Today, South Dakota Democrats began running radio ads across South Dakota challenging Congresswoman Noem’s vote against Medicare.

The South Dakota Democratic Party is sponsoring the radio ad in order to hold Congresswoman Noem accountable to her constituents, says Ben Nesselhuf, Chairman of the South Dakota Democratic Party.

“Congresswoman Noem voted to end Medicare as we know it in order to give more tax cuts to the wealthy. Then in an effort to confuse her constituents, she is using taxpayer dollars to send a political mailing that claims she is working to save Medicare. South Dakotans are smarter than that. That’s why we join our neighbors who are depending on Medicare to hold Noem accountable for her misplaced priorities,” stressed Nesselhuf.

South Dakotans will suffer because of Kristi Noem’s vote against Medicare. According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Noem’s vote against Medicare will:

  • Jeopardize nursing home care for 3,600.
  • Eliminate preventive care benefits for 133,000 current Medicare beneficiaries.
  • Deny access to Medicare’s guaranteed benefits for 600,000 individuals age 54 and younger.
  • Increase the out-of-pocket costs of health coverage by over $6,000 per year in 2022 and by almost $12,000 per year in 2032 for the 125,000 individuals who are between the ages of 44 and 54.
  • Increase health care cost for individuals – 125,000 individuals between the ages of 44 and 54 will have to save an average of $182,000 to $287,000 per individual – to pay for the increased cost of health coverage over their lifetimes. Younger residents will have to save even higher amounts to cover their additional medical costs.

Impact of 2012 House Budget on South Dakota

If you would like more information on why Democrats support Medicare, please contact Chairman Ben Nesselhuf at 605-271-5405 or ben@sddp.org.

Radio Ad Script:

SFX: Newspaper rustling and will do so throughout ad

SFX: Coffee pot pouring coffee in cup

Wife: You want some coffee
Husband: Please (Pause) What happens when people go to Washington?

Wife: What are you talking about?
Husband: Kristi Noem voted to end Medicare

Wife: What?
Husband: Kristi Noem voted for the Republican budget that will end Medicare as we know it…

Says here seniors will have to pay over six thousand more for the same coverage

The republicans want to cut Medicare and still give tax cuts to multi-millionaires

Wife: She didn’t say she was going to do any of this during the election
Husband: They never do

Wife: So let me get this straight Kristi Noem wants tax breaks for multi-millionaires but wants to end Medicare
Husband: There’s more. Kristi Noem also voted to cut incentives for South Dakota farmers and Ethanol producers but she wants to keep billion dollar tax cuts for oil companies

Wife: I thought she was different
Husband: Me too

Announcer: Paid for by the South Dakota Democratic Party, not authorized by any candidate or any candidate’s committee

Background:

Noem Votes for 2012 Budget
Roll Call: 235 yeas, including Congresswoman Kristi Noem, 193 nays. [U.S. House of Representatives, 4.15.11]

End Medicare
“The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]

Seniors’ Healthcare Costs Would Rise
“Under the proposal, the gradually increasing number of Medicare beneficiaries participating in the new premium support program would bear a much larger share of their health care costs than they would under the traditional program…. That greater burden would require them to reduce their use of health care services, spend less on other goods and services, or save more in advance of retirement than they would under current law…

“Under the proposal, most elderly people who would be entitled to premium support payments would pay more for their health care than they would pay under the current Medicare system. For a typical 65-year-old with average health spending enrolled in a plan with benefits similar to those currently provided by Medicare, CBO estimated the beneficiary’s spending on premiums and out-of-pocket expenditures as a share of a benchmark amount: what total health care spending would be if a private insurer covered the beneficiary. By 2030, the beneficiary’s share would be 68 percent of that benchmark under the proposal, 25 percent under the extended-baseline scenario, and 30 percent under the alternative fiscal scenario.” [Congressional Budget Office, 4/5/11]

Republican Plan Brings Back “Donut Hole” Coverage Gap for Prescription Drugs
Ryan’s plan brings back the coverage “gap in Medicare prescription drug” benefit. [Associated Press, 4/06/11]