Consumer Choice Can Save U.S. Health Care

By Paul Ryan 

(This op-ed article by Paul Ryan, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, was originally published by Bloomberg View on May 26, 2011.)
The failure of politicians in Washington to address the crisis in Medicare is putting the health security of Americans at risk.

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House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. Photographer: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a budget that advances a plan to save Medicare for today’s senior citizens and strengthen it for future generations. But instead of seeing an opportunity for bipartisan action, President Barack Obama and his party have seized it as a chance to play politics with the health of our nation. The Democrats’ dishonest characterization of this plan before the special Congressional election in New York State on May 24 was just the latest example.