Trump health official dubs ‘Medicare for all’ shirt ‘scariest Halloween costume’

The top Trump administration official in charge of Medicare took a shot at “Medicare for all” in a Halloween-themed tweet on Wednesday.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma tweeted a photo of a T-shirt printed with “Medicare for all,” calling it “this year’s scariest Halloween costume.”

This year’s scariest Halloween costume goes to… pic.twitter.com/QtRbdmiR8T

— Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) October 31, 2018

Republicans have been attacking the idea of “Medicare for all” this year while attempting to defend themselves from a barrage of Democratic attacks over GOP votes to repeal ObamaCare and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions.{mosads}

Medicare for all is a proposal championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that has been growing in popularity among Democrats.

Verma later in the day tweeted, “Did I get your attention? Good.”

“Medicare for All isn’t a joke,” she wrote. “It’s a multi-trillion dollar drain on the American economy that will bankrupt future generations. It’s government controlled health care that will strip choice away from millions.”

“It’s a bad idea,” she added. “And it IS scary.”

Did I get your attention? Good. Medicare for All isn’t a joke. It’s a multi-trillion dollar drain on the American economy that will bankrupt future generations. It’s government controlled health care that will strip choice away from millions. It’s a bad idea. And it IS scary.

— Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) November 1, 2018

Verma also expanded on her argument against the proposal in a speech in July.

“Ideas like ‘Medicare for all’ would only serve to hurt and divert focus from seniors,” Verma said then. 

“By choosing a socialized system, you are giving the government complete control over the decisions pertaining to your care or whether you receive care at all. It would be the furthest thing from patient-centric care,” she added. 

Verma’s tweet on Wednesday going after the proposal provoked a quick reaction on social media.

“She runs Medicare and doesn’t believe in it,” tweeted Christina Reynolds, a spokeswoman for the Democratic group Emily’s List. “The MO of the whole Trump administration.”

-Updated 8:56 p.m.