Latest Half-True Fact-checks in Medicare Mitt Romney stated on June 13, 2011 in a Republican presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire: "Obamacare takes $500 billion out of Medicare and funds Obamacare." Rick Santorum stated on May 5, 2011 in a debate in South Carolina: The Medicare drug program "resulted in the program coming in 40 percent under budget. ... And the reason it was, is because the design was right." Mike Haridopolos stated on June 9, 2011 in an 'Orlando Sentinel' op-ed: "Obamacare cuts $500 billion in future Medicare funding in order to fund the new constitutionally questionable government mandate, even going so far as to scuttle Medicare's most popular (and successful) part, Medicare Advantage." Tim Pawlenty stated on May 29, 2011 in ABC's "This Week": Medicare "only has about 50 percent of it paid for by either premiums or payroll taxes, and the rest is deficit spending ... or debt spending." Barbara Boxer stated on May 24, 2011 in an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "There's a 1.5 percent to 2 percent overhead in Medicare. The insurance companies have a 20 percent to 30 percent overhead." Debbie Wasserman Schultz stated on May 25, 2011 in an interview on MSNBC: The Democratic health care law "added 12 years of solvency to Medicare." Amy Kremer stated on May 17, 2011 in an interview on "The Colbert Report": "We bring in enough tax revenue to service our debt, pay for Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, and then still have about $300 (billion) or $400 billion left over." Gerry Connolly stated on April 15, 2011 in a press release.: Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan "lines the pockets of the private insurance companies," increases costs for seniors and does not reduce the deficit. Tom Perriello stated on October 6, 2010 in a TV ad.: "Mr. Hurt would re-open that darn (Medicare) doughnut hole." Americans United for Change stated on February 18, 2010 in a radio ad: "Congresswoman Bachmann actually said we should be 'weaned' off our Social Security and Medicare. She wants to privatize Social Security and replace Medicare with some kind of voucher system." Joe Biden stated on February 14, 2010 in an interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press': Among the money spent on health care in the United States, "46 cents on every dollar spent is through Medicare and Medicaid." John Cornyn stated on October 18, 2009 in an interview on CBS's Face the Nation: "The first installment of health care reform ... will raise the deficit by $250 billion." America's Health Insurance Plans stated on October 15, 2009 in a televison advertisement: Seniors with coverage under Medicare Advantage will give up "more than their share" because of health care reform Ginny Brown-Waite stated on September 9, 2009 in a letter to AARP: AARP is "the largest reseller of insurance in the country" and "has a vested interest in seeing that the market for reselling supplemental insurance expands." Barack Obama stated on September 20, 2009 in an interview on "This Week with George Stephanopolous.": "Medicare does just as good, if not better, at keeping people healthy" as Medicare Advantage. Tom Coburn stated on August 24, 2009 in Fox News Channel's On the Record With Greta Van Susteren: "Medicare has at least $80 billion worth of fraud a year. That's a full 20 percent of every dollar that's spent on Medicare goes to fraud." Barack Obama stated on August 11, 2009 in a town hall meeting.: "I just want to assure [you] we're not talking about cutting Medicare benefits." Donna Brazile stated on August 2, 2009 in CNN's State of the Union with John King: Under President George W. Bush, the U.S. "spent $1.3 trillion on tax cuts for the wealthy" and "trillions" each on a war and on Medicare drug benefits.
Mitt Romney stated on June 13, 2011 in a Republican presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire: "Obamacare takes $500 billion out of Medicare and funds Obamacare." Rick Santorum stated on May 5, 2011 in a debate in South Carolina: The Medicare drug program "resulted in the program coming in 40 percent under budget. ... And the reason it was, is because the design was right." Mike Haridopolos stated on June 9, 2011 in an 'Orlando Sentinel' op-ed: "Obamacare cuts $500 billion in future Medicare funding in order to fund the new constitutionally questionable government mandate, even going so far as to scuttle Medicare's most popular (and successful) part, Medicare Advantage." Tim Pawlenty stated on May 29, 2011 in ABC's "This Week": Medicare "only has about 50 percent of it paid for by either premiums or payroll taxes, and the rest is deficit spending ... or debt spending." Barbara Boxer stated on May 24, 2011 in an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "There's a 1.5 percent to 2 percent overhead in Medicare. The insurance companies have a 20 percent to 30 percent overhead." Debbie Wasserman Schultz stated on May 25, 2011 in an interview on MSNBC: The Democratic health care law "added 12 years of solvency to Medicare." Amy Kremer stated on May 17, 2011 in an interview on "The Colbert Report": "We bring in enough tax revenue to service our debt, pay for Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, and then still have about $300 (billion) or $400 billion left over." Gerry Connolly stated on April 15, 2011 in a press release.: Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan "lines the pockets of the private insurance companies," increases costs for seniors and does not reduce the deficit. Tom Perriello stated on October 6, 2010 in a TV ad.: "Mr. Hurt would re-open that darn (Medicare) doughnut