BY WESLEY P. HESTER
Like many Democrats, U.S. Senate candidate Timothy M. Kaine celebrated the 45th anniversary of Medicare’s implementation with some critical words about Republican House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s plans for the popular entitlement program.
“There’s no doubt that the system is in need of reform,” said Kaine. “The critical question we face is how to reform Medicare. Do we, as Republicans have suggested, end Medicare as we know it by shifting costs from the federal government onto already over-burdened state budgets and seniors who can’t afford it? Or, do we look for smart ways to reduce costs in order to improve and preserve Medicare?”
Kaine said he prefers the latter, proposing reforming federal laws that prevent the Medicare program from negotiating for lower cost prescription drugs as a good starting point.
The former Democratic National Committee chairman also managed to sneak in some criticism of a certain opponent.
“We must preserve the fundamental tenet of the legislation: low cost access to health care. That is why I oppose the Ryan Plan that many of my opponents, including George Allen, have praised,” Kaine said.
Allen has cautiously avoided either endorsing or condemning Ryan’s plan, which has become a controversial issue in Congress and among voters.
