On May 6, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a brief on the fiscal plan outlined in Representative Paul Ryan's (R-WI) Roadmap for America's Future.  The brief examines the changes the plan would make to health care programs, including the ending of traditional Medicare and much of Medicaid, and the elimination of CHIP.  CBPP asserts the plan would have a negative impact on the economy and would not achieve its debt reduction goals. 

From the report: The Ryan plan would eliminate traditional Medicare, most of Medicaid, and all of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), converting these health programs largely to vouchers that low-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities could use to help buy insurance in the private health insurance market. Under Ryan’s plan, the value of the vouchers would fall further behind the rising cost of health care with each passing year, so they would purchase less health coverage over time. By 2080, Medicare would be cut 76 percent below its projected size under current policies, according to CBO. In other words, by 2080, the vouchers that would replace Medicare would receive one-quarter of the resources that Medicare would otherwise use.

Full report: The Ryan Budget's Radical Priorities (PDF | 373.89 KB)

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  (2010).  The Ryan budget's radical priorities.  Van de Water, P.