Public Citizen Issues Statement on Impact of President Trump Executive Order on Medicare

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 -- Public Citizen issued the following statement by Eagan Kemp, health care policy advocate, on the impact of President Trump's executive order on Medicare:

Note: Today, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would harm seniors and others who rely on Medicare by weakening protections for seniors in traditional Medicare and undertaking efforts to push more Americans into Medicare Advantage plans, where they may face denials of care and limited doctor or hospital choice. These changes would cost the government more while threatening the long-term solvency of Medicare.

"It is unsurprising that this administration would mislead Americans with lies about "Keeping the Government's Hands Off Medicare," but that is exactly what this order does. It is just one more example of an administration focused on ending access to affordable health care, whether through sabotaging the Affordable Care Act, seeking to harm immigrants' access to care or cutting Medicare. The uninsured rate has risen under this administration, due to its reckless and immoral actions.

"This order serves only the powerful corporations that seek to profit off the health care of seniors. By continuing to allow Medicare Advantage plans to cherry-pick healthy seniors while leaving the sickest to be covered through traditional Medicare, these plans threaten access to health care for seniors and people with disabilities as well as the solvency of Medicare in the long term. By failing to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for price gouging and patent abuses, this order ensures that Americans will continue paying the highest prices in the world for drugs.

"This administration seeks to ensure that health care titans can continue to line their pockets while seniors and working families struggle to get the care they need. As with so many other issues, the president's health care agenda is bought and paid for by the corporate interests that profit off our broken status quo.

"But the people are tired of getting a raw deal. That is why Medicare for All remains popular with a majority of Americans. By improving Medicare and expanding it to everyone in the U.S., Medicare for All would ensure that Americans can finally get the care they need when they need it, regardless of income."