"Don't worry, Medicare people," Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan keep reassuring. "We wouldn't do anything to hurt you, since you might vote for us. It's those moochers who are younger than you that we want to punish." Because they're selfish egoists who assume people operate from purely personal motivations, the Republican team assumes that's how everyone operates. Unfortunately for them, they also apparently believe that a lot of seniors just aren't paying attention this election, and will believe their lies about what they plan to do. Which is, of course, to start making seniors pay more once they repeal Obamacare.

The Center for American Progress shows how much current and future retirees would be paying under Romney/Ryan.



Increased drug costs and higher Medicare premiums. By repealing the Affordable Care Act, the Romney-Ryan plan would raise health care costs in retirement by $11,000 for the average person who is 65 years old today.

By repealing the Affordable Care Act, the Romney-Ryan plan would raise health care costs in retirement by $11,000 for the average person who is 65 years old today. Increased long-term care costs, including increased costs for nursing home care, because of cuts to Medicaid. A substantial share of Medicaid spending pays for health care costs for Medicare beneficiaries. The Romney-Ryan Medicaid cuts mean a loss of over $2,500 annually for seniors currently on Medicare who also rely on Medicaid. Unlike the Medicare voucher system that would begin in 2023 the cuts to Medicaid would begin almost immediately.

Here's where those increased costs come from:Of course, for everyone under 55 hitting retirement age, there probably wouldn't be any Medicare left at all after Romney/Ryan have their way. Which is, of course, a feature and not a bug in their plan. Killing Medicare has been the plan all along.