Vukmir and Nicholson’s Scam GOP Tax Law Puts Medicare at Risk

MADISON, Wisconsin, June 6 -- The Wisconsin Democratic Party issued the following news:

A new federal government report has determined that the Republican tax law championed by GOP Senate candidates Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson is threatening Medicare's longterm viability, putting over one million Wisconsin seniors and future retirees health care benefits at risk.

Via the Washington Post:

"According to the report, less money will be flowing into the hospital-care trust fund in part because the tax law passed this year will cause the government to collect less in income taxes. In addition, lower wages last year will translate into lower payroll taxes.

"As revenue slips, hospital expenses will increase, the report says. A senior government official who briefed reporters on it said that part of that increase is because the tax law will, starting next year, end enforcement of the Affordable Care Act's requirement that most Americans carry health insurance. As a result, hospitals are predicted to have more uninsured patients, in turn requiring the Medicare program to pay more for such uncompensated care."

As passed by congressional Republicans and signed into law by President Trump, the tax law sends more than 80 percent of benefits to the richest one percent of Americans and large corporations like Wells Fargo, Exxon and drug companies like Pfizer. And now -- on top of all of that -- the law is actively threatening more than 1 million Wisconsin seniors and future retirees' health care benefits.

If that sounds bad, it's because it's a disaster, but don't expect to see Vukmir and Nicholson weeping at the possibility of Wisconsinites seeing their Medicare benefits threatened. Both Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson support Republican plans for cutsto vital programs like Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid, which provide essential benefits and health care coverage to Wisconsin kids, retirees and nursing home residents.

* More than 1.2 million Wisconsinites are Social Security beneficiaries;

* More than 1 million Wisconsinite seniors count on Medicare;

* Half of Wisconsinites with a disability receive coverage under Medicaid; and,

* 3 in 5 Wisconsin nursing home residents count on Medicaid for coverage.