You can follow him on X @shaneharris513.
Krazy Kamala is just following Jackass Joe Biden in LYING everytime she opens her mouth! It’s amazing to me that they accuse Trump of everything they themselves are guilty of!
The truth is that our federal government has no business in health, education, etc. Those are things to be addressed by the citizens of each state.
While I know this article is true, the challenge is to educate all Americans to this truth. AMAC Is doing its part, but the media in general covers for the democrats and will never help educate the prople because the message conflicts with their leftist agenda. If the general public were fully aware, few would vote for Harris. But awareness is the key.
We all need to keep asking what has Harris said and done?? That is her resume.
Senior Abuse!!!
Biden Harris= Lies and deeds in the Dark to destroy America.
Ending immigration is the best way to go green, so Harris is the worst offender.
Just remember two things: 1. Whatever the democrats accuse others of doing, they themselves are doing and 2. Whatever they name a bill, it does the exact opposite.
The only real job of the Federal Government is to keep our country and people save and secure, and to ensure that all citizens have an equal and fair chance! The rest is up to the Individual States! For to long we have allowed the Federal government to tell us what to do! Laws are written by lawyers who work for special interest groups and then submitted by legislators who work for these groups. Biden wants term limits and ethic rules for Supreme Court justices, what we really need is term limits and ethic rules for Congress!
This information needs to get OUT in the MSM! Not just conservative outlets. I have actually been spending time on msn and yahoo posting “reasoned comments” that will HOPEFULLY get some Dem voters and especially independents to question the lies (leaving out half the facts is lying!!) they are being spoon fed. This is the most important election in my almost 50 years of voting.
PLEASE WAKE UP AMERICA TO WHAT BIDEN/HARRIS HAS BEEN DOING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE NO WAY TO SUPPORT THEIR DAILY NEEDS, EXCEPT FOR S O C AND MEDICARE. WE SENIORS HAVE PAID INTO THESE PROGRAMS ALL OF OUR WORKING DAYS. WE TRUSTED OUR GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THESE INVESTMENTS IN OUR FUTURE LIVES WHEN WE WERE NOT ABLE TO WORK ANYMORE. STOP THEM FROM DESTROYING US.
Hospitals and doctors are stopping to take Medicare advantage plans payments because the IRA cut reimbursements and upped the prescription drugs costs to 8,000 dollars before the insurance kicks in for the total cost. For many on minimum social security that is prohibitive. Most seniors cannot afford their medicines and food and fill up their car. They didn’t fix Medicare for the seniors they fixed it for the insurance companies. Most seniors do not know this. Trump has to tell the American people. Kameltoe is lying big time when she says they saved Medicare. They gutted it. The Medicare Advantage plans are a joke. When people find out when in the middle of the fiscal year they need a procedure done or an operation and they find their local hospital is not taking Humana, United Health, Blue Cross insurance etc. These insurance companies are slow in reimbursing or very low payments as well as not giving their okay for a procedure in a timely manner. Like with everything the Obiden/Kameltoe regime has done is a disaster. They didn’t save Medicare they gutted it. And now they lie about it like always. They don’t know how to tell the truth. And you cannot switch to supplemental insurance in the middle of the year if you signed up for a Medical Advantage plan. They run from Jan. to Dec. Either you have to pay the cost or not have the operation or procedure. If you decide to take the Medicare and supplemental insurance plan you will find that the premium for that is as much or more than the Medicare premium. People on minimum Social Security will see their premium double while on a Medicare advantage plan there was no or a very low premium. But like with Obama care they don’t explain this to the people. And with supplemental you don’t get dental, glasses and hearing aid coverage. The internet is full of warnings about Medicare Advantage pitfalls. Only Obiden/Kameltoe are silent on the subject and like always accuse Trump of what they did or are doing themselves. Watch out for the sheep in wolf’s clothing. They are in the White House right now.
Didn’t Biden say they “killed Medicare” already? America wouldn’t be divided were it not for a divisive press; I blame them for the unchallenged lies.
Do you really think the “Media” Will ever tell this story, of course not, but they will talk about Trump’s threatening to cot social security. Most of the Democrats I know have voted D all their lives and will continue to do so. THINK people it’s no illegal, yet!
It is very sad the way this country has gone down. And Harris is the worst of it. I have seen some of her videos and she doesn’t even make any sense when she does speak. I am just praying that Trump gets back in. When he was in office, things were so much better. I am a widow who exists on social security. It would be nice to live again. I just joined Amac, am looking forward to hear some truth for a change.
