Tomorrow marks the 57th anniversary of the beginning of Medicare benefits for over 19 million Americans. Medicare has made it possible for millions of Americans to get the health care coverage they need. It has saved countless lives.
Ahead of this anniversary, it is important to remember that as president, Donald Trump repeatedly attempted to undermine Medicare. Despite promising not to cut Medicare during his 2016 campaign and even as recently as this year, Trump’s federal budget proposals demonstrated multiple attempts to cut Medicare.
The Trump administration also utilized an executive order to dismantle traditional Medicare and expand private sector control over the program.
Trump repeatedly broke his promise to not cut Medicare and has actively undermined the program:
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As president, Trump issued an executive order to undermine traditional Medicare and pave the way for eventual privatization. The executive order failed to address problems with Medicare Advantage and increased the chance of seniors being subject to surprise billing. The order would drive up Medicare costs, pushing seniors to the more costly Medicare Advantage.
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Trump’s expansion of Medicare Advantage savings accounts provided a tax shelter for higher-income beneficiaries with few benefits to most seniors.
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The Trump administration botched the online Medicare Advantage enrollment.
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Trump’s appointee to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Seema Verma, was a staunch advocate of privatization and deregulation. Verma had a track record of attempting to dismantle Medicaid, which was a source of supplemental coverage for more than one in five seniors on Medicare.
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Trump backed away from his campaign pledge to negotiate drug prices for Medicare with pharmaceutical companies.
Read more about Donald Trump’s disastrous record at TrumpResearchBook.com.
Published: Jun 29, 2023 | Last Modified: Jul 5, 2023