Do You Really Like Romney's Medicare Program?

Obama to Use New Study to Attack Mitt Romney on Medicare

By Mary Bruce | ABC OTUS News 

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Campaigning in Florida today, President Obama will seize on a new analysis showing the Romney-Ryan plan would raise Medicare costs to launch fresh attacks against his opponents plan to "voucherize" the popular entitlement program.

Appealing to the large senior population in this key battleground state, the president will highlight anew study by the left-leaning Center for American Progress that found that, under the Romney-RyanMedicare plan, seniors turning 65 in 2023 would see their health care costs increase by $59,500 during retirement.

The analysis found the numbers are even higher for future generation. According to the study, a person who qualifies for Medicare in 2030 would, on average, have to pay an extra $125,000 inMedicare costs over the course of their retirement.

The president ramped up his hammering of his opponents' Medicare proposals on the road Saturday.

"No American should ever have to spend their golden years at the mercy of insurance companies. After a lifetime of labor, you should retire with dignity and respect. You've earned it," he told supporters in Kissimmee, Fla. "We do have to reform and we will strengthen Medicare over the long haul, but we're going to do it by reducing the costs of health care - not by dumping those costs on to seniors."