PolitiFact.com
Statements about Medicare
Ted Poe

Ted Poe

True

When good turkeys go bad

Says new Medicare billing guidelines "have nine codes for (injuries by) turkeys."

Josh Mandel

Josh Mandel

Mostly True

A projection, not a certainty

Federal spending on entitlements "is projected to consume all revenue by 2045."

Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson

Mostly True

Plenty of cuts, but growth overall

"Nobody in total is proposing cutting anything. We’re trying to reduce the rate of growth in government."

Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Half-True

Grabbing credit before its proven

"Already, the Affordable Care Act is helping to slow the growth of (Medicare’s) health care costs."

Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan

Full Flop

A big change after the election

On his definition of "takers" and "makers"

Marcia Fudge

Marcia Fudge

Mostly True

Cuts target waste and their impact is unsettled

The so-called doc fix in the fiscal cliff deal will cut payments "for treating illnesses disproportionately impacting minorities, including end stage renal disease and diabetes."

Progressive Change Campaign Committee

Progressive Change Campaign Committee

Half-True

Said that, and more

Says U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Thompson "says he’ll do away with Medicare."  

Priorities USA Action

Priorities USA Action

Mostly True

One of several directors

Says Mitt Romney "was director of a company that stole millions from Medicare."

Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse

False

The lie that will not die

"The Ryan budget gets rid of Medicare in 10 years and turns it into a voucher program."

Tommy Thompson

Tommy Thompson

Half Flip

New plan steps away from Ryan’s, but not by much

On support for U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare reform plan  

C.W. Bill Young

C.W. Bill Young

Half-True

The $716B 'cut' wasn't a vote by itself

Says he "opposed $716 billion cut to Medicare."

Jessica Ehrlich

Jessica Ehrlich

Half-True

Well, this sounds familiar

Says Bill Young "voted twice for the Ryan budget that ends the current Medicare system."

Tammy Baldwin

Tammy Baldwin

False

She cited many reasons at the time, but not that one

Says she voted against the Medicare Part D prescription drug program "because it was unfunded."

Tommy Thompson

Tommy Thompson

Mostly False

GOP and he were in charge

Says Democrats first proposed prohibiting the government from negotiating prices for prescription drugs in Medicare Part D and he "had nothing to do with" that provision in the law.

Tammy Baldwin

Tammy Baldwin

False

His role a limited one, with Congress, the president and more involved

Says U.S. Senate rival Tommy Thompson ran Medicare "into the ground" and "nine years closer to bankruptcy."

Workers' Voice

Workers' Voice

False

Plan cited is silent on how to make Social Security solvent

Says U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Thompson supports a plan for "privatizing Social Security."

Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson

Mostly True

Congressional Research Service study documented cuts

Says Connie Mack’s Penny Plan would cut "over $200 billion out of Medicare, over $1 trillion out of Social Security. ... $3 trillion out of defense."

Charles Bass

Charles Bass

Mostly False

Stretches truth on both counts

Ann McLane Kuster is "for a government takeover of health care more radical than Obamacare. And she supports a $700 billion cut to Medicare for current retirees."

Tommy Thompson

Tommy Thompson

False

Earlier ad said “cut”: that’s way closer to the truth

Says Tammy Baldwin "voted to gut Medicare for seniors."

Ohio Republican Party

Ohio Republican Party

Half-True

So-called cut reflects savings from slowing growth in spending

"President Barack Obama (is) the first president in history to cut Medicare by $700 billion."

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