How can the mainstream media continuously spew lies after lies about Harris being a better Leader of the US versus Trump? Is it going to be another disastrous four years, or probably even worse. I pray that more people will see the truth that during the Trump’s presidency, life was a lot better. I’d rather have mean tweets and more money in my pocket. Grocery prices have gone up so high, I can’t understand why a lot of people are still voting democrat. Please God, help us.
Socialist DIMMs always take from workers (or those retired after years of work) to give to a bunch of deadbeats! Barry O funneled multiple millions to Solyndra, owned by DIMM fundraiser, and got squat from it for the taxpayers. The whole Green Scam is just a way to enrich woke Swamp rats at the cost of us normal citizens!
Notice to GOP: I’m a Senior and THIS is the FIRST TIME I’ve heard THIS – and I read the ‘news’ fervently! The GOP had better GET THIS WORD OUT TO Srs., OR the Dems will find a way to ‘blame Sr. Medicare cuts’ on Trump, since no one is talking about it NOW! They will say, ‘See, we TOLD YOU SO!’ and Harris will go scot free! THIS NEEDS TO GET OUT BEFORE THE ELECTION. THERE ARE LOTS OF DEMS ON MEDICARE!!!
Kamala Harris is a Marxist and will turn our world upside down. If she gets votes she will destroy Americans and the Supreme court replacing members with Marxists who have similar agendas. Destroy our democracy and freedoms under the Constitution and our bill of rights. She is evil and the people need to know she will take from the poor and give to the illegals spending our tax money to fund them. This happened to Venezuela once known as the richest country and they replace their supreme court with their communist thugs. Once a beautiful country to thrive in and now their people are at our door to experience their dream again. We can’t let this happen we must vote for President Trump who is the biggest patriot ever for the people in our Nation. He is not out for his agenda like Kamala who once to destroy our dream to be whoever we what to be.
Gee, Kalama Lama the Ding Dong lied about something.
I’m shocked! SHOCKED to find that gambling is going on in here.
Here are your winnings, sir.
Oh, thank you very much.
Casablanca
Anyone voting for any Democrat after the last 3.5 years is to is just stupid there are no excuses anymore.
The Green New Deal is the BIGGEST SCAM in History
Love your common sense Op Ed’s. Always fair and balanced in what’s true and what is not, yet never shy in telling it like it is. And the Op Ed topics are always current and provocative. I like that. Kudos to all those who write these op ed’s for Amac!
There is not one government created and managed program for the lack of better word that is not mismanaged, abused and totally full of fraud . As long as no one is held accountable for the disastrous results it will continue. We the boomers are the wealthy generation, it is no wonder govnmt eyes the goods.
Those trillions of dollars put on the streets have gone directly into the sewer and pockets of evil grifter Democrats.
How much more do they need to do against us, take away from us before people wake up? The stock markets are going DOWN, CRASHING!
Make this article available in Facebook, Twitter, TicTok, etc and make it sharable.
NO defund Green deal & backers should drive EVs
Kacklin’ kammy is worse than lyin’ joe biden. How anyone can listen to this lying cretin and believe anything that spews from her ignorant pie-hole is just beyond me. Any woman who buys into the BS this idiot spits out about being woke and staying woke needs to have her head examined. Do you not go to the grocery store to purchase for your family? Do you not see how much prices have increased? Eggs are now between $3 to over $6 per dozen. Milk is running $4.20 to over $7 per gallon. A box of cereal is $3.99 to $5.79 or more a family box. Bacon is $4.99 to $9.99 for 12 to 16 ounces depending on the brand. Hotddogs are $3.99 to $7.99 for a pack of 8, used to be 10 packs for less. $6.47 and up for a pound of ground beef. Bread, for a 20 ounce loaf is $2.50 and up. I’ve seen some as much as $7.99. If kacklin’ kammy gets elected expect things to go even higher, especially electricity and gas prices. People on social security will see their benefit being cut so that the demoncraps can support illegal aliens and provide them with benefits that should be going to our American Citizens. SMH People, open your eyes.
Too many assumptions in this article that these Biden / Harris actions will turn voters against them. They continue to have support from their voters as these people gobble up the lies they keep telling and the media either supports them or ignores them. Blind followers and votes bought and paid for are very hard to turn.
I sure hope this country educates themselves about how bad that this democrat candidate would be as president. Our country has been in a tailspin since the 2020 steal and another election like that we are done as a constitutional republic.
