GOP memo: No cure for Dems’ Medicare pains

The top three Republican political committees are going after vulnerable Democrats on Medicare, accusing them of causing cuts to the Medicare Advantage program.

{mosads}The Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee issued a joint memo Wednesday morning blaming Democrats for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 3.55 percent cut to the Medicare Advantage program, which the GOP says will hurt seniors.

“ObamaCare robs Medicare Advantage by $156 billion,” the memo reads. “Because of this drastic cut, seniors across the country will see their premiums rise, benefits shrink, and may lose access to the doctor they’ve known for years. This reality is harmful to our senior citizens and is a political nightmare for Democrats.”

The memo then calls out some vulnerable Democrats, Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.).

“Democrats from coast to coast vowed to protect Medicare, yet they continue to put a law that bleeds the program dry above the seniors they represent,” the memo says.

Republicans have been looking for more ways to leverage the real-life impacts of ObamaCare to attack Democrats, and the CMS report provides them with a new avenue to go on offense.

Cutting the rate of growth of Medicare’s cost was one of ObamaCare’s major cost-saving measures. Both parties have attacked the other for wanting to weaken Medicare. Democrats have long slammed Republicans for wanting to “end Medicare as we know it” because they back Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) plan that would create some major changes to the program.