hole." Americans United for Change stated on February 18, 2010 in a radio ad: "Congresswoman Bachmann actually said we should be 'weaned' off our Social Security and Medicare. She wants to privatize Social Security and replace Medicare with some kind of voucher system." Joe Biden stated on February 14, 2010 in an interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press': Among the money spent on health care in the United States, "46 cents on every dollar spent is through Medicare and Medicaid." John Cornyn stated on October 18, 2009 in an interview on CBS's Face the Nation: "The first installment of health care reform ... will raise the deficit by $250 billion." America's Health Insurance Plans stated on October 15, 2009 in a televison advertisement: Seniors with coverage under Medicare Advantage will give up "more than their share" because of health care reform Ginny Brown-Waite stated on September 9, 2009 in a letter to AARP: AARP is "the largest reseller of insurance in the country" and "has a vested interest in seeing that the market for reselling supplemental insurance expands." Barack Obama stated on September 20, 2009 in an interview on "This Week with George Stephanopolous.": "Medicare does just as good, if not better, at keeping people healthy" as Medicare Advantage. Tom Coburn stated on August 24, 2009 in Fox News Channel's On the Record With Greta Van Susteren: "Medicare has at least $80 billion worth of fraud a year. That's a full 20 percent of every dollar that's spent on Medicare goes to fraud." Barack Obama stated on August 11, 2009 in a town hall meeting.: "I just want to assure [you] we're not talking about cutting Medicare benefits." Donna Brazile stated on August 2, 2009 in CNN's State of the Union with John King: Under President George W. Bush, the U.S. "spent $1.3 trillion on tax cuts for the wealthy" and "trillions" each on a war and on Medicare drug benefits.
Mitt Romney stated on June 13, 2011 in a Republican presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire: "Obamacare takes $500 billion out of Medicare and funds Obamacare."
Rick Santorum stated on May 5, 2011 in a debate in South Carolina: The Medicare drug program "resulted in the program coming in 40 percent under budget. ... And the reason it was, is because the design was right."
Mike Haridopolos stated on June 9, 2011 in an 'Orlando Sentinel' op-ed: "Obamacare cuts $500 billion in future Medicare funding in order to fund the new constitutionally questionable government mandate, even going so far as to scuttle Medicare's most popular (and successful) part, Medicare Advantage."
Tim Pawlenty stated on May 29, 2011 in ABC's "This Week": Medicare "only has about 50 percent of it paid for by either premiums or payroll taxes, and the rest is deficit spending ... or debt spending."
Barbara Boxer stated on May 24, 2011 in an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "There's a 1.5 percent to 2 percent overhead in Medicare. The insurance companies have a 20 percent to 30 percent overhead."
Debbie Wasserman Schultz stated on May 25, 2011 in an interview on MSNBC: The Democratic health care law "added 12 years of solvency to Medicare."
Amy Kremer stated on May 17, 2011 in an interview on "The Colbert Report": "We bring in enough tax revenue to service our debt, pay for Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, and then still have about $300 (billion) or $400 billion left over."
Gerry Connolly stated on April 15, 2011 in a press release.: Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan "lines the pockets of the private insurance companies," increases costs for seniors and does not reduce the deficit.
Tom Perriello stated on October 6, 2010 in a TV ad.: "Mr. Hurt would re-open that darn (Medicare) doughnut hole."
Americans United for Change stated on February 18, 2010 in a radio ad: "Congresswoman Bachmann actually said we should be 'weaned' off our Social Security and Medicare. She wants to privatize Social Security and replace Medicare with some kind of voucher system."
Joe Biden stated on February 14, 2010 in an interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press': Among the money spent on health care in the United States, "46 cents on every dollar spent is through Medicare and Medicaid."
John Cornyn stated on October 18, 2009 in an interview on CBS's Face the Nation: "The first installment of health care reform ... will raise the deficit by $250 billion."
America's Health Insurance Plans stated on October 15, 2009 in a televison advertisement: Seniors with coverage under Medicare Advantage will give up "more than their share" because of health care reform
Ginny Brown-Waite stated on September 9, 2009 in a letter to AARP: AARP is "the largest reseller of insurance in the country" and "has a vested interest in seeing that the market for reselling supplemental insurance expands."
Barack Obama stated on September 20, 2009 in an interview on "This Week with George Stephanopolous.": "Medicare does just as good, if not better, at keeping people healthy" as Medicare Advantage.
Tom Coburn stated on August 24, 2009 in Fox News Channel's On the Record With Greta Van Susteren: "Medicare has at least $80 billion worth of fraud a year. That's a full 20 percent of every dollar that's spent on Medicare goes to fraud."
Barack Obama stated on August 11, 2009 in a town hall meeting.: "I just want to assure [you] we're not talking about cutting Medicare benefits."
Donna Brazile stated on August 2, 2009 in CNN's State of the Union with John King: Under President George W. Bush, the U.S. "spent $1.3 trillion on tax cuts for the wealthy" and "trillions" each on a war and on Medicare drug benefits.