Report: Pasch's Claim that Rep. Ryan's Budget Eliminates Health Care for Seniors Is False

State Rep. Sandy Pasch’s claim that U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan would end health care for seniors was labeled as “pants on fire” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s PolitiFact.

The political fact-checking website quoted Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) as saying, “If you stand with Paul Ryan, you stand with the promise to end health care for our seniors” in an online chat Monday.

However, PolitiFact says under Ryan’s (R-Janesville) plan, people who turn 65 before 2022 would remain in traditional Medicare and those who turn 65 in 2022 or after, the budget office said, would get a "premium support payment" from Medicare.

Instead of receiving government health care, they would receive payment, which they can use to purchase private health care. The Congressional Budget Office concluded would cost more than the Medicare system.

In addition, PolitiFact says Pasch claimed it would end health care and not Medicare.

Pasch responded to the website by saying it is a clear move toward no longer promising health care to seniors.

Read the full report here.

(This article was updated at 7:15 p.m. June 10 to reflect that Sandy Pasch is a Democrat from Whitefish Bay. Patch strives for accuracy in reporting, and we regret the error.)