Trump op-ed designed to sway midterm votes

By Anh Le and Fred S. Mayer, R.Ph., Pharm.D., M.P.H.
Marin (Calif.) Independent Journal, October 21, 2018

President Trump’s recent op-ed in USA Today regarding “Medicare for All” is a failed attempt to scare seniors before the midterm elections.

Trump ignores the intelligence and wisdom of older Americans to discern the truth, and to know when an op-ed purporting to protect their interests is a mere snow job.

The president claims that “Democrats will eviscerate Medicare.” Is this falsehood just another pre-election scare tactic? How ironic, considering that the president’s own budget director slashed Medicare’s budget, and House Speaker Paul Ryan has tried to gut both Medicare and Social Security.

The president says that he will protect seniors, and falsely claims that Democrats’ “Medicare for All” would not cover “pre-existing conditions.” Yet the president’s and Republicans’ efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s landmark legislation which addressed pre-existing conditions, were defeated, thanks to Democrats’ push-back and Sen. John McCain’s vote. It is the president and Republicans who want to eliminate the coverage of pre-existing conditions for Americans.

Medicare for All, or universal heath care for all Americans, will benefit and serve all Americans, regardless of age. The present health care system is exorbitantly costly and wasteful. Medicare for All would insure all Americans, at a much lower cost than currently spent per capita, and produce better health outcomes.

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ call for Medicare for All continues to gain increasing acceptance by the American people, Congress, medical doctors and public health experts.

Trump should not misuse seniors to advance partisan and propaganda purposes.

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