I have lymphedema and neuropathy. My doctor ordered me therapy. My therapist ordered me leg pumps to help with my swollen, painful legs. Now I am receiving letters that medicare wont pay for them and I owe like $3000!! I am one person with less than $30,000 and I get no help with food or anything else. I know that we aren’t getting our health care. They already have been robbing the seniors of medicare health care.
Just thanks for Lamont, one of AMAC Medicare advisors, we get annual updates on our choices for which plan is best for us. We have choices, but those who use aarp get one choice.
It’s just one reason why we’re longtime members of AMAC.
Why go anywhere else?
Every TV ad here for her they lie they make her look like a God that she has done nothing wrong her whole life she will save this country but she will save this world from President Trump they put together a lot propaganda in Wisconsin. They hope everyone will forget who caused all the inflation lets see how she plans to make that better.
FJB and Brenda too!
Is it obvious to people now that Medicare is affected, or do we have to wait years to find out? I dont know because I seldom go to the doctor and take only two (fairly cheap) medications. So far have not noticed price increases.
A worthwhile attack ad would ask “how is your health care situation? better than 4 years ago?”.
This make me cry. The amount of money dems steal from SSA, as well as free handouts to illegals. And no one does a Damn thing.
Don
Government genocide…get rid of the sseniors and there is a loss of income for the demoncrats and their moldy green deals.
PROJECTING MUCH, DEMOCRATS?!
If Harris-Walz wins the election say goodbye to America as we know it. The democrats New Green Deal policies are just a fantasy. The low information voters better start paying attention.
WE MUST GET THIS TRUTH OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND KEEP IT IN THE NEWS .
Why don’t the crooked politicians(like Biden and Kamala-lala and the like)use their own money to back the green scam deal…god knows they can afford it taking bribes(from shadowy organizations) and screwing the American People the way they do.Leave us normal combustible engine lovers alone.
The Green New Deal is the biggest waste of tax dollars and my senior taxes should not go there. If Harris is President we won’t have a country anymore. We will be under a socialist regime and so much for our freedoms and choices. I hope people (Dems) wake up before it is too late.
It’s a shame, it was the senior vote that they still count on, every senior I talk to thanks FJB for taking care of them and SSI benefits.
Suckers to the bitter end!
You can thank Obama for a lot of this, also Clinton, the bushes and others. They have been robbing social security and Medicare for years! This is NOT a new thing! They cover their theft up, and laugh all the way to the bank! Now they want to hand the illegals our social security, free medical care and welfare benefits they are NOT entitled to! They also are robbing our veterans of their benefits! The government is the enemy of the people, that is the demonic demonrat plan, destroy our country and our people! Anyone voting for any demonrat is voting for our demise! Vote TRUMP, take our country back from the thieves! Don’t believe the demonrat lies, they are NOT for us, they are against us, and stop funding the war in Ukraine, most of the billions they are sending is going into zelinsky’s pockets! It isn’t helping the Ukrainian people, only the oligarchs, plus the kickbacks that the demonrats are getting! Biden and Obama have gotten us into several wars, and there will be more if demonrats are allowed to remain in power! We cannot let that happen! We must vote Trump back in and take back our country!
This really angers me! Keep your filthy hands OFF our Medicare funds! WE worked all our lives and paid into social security and Medicare, YOU thieves didn’t pay a cent into our benefits, yet you steal OUR money for your stupid agendas! Social security and Medicare benefits belong to US, NOT you! You have robbed millions of dollars from us already! You will NOT be getting my vote this election! I’m voting TRUMP and encouraging ALL seniors to do the same! Wake up folks, keep those rats OUT of our government, they don’t care about us, only our hard earned money! To them, we are “ useless eaters” and they have NO consideration or respect for us! Most of us live well below the poverty line, while they have their big mansions, fancy cars, extravagant lifestyles on OUR money! They haven’t earned their money, they have stolen ours! We all must stop this theft of our benefits, demand they return all they have taken with interest! They keep saying social security and Medicare will run out of funds by 2035. That is because they are stealing the funding! This has to be stopped!
Shoot it DOWN! . . . Make it DOA.
The “Green New Deal” and “The Great Reset” are simply extensions of the cabal of financiers, wannabe dictators, psychopaths with obscene wealth (i.e., Soros, Gates, Zuckerberg, Democrat donors), and Masonic/Marxist/Communist’s who have long wanted to rule the world their way. They create divisions and chaos by pitting people against each other or make insane claims that the world is ending if some immediate and draconian world-wide changes are not made and those changes, of course, benefit only themselves. The two most recent cons of these demonic-influenced people are of course, man-made climate destruction and vaccines to stop a non-existing